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Final Cut can't access any music/audio files

Literally every audio file, that I was previously able to preview through the file browser tab, is inaccessible.


This includes sound effects that came with Final Cut and other Apple apps, free loops I've downloaded, and a stack of stuff from AudioJungle that I've legally paid for.


It also includes a mix of .wav, .mp3 and .aiff files. None of them are working.

Posted on Oct 20, 2020 2:18 AM

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Posted on Nov 4, 2020 4:38 PM

I have found a fix for this!


Thanks to the amazing phone support team at Apple, it turns out you can hit the spacebar rather than double clicking with the mouse, and they'll play again - even though the error message remains. This also makes them playable with the mouse, though apparently the issue can recur (in which case try the spacebar again). Apparently it's a known bug they're working on.


Attached an image so people can see what the error text looks like:



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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Nov 4, 2020 4:38 PM in response to istaraaa

I have found a fix for this!


Thanks to the amazing phone support team at Apple, it turns out you can hit the spacebar rather than double clicking with the mouse, and they'll play again - even though the error message remains. This also makes them playable with the mouse, though apparently the issue can recur (in which case try the spacebar again). Apparently it's a known bug they're working on.


Attached an image so people can see what the error text looks like:



Oct 20, 2020 2:55 AM in response to Luis Sequeira1

Thanks for your help.


All the audio files are viewable in the sound effects browser, but none will play. The message at the bottom of the panel is "1234 Files Are Unplayable And Unavailable"


The media is stored in: Library->Audio->Apple Loops->Apple->Final Cut Pro Sound Effects


I've tried deleting FCP Preferences but it didn't fix it.


I've also downloaded Etrecheck and run it. It found no major problems, only minor ones (none of which seem obviously connected to FCP). Report uploaded as "Extra Text".


I have enabled Full Drive Access within Etrecheck and within System Preferences:Privacy so I'm not sure why it thinks I haven't!


I haven't made any major changes/installations since the last time FCP was working fine.


I'm using FCP version 10.4.10 on Catalina 10.15.7 (19H2) on a MacBookPro (2019 model). Ample disk space and RAM (64GB).


.


Oct 20, 2020 2:25 AM in response to istaraaa

As I wrote in another thread, please run Etrecheck and post its full report here. Use the "additional text" button and paste the report into the text box.


Also, don't forget to tell us what version of macOS and FCP, and where the media is stored.

When you say inaccessible, do you mean it does not even show in the sound effects browser?

Any change to permissions involved? Any symlink to an external location, that may have changed name, perhaps?

Oct 20, 2020 5:58 AM in response to istaraaa

Shut down FCP X and delete the preferences for starters.


If FCP X or iMovie start behaving unexpectedly in any way for no apparent reason, the problem could be caused by corrupt preference files. 


The cure for this is to delete the preferences. 


 Hold down the  Cmd and Option keys as you launch FCP X or iMovie and a window will appear asking if you wish to delete the preferences. 


Click “Delete Preferences” and FCP X or iMovie will open in the default (as-new) mode with no projects etc. on the interface. 


You will have to navigate to any project you were working on and reopen it. 


Deleting preferences is completely safe and because of its simplicity it should be the first thing you do when troubleshooting.

Final Cut can't access any music/audio files

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