Final Cut Library Won't Load!

Question

Level 1

33 points

Final Cut Library Won't Load!

My Final Cut Library, based on an external drive, won't load. It gets stuck loading certain events.

It all began earlier when my Library WOULD open, but it would take 10-15 minutes to do so. I finally realized it was because it was attempting to access thousands of PNG files on an external drive that caused the hangup. Noticing that the local machine drive handled these files much better than my external drive, I moved the folder of media to my local drive with the goal of reconnecting the media files.

Then, when I opened up my Library in Final Cut (after taking 15 minutes to do so), the event with the trouble files contained NO CLIPS within it whatsoever (in fact, the star Event Logo wasn't present next to the name of the event). The clips were still in the sequence that I had cut in, but they would not open in the media browser at all.

Now, trying the main Library again OR the local backup (from the Movies folder), the app gets stuck once it opens. I can't click anything within it.

I'm stuck, don't know what to do, am on a deadline, and would sure love some help. Thank you to any kind and knowledgeble souls out there!

😟

Posted on Feb 3, 2014 11:56 PM

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Answer 1

mcradick

Level 1

12 points

Dec 30, 2017 8:35 AM in response to Luis Sequeira1

I've just updated to latest FCP. I think my cable to a hard drive got knocked. A message came up saying that that drive could not be repaired so back it up. If I try to open the FCP Projects and events it says that I don't have permission as its already in use. I can't move the file with .flexolibrary suffix. i need to access some videos. what can I do?

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Answer 2

Blake Hodges Author

Level 1

33 points

Feb 4, 2014 12:45 AM in response to Blake Hodges

For what it's worth, I tried a hail-mary based on something I read online and opened the package contents of the Library file in question, and deleted all render files. THIS HAS SUCCESSFULLY ALLOWED THE PROJECT TO OPEN. However, one of the events in the Library has lost all the clips it was supposedly containing. When I try and "reveal in browser" from a clip in the timeline, it says "Error: Cannot locate original clip item."

Never seen this before. What the **** is going on?

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Answer 3

Blake Hodges Author

Level 1

33 points

Feb 4, 2014 1:01 AM in response to Blake Hodges

If anyone is paying attention: The Library is up and running but the graphics clips I cut into the timeline are unable to reconnect to everything. Lost a day's work due to the glories of Final Cut Pro X. Will have to drop everything in again by hand.

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Answer 4

Feb 4, 2014 2:30 AM in response to Blake Hodges

Where were the files originally? Were they inside the event by any chance? By your description, it looks like they were. Sorry if this seems harsh, but if you moved them from the event, then you brought this on yourself. If they were stored outside the library, and the library contained symlinks, then your process should have worked, but the fact that you ended up with an empty event suggests otherwise. If that is what you did, you could try putting them back, and then do it properly: use the consolidate media feature of FCP X to move them out of the event, to a folder of your choosing, AND replacing them with symlinks.

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Answer 5

Blake Hodges Author

Level 1

33 points

Feb 4, 2014 9:10 AM in response to Luis Sequeira1

All the files were being linked to the folder on the same external drive at the library is on. I.e., I "left the files in place." I figured if I just renamed that external folder, the files would register as off-line in the event, and I could relink the event to the copy of the files on my internal drive. Granted, I did not know you could use the consolidated feature in Final Cut Pro to relocate original files. I did it by hand in the Finder. The weirdest part of all, is that the event still remains in the library within Final Cut, but it's only text with no event logo next to it, and if I selected, all the original clips that were in that event have vanished, meaning I can't select and relink them.

Unless I can try what you're saying of inserting the files directly into the event folder within the library package, I'm having to create a new event and import the new files from the internal drive clean. It requires me to redo all my edit with the graphic files, but it seems I don't have much other choice. Even if I were to replace the graphic files back into the original event folder, they would still be running off of the external Drive, which caused the problem in the first place. So far, accessing the graphic files off the internal drive has gone lightning fast.

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Answer 6

Feb 4, 2014 9:25 AM in response to Blake Hodges

Before you move anything, check what really is inside the event (if anything): select your library in the Finder, control-click and choose Show Package Contents. Inside the Contents folder there should be a folder for every event in the library.

Inside each event's folder there should always be a folder called "Original Media" - and this folder can either contain "real media" or "symlinks". What is there in your case?

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Answer 7

Blake Hodges Author

Level 1

33 points

Feb 4, 2014 11:14 AM in response to Luis Sequeira1

In my original media folder with in the event in question, all files are symlinks

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Answer 8

Blake Hodges Author

Level 1

33 points

Feb 10, 2014 5:54 PM in response to Blake Hodges

Please help. My Library won't open at all now. I'm double clicking directly on the library to open it. Finaly Cut Pro X opens, but then at the top of the app it says it's loading various projects within one of the events, and at a certain point, the app just crashes and I'm taken to a report window. I have restarted and can't get past this. Any advice?

Can't believe how unstable this program has been.

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Answer 9

Feb 11, 2014 7:05 AM in response to Blake Hodges

It looks like something may have become corrupt in your library.

If it happens that it is the library database that has become corrupt, it may be possible - just possible - to fix it.

The database is inside the bundle in a file with .flexolibrary suffix.

You can try the following: in the Finder, locate the library, control-click and choose Show Package Contents.

Drag the .flexolibrary file which is inside and put it somewhere else, for the moment (outside the library itself).

Now with the new "sans-database" library, try double-clicking. FCP X will try and, if all goes well, succeed in reconstructing the database.

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Answer 10

Nov 15, 2017 12:18 PM in response to Luis Sequeira1

THIS WORKED! Three years later and on the new FCP, this tip worked 🙂 Thank you!!!

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