You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!

When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

FCPX Storage

Can I copy a Library from FCPX on my MBP then move the copy to an external drive? Then, when I'd like to use that library again and work on the project within it, can I simply move it back from the external onto my MBP and into FCPX again?


Related, can I work on FCPX on an external and have all the Libraries, backups, media stored on my external? If so how?


THANKS!!!

MacBook Pro 13″, macOS 10.15

Posted on May 28, 2022 5:46 AM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on May 28, 2022 8:36 AM

You seem to have a couple of points of confusion.


When you delete the Generated Library Files you are only deleting the render files which help with the playback whilst you are editing. These files are massive . . . possibly 10 times as big as your normal media and are not necessary once you have finished editing. Should you want to return to the project at a later date FCP will re-generate them for you.


Secondly, you can't put the FCP app on your external (other than for storing a spare copy). You must use FCP on your internal drive but as you have been told, the Library which is completely separate, can live on the external.

13 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

May 28, 2022 8:36 AM in response to bbbjim

You seem to have a couple of points of confusion.


When you delete the Generated Library Files you are only deleting the render files which help with the playback whilst you are editing. These files are massive . . . possibly 10 times as big as your normal media and are not necessary once you have finished editing. Should you want to return to the project at a later date FCP will re-generate them for you.


Secondly, you can't put the FCP app on your external (other than for storing a spare copy). You must use FCP on your internal drive but as you have been told, the Library which is completely separate, can live on the external.

May 28, 2022 6:04 AM in response to bbbjim

You don't have to do all that copying. Just keep everything ion the external drive. The default location for the library called Untitled is in the user's Movies folder. If you're already using that library just copy it to the external, or create a new library File>New>Library and save it to there external drive. You can either save your media inside the library, or leave it on the drive in a folder outside the library.

May 28, 2022 6:05 AM in response to bbbjim

Yes, you can copy the library.

To avoid taking a long time and wasting space, first open the library in FCP, select it in the browser sidebar and do File->Delete Generated Library Files.

Check everything.

Then quit FCP and drag the library to the external drive in the Finder.


Also: if the external is fast enough you can also use the library in FCP right from the external drive.

Make sure that Final Cut Pro has “Full Disk Access” in System Preferences->Security & Privacy->Privacy

May 28, 2022 6:13 AM in response to Tom Wolsky

Thanks Tom. Although I am not a newbie to Apple products, FCPX has me quite confused and I am afraid I am going to lose the projects I have already completed yet would like to store the complete Library with event and project.


If I load FCPX onto the external will the imported media and resulting projects/events simply stay on the external and not reside on my MBP. I am experiencing like I suspect many FCPX users do, severe storage issues. If I can just get an external with a few Ts storage I'll be OK.


Thanks again!

May 28, 2022 6:31 AM in response to Luis Sequeira1

You can store your media either inside or outside the library bundle. The default behavior is to store it inside the bundle, similar to the way the Photos library works. To check where the media is select the library in the application, and in the Inspector you will see the library properties. You can change where the media is stored, or leave it inside the library.


For an excellent introduction to FCP start with Steve Martin’s 60 minute intro https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqUP7Zgeuck. For a more in depth introduction try the IzzyVideo tutorials. The version is a bit dated but the principles are the same. 

May 28, 2022 6:43 AM in response to Tom Wolsky

Thanks again Tom. One more question... I promise LOL. I understand the concept of storing media elsewhere so thanks for confirming that. My problem at this point is that in all of my attempts to open up space etc. I now have anther difficult situation. I had experimented with some real small libraries, moving them back and forth from external and it all worked as I wanted. But, now I have a situation where a library that is 119GB won't load. When loading it says that it "Must be Updated" to work with this version of FCP. I am supposed to open with Backup but the "Open" button is not activated. I need to cancel. Now I am stuck with this 119GB Library that I cannot open. I've really gone down a rabbit hole with all this so THANKS so much for the recommended videos!

Jim

May 28, 2022 8:48 AM in response to bbbjim

In a Library of 100GB it is quite possible that 90GB could be the generated render/optimised files meaning that your basic Library that you need to save is only 10GB.


It will take a while to re-render . . . anything from a few minutes to an hour or so depending on the size and complexity of your project but that is better than clogging up your hard drives on the off-chance you may re-visit the project in a few years!



May 28, 2022 9:03 AM in response to Ian R. Brown

One other point . . . there is no point in saving an old Library unless you are fairly certain you will want to re-edit the video.


All you really need to save is the finished video together with the original footage on the tapes or SD cards. You will then have everything you need to start a new version of the project should the need arise.


I am a belt and braces guy so not only do I keep the original tapes/SD cards, I also make copies of them on several cheap USB 3.0 HDDs. An hour of 1080p video is only around 8GB depending on the compression of your camera so a cheap 2TB HDD can hold about 240 hours of footage.

FCPX Storage

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.