Missing Plug-in error message when compressing video to Apple Compressor from FCPX

Question

Missing Plug-in error message when compressing video to Apple Compressor from FCPX

Hello! I use FCPX for editing videos.I use Apple Compressor to compress the file and convert it to a MP-4 file ready for my YouTube channel. Here's the issue...I deleted FCPX & Apple Compressor and reloaded them both. I do not believe there is anything wrong with the software as I have done many tests with them. Same old error message " Missing Plug-in" every time. Don't understand it as the very last video I did was 3 weeks ago.

Please ....is there someone who can help a senior citizen who lives in Florida? Thanks!!

Mac mini

Posted on Nov 20, 2024 1:58 PM

Reply

Answer 1

terryb

Level 4

2,644 points

Nov 20, 2024 2:26 PM in response to HangTimeGolfer

What version of macOS and FCP?

If you share directly from FCP instead of sending to Compressor, do you still get the missing plugin error?

What is the footage from? What are the footage specs?

Reply

Answer 2

Nov 20, 2024 11:25 PM in response to HangTimeGolfer

If I understand correctly, you are using "Send to Compressor" to export a FCP project in Compressor.

I have seen a few cases where this does not work very well.

I am not a fan of "Send to Compressor".

As terryb said, try exporting directly from FCP. Does it also give the same error?

Since you are uploading to youtube, I think you can stay away from Compressor entirely.

Whatever you upload will be recompressed on the server side, anyway.

You could just export file from FCP as H264, and upload that.

And, if you want to export with different settings, that are only available in Compressor, make your own custom setting, and then in FCP "export with compressor settings". No need to open Compressor, it will be dealt with inside FCP. And it will be faster, too.

Reply

Answer 3

Nov 21, 2024 4:18 AM in response to terryb

Hi Terry,

FCP latest version is 11.0

Compressor latest ver is 4.9

What I do is after I complete the movie I export it to my desktop. At that point it is a mov. version file. I then open up Apple Compressor and drag & drop to Compressor the mov. video. I then drag & drop my custom files onto the movie in Compressor. Then I select "Batch" and it reads the file and begins the process of Compressing the video for YouTube. I have done hundreds of videos for my channels with no problem.

The problem I believe is that in my movie folder there is another folder labeled "motion templates". When I opened the folder it was empty! It should have 4 other folders as follows: Effects,Titles,Transitions,Generators. These would contain the Plug-ins I believe that were missing.

In Finder last night late I went into applications and opened FCPX & kept selecting the path until I saw fcpx folders which contained the 4 folders as mentioned above of plug-ins for this software. I copied and pasted all the files from all 4 folders into the appropriate folders back in "movies" motion templated folder. I will see if this works this morning IDK.

If I let YouTube compress my videos which I would never do they would destroy the quality of the video for sure. So that is why I always use Apple Compressor with my parameters for video, audio and 4K Quality.

Thank you for your help Terry we will see. I will let you know the outcome!

Reply

Answer 4

Nov 21, 2024 4:19 AM in response to Luis Sequeira1

Hi Luis,

FCP latest version is 11.0

Compressor latest ver is 4.9

What I do is after I complete the movie I export it to my desktop. At that point it is a mov. version file. I then open up Apple Compressor and drag & drop to Compressor the mov. video. I then drag & drop my custom files onto the movie in Compressor. Then I select "Batch" and it reads the file and begins the process of Compressing the video for YouTube. I have done hundreds of videos for my channels with no problem.

The problem I believe is that in my movie folder there is another folder labeled "motion templates". When I opened the folder it was empty! It should have 4 other folders as follows: Effects,Titles,Transitions,Generators. These would contain the Plug-ins I believe that were missing.

In Finder last night late I went into applications and opened FCPX & kept selecting the path until I saw fcpx folders which contained the 4 folders as mentioned above of plug-ins for this software. I copied and pasted all the files from all 4 folders into the appropriate folders back in "movies" motion templated folder. I will see if this works this morning IDK.

If I let YouTube compress my videos which I would never do they would destroy the quality of the video for sure. So that is why I always use Apple Compressor with my parameters for video, audio and 4K Quality.

Thank you for your help Luis we will see. I will let you know the outcome!

Reply

Answer 5

Nov 21, 2024 4:54 AM in response to HangTimeGolfer

Well Terry that did not work! Error message is as follows in Compressor "Failed 3x source file-not readable"

I will keep trying because as of now I am dead in the water with my Channels.

Thanks Terry!

Reply

Answer 6

Nov 21, 2024 7:22 AM in response to HangTimeGolfer

I am not sure what is those "files" that you are adding in Compressor.

Could you elaborate on that?

Why can't you do the whole video in FCP itself, but need that finishing in Compressor?

As far as I can tell, Motion Templates are not used at all in Compressor, so I don't think that is the problem.

Motion Templates are used in FCP - and as you said, they include Titles, Effects, Transitions and Generators.

If they had been missing, then it would be noticeable in FCP and in the exported video.

The only way this could affect compressor is if you were compressing a FCP project (as with "Send to Compressor"), not with compressing an exported mov file.

Reply

Answer 7

terryb

Level 4

2,644 points

Nov 21, 2024 9:12 AM in response to HangTimeGolfer

As Luis says, YouTube recompresses whatever you send them so I think the Compressor step is unnecessary.

That said, 'm still not clear on your workflow and the error. What are the "custom files" that you are using in Compressor?

I agree with Luis that Motion templates shouldn't have anything to do with the issue as you're describing it.

Reply

Answer 8

Nov 22, 2024 8:14 AM in response to terryb

I am happy to let you know that when I copy/paste all the plug-ins from FCPX to Apple Movie in file it all worked as normal! So regarding Apple Compressor, less than 4% of YouTube channels let Youtube compress their files. The reason for this is very poor quality video outcome. I've been a YouTube Blogger for quite a number of years now so I'm not going to sacrifice quality.

Thanks Terry

Reply

Answer 9

Nov 22, 2024 8:15 AM in response to Luis Sequeira1

I am happy to let you know that when I copy/paste all the plug-ins from FCPX to Apple Movie in file it all worked as normal! So regarding Apple Compressor, less than 4% of YouTube channels let Youtube compress their files. The reason for this is very poor quality video outcome. I've been a YouTube Blogger for quite a number of years now so I'm not going to sacrifice quality.

Thanks Luis

Reply

Answer 10

terryb

Level 4

2,644 points

Nov 22, 2024 11:48 AM in response to HangTimeGolfer

I'm curious to see the stats you reference regarding YT compression. When you upload, you have the ability to tell YT not to compress?

(Also, everyone sees all posts here, so no need to repeat your replies.)

Reply

Answer 11

Nov 22, 2024 12:03 PM in response to HangTimeGolfer

"source file not readable" indicates either a file corruption or a permissions issue.

Where are these files located?

Does Compressor have "Full Disk Access" in System Settings->Privacy & Security?

If not, then grant it and see if that lets it access the files.

If the problem persists, maybe some of these files has a problem.

Reply

Answer 12

Nov 21, 2024 4:36 AM in response to HangTimeGolfer

Well Luis that did not work! Error message is as follows in Compressor "Failed 3x source file-not readable"

I will keep trying because as of now I am dead in the water with my Channels.

Thanks Luis!

Reply