Resolving 'big project problems

Hi elmerlang,

The Final Cut Pro X 10.1.2 update should perform better with large projects. When you have a chance, zip your current version for backup. The article below explains how:

Final Cut Pro X 10.1 and later: How to back up important Final Cut Pro X 10.0.x files before updating

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5550

Important: It is recommended that you complete any active projects before updating to a new version of Final Cut Pro.

Backing up the Final Cut Pro X 10.0.x application

When updating to Final Cut Pro X 10.1 via the Mac App Store, the latest version will replace the current version you have installed. As a best practice, before updating to Final Cut Pro X 10.1 you should save a copy of the currently installed version as a backup by following these steps:

1. Create a new folder in the Applications folder. Name the folder with the name and version of the application (for example, "Final Cut Pro X 10.0.9"). To check the version of Final Cut Pro X you have, open the application and choose Final Cut Pro > About Final Cut Pro.
2. Select the Final Cut Pro X application in the Applications folder. Choose File > Compress "Final Cut Pro" or Control-click the application and choose Compress "Final Cut Pro" from the contextual menu. It will take a few minutes to compress.
3. Move the resulting "Final Cut Pro.zip" file into the folder you created in step 1.
4. Now you can move the folder containing the zip file to your preferred location for storing your backup. For example, you could copy it to an external backup drive.

Final Cut Pro X 10.1.2 also allows you to store media, transcodes, renders, and other files outside of the library, which help to keep libraries small and more management. For more information about managing storage locations, take a look at the Online User Guide for Final Cut Pro X:

Final Cut Pro X User Help

http://help.apple.com/finalcutpro/mac/10.1/#ver7db6ffe77

Consolidate media files for a library

1. Select a library in the Libraries list.
2. To open the Library Properties inspector, do one of the following:In the Library Properties inspector, click Consolidate.
   • Choose File > Library Properties (or press Control-Command-J).
   • Click the Inspector button in the toolbar (shown below).
   
3. If you want to include optimized and proxy media, select the checkboxes in the window that appears, and click OK.Final Cut Pro copies the media into the selected library file, or to the external storage location. To view or change library storage locations, see the instructions above.For more information about consolidating media files, see Consolidate projects, events, and libraries.

1. I hope this information helps ....
2. Judy

You can have your cake and eat it too, and still you are unhappy?

You can consolidate to wherever you want. You can keep your files where they were ("leave in place"). A library is just a database.

elmerlang wrote:

"[S]till unhappy?' Well, to be honest, yes! 😉

But riddle me this: Can and if so how can I move only media out of the library into folders on drive without consolidating? (I refer specifically to dslr media that's been used in projects had to be copied into library with qt wrapper so it could be played.)

If not, no biggie, but was curious. This 10.1.2 has many fine improvements but am a little confused. Maybe there's a good article or tutorial vid somewhere on that subject.

I don't understand why you say " dslr media that's been used in projects had to be copied into library with qt wrapper so it could be played".

There seem to be two misconceptions in this, or maybe I am reading it wrong. First of all, maybe you mean avchd cameras and not dslr?

Second of all, even if you import from something like an avchd camera, for which the footage is typically rewrapped in a quicktime container, you DON'T have to copy that into the library. You can store it anywhere you want.

Now, once you have media in the library, and perhaps also media stored somewhere else, and you want to move *only some* of the media to a different location: it is actually quite simple, in the current version. I will try to explain it below, but Mark Spencer does it better than I - see the links also below (this I think answers your last question above tutorial vid 😁)

Control-click the library and choose Reveal in Finder

Quit FCP X.

Control-click the library in the Finder and choose Show Package Contents.

Navigate to the Original Media folder and locate the files you want to move.

Move them! :-)

Start FCP X again.

Depending on where you moved the files, they may (or indeed may not) become offline.

If needed, relink the files. FCP X only needs you to choose the drive containing the files, as it will search them in there. If there are lots of files in the drive, you may want to help narrow down the search by navigating to a convenient folder containing the files somewhere (possibly still in nested folders).

Here are a few useful links:

the free tutorial on rippletraining:

http://www.rippletraining.com/media-management-fcpx-10-1-2.html

The last macbreak studio episodes about media management and file management in 10.1.2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGogEwnX9yE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFbtN1aTZh8

Leave in place is not an option when importing from a camera or a camera card, and for good reason: you don't want your library referencing a card that will likely be removed, erased, and reused, and even if still there is too slow for playback and editing. Camera archives, although stored in hard drives, are taken as duplicates (archives :-)) or cards, and treated as cards.

That means that you have to copy. But it does NOT mean that you have to copy TO the Library!

Note that where you copy is now not decided on a case by case basis every time you import.

This is now decided per library, using the Inspector. In the picture below, you can see that media for the example library is to be stored in a folder, outside the library.

I was puzzled at first, too, but I realize this makes sense. You decide, say, that Library A material is to be stored in that drive, that library B is to be managed (i.e. everything copied to the library), and this choice is stored for you, so you don't have to think about it (but you can change your mind later, too).

I assume your snapshot indicates if that media is saved to a folder outside the library, I can create a new library which might be the 2nd part of a larger doc project, import what I choose with 'leave files in place' and have less clutter of earlier events and projects and therefor better performance.

I am a big fan of "leave in place". If you have material that is to be used in more than one library, then definitely leave in place is your friend.

As you say, if you have the media outside your library you can easily import it into a second library using leave in place.

Now libraries don't look so stupid, do they? 😉