New Library Slow and Massive - Keeps crashing

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New Library Slow and Massive - Keeps crashing

I recently updated to the newest version of FCPX 10.1. I keep all of my projects on one hard drive so when FCP converted everything into a library it lumped everything together. The problem is that whenever I open said library FCP becomes insanely slow. I obviously need to break this library into smaller libraries - but due to FCP timing out everytime I open it I am unable to do so. It doesnt seem like I can re-organize my projects and events on the finder level.

Has anyone else had this issue? Are there anyways to break things into different libraries outside of the FCP application? Are there any other things I should try?

Final Cut Pro X, iOS 7.1

Posted on Apr 16, 2014 7:01 AM

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Answer 1

Russ H

Level 7

22,432 points

Apr 16, 2014 7:19 AM in response to MC_Vid

Extremely large libraries can be troublesome.

Try this. Open FCP while holding down the option key. That will give you a dialog and an option to create a new library, That new library will have a single empty event,

Then, from the File menu choose Open Library and click on the big library. See whether you can drag and drop an event (not the Updated Projects event) into the new library. If you can, continue the process of moving events and specific, related projects.

You may want to create additional libraries, depending on what you have.

Good luck.

Russ

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Answer 2

Russ H

Level 7

22,432 points

Apr 16, 2014 7:22 AM in response to MC_Vid

One thing I meant to mention: sooner or later you need to get an external drive for your media, and libraries and to create a backup plan.

Russ

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Answer 3

MC_Vid Author

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Apr 16, 2014 8:32 AM in response to Russ H

Thanks Russ. Right now it is so slow when I open that library that I can't move things around. Even when I try to scroll through the list of events I get the spinny wheel and it freezes.

I was hoping there was a work around in finder but it seems like you have to organize things within FCP itself.

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Answer 4

Russ H

Level 7

22,432 points

Apr 16, 2014 8:44 AM in response to MC_Vid

You don't have to work in the application, but it's preferable and safer.

Did you create the new library as I suggested?

Russ

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Answer 5

MC_Vid Author

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Apr 16, 2014 8:46 AM in response to Russ H

Yes. I have created a new library but I am unable to move any events from the massive library into it.

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Answer 6

Russ H

Level 7

22,432 points

Apr 16, 2014 8:52 AM in response to MC_Vid

Do you have Time Machine (or some other BU utility) backips?

Russ

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Answer 7

MC_Vid Author

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Apr 16, 2014 9:10 AM in response to Russ H

Russ - I have the original projects and events folder from before the update. I did not trash that file yet.

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Answer 8

Russ H

Level 7

22,432 points

Apr 16, 2014 9:28 AM in response to MC_Vid

Going into the bundles does have a bit of risk to it. And regular backups, to state the obvious, are a very good idea,

Open two Finder windows and open up both libraries. To get inside a library, right click and Show Package Contents.

Drag an event folder to the new library.

Open up FCP and see whether it works as it's supposed to with the event in the new library. Repeat the process or create some new libraries to spread things out further.

Russ

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Answer 9

Russ H

Level 7

22,432 points

Apr 16, 2014 9:46 AM in response to MC_Vid

Hold off doing the maneuver until I run a few tests.

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Answer 10

Russ H

Level 7

22,432 points

Apr 16, 2014 10:24 AM in response to MC_Vid

Working in the Finder is producing some flaky results for me. Let me test some more to see whether it's specific to the folders I moved.

Russ

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Answer 11

Russ H

Level 7

22,432 points

Apr 16, 2014 10:39 AM in response to MC_Vid

Apparently, the data base file, flexoibrary, expects some info from the events to be in the library and gets confused if it is missing.

I've been able to get the libraries to work by trashing and rebuilding their databases, but I'd prefer to offer (or have someone else offer) a different solution.

Russ

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Answer 12

MC_Vid Author

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Apr 16, 2014 1:17 PM in response to Russ H

Thanks for all the help Russ. For now I have ended up going back to my old version of FCPX - and am able to work in that. I think I will attempt to upgrade to the new FCP in a little while when I am not in the middle of projects. Any tips for making a successful upgrade?

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Answer 13

Russ H

Level 7

22,432 points

Apr 16, 2014 3:00 PM in response to MC_Vid

MC_Vid wrote:

I think I will attempt to upgrade to the new FCP in a little while when I am not in the middle of projects.

Sounds smart.

MC_Vid wrote:

Any tips for making a successful upgrade?

Keep libraries at a manageable size.😉

Seriously, I did a lot of reading and watching videos. Ended up by following Philip Hodgetts' Strategy with Event Manager. It's worked for me pretty well so far…and I'm a fan of the libraries – albeit still learning their gotchas.

There are many archived projects that I doubt I will ever update.

Best of luck.

Russ

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