Backing up a FCPX project without large render files

[Urban Skargren]

Hello.
I want to backup my project on another drive, but I have discovered that 90% of the disk space it takes up is render files (and proxies and so on). Instead of buying another huge drive, can I just copy the tiny "automatic backup file of FCP" to my backup drive instead? Would that be enough to backup the project? I am not talking about original media files, those I have backupped anyway of course.
And I don't need a quick way to restore everything, it would be okay to relink everything, recreate proxies and renders and so on. I just need a way to be able to recover everything if the main project drive fails.

[Joe Wickert]

Hi
There is a command to do this.

Select your library in the fcpx browser.

Go to file menu then selrct “delete generated library files”. Then you can delete all renders, proxies and optimised media.

Takes seconds. Then you should have a slimmed down fcpx file.

[Urban Skargren]

Thanks. The thing is that I want a way to back up without render files while I keep working on the project WITH render files. If I delete render files each time I backup I would have to recreate them each time again, which would be very time-consuming.
Would the built-in "Final Cut Backup" not be enough to restore everything if I have all original media backed up?

[Pete Cofrancesco]

Honestly FCPX doesn’t have an easy way to backup that I know of. I keep the source files elsewhere and stay away from proxy/render.
One way is duplicate the library and then remove the renders.

The only other way, although I’m not sure it’s worth the effort is to manually copy off the non render files.
Libraries look like one single file, it actually contains many other folders and files within it. If you right click on a library file and select Show Package Contents from the context menu, the library will open like any other folder. You might be able to deselect the sub folders that contain the proxy/render files and copy everything else. Obviously you need to test it.

[Urban Skargren]

Thanks. If I first copy the whole project in order to later delete render files, in this case I would first need to copy 1.5 GB of files and later delete 1.3 GB of those. I am aware of the package structure, but I prefer not to go into folders, I might delete something that makes the library unusable. I have all my media outside of the library except proxies.

I still wonder, if there already exists a Final Cut Backup file, is there a reason it wouldn't serve as a proper backup file? Couldn't I just copy that file to a drive where I want it? (I'm aware I'd have to relink, recreate proxies and renders etc. later)

[Joe Wickert]

Oh ok. I thought you wanted a backup at end of project.

I think what you are suggesting will work fine. Restoring from fcp autosave files has worked well for me. Although i always keep media insude my libraries.

The autosaves are designed to restore your project so it should work fine. They don’t need to be in a specific location to work.

Why not set up a test? Move an autosave file onto an external disk with the project media. Open it up and see what happens. You may have relink files from file menu.

If the test works. The autosaves should be all you need.

Report back if you can.

[Pete Cofrancesco]

Originally Posted by Urban Skargren

Thanks. If I first copy the whole project in order to later delete render files, in this case I would first need to copy 1.5 GB of files and later delete 1.3 GB of those. I am aware of the package structure, but I prefer not to go into folders, I might delete something that makes the library unusable. I have all my media outside of the library except proxies.

I still wonder, if there already exists a Final Cut Backup file, is there a reason it wouldn't serve as a proper backup file? Couldn't I just copy that file to a drive where I want it? (I'm aware I'd have to relink, recreate proxies and renders etc. later)

Just be aware that the backup you seem to be suggesting isn’t much of a backup. You should have your Library and the source video backed up on a second drive. If your primary drive fails which is the most likely scenario, anything backed up on it won’t do you any good. Even if you backup the library with the edits on another drive that won’t do you any good if the source video isn’t backed up.

My practice is when starting a project the source video copied to my editing ssd drive and to a large backup spinner drive. Then if there are lots of editing over more than a day I back up the library every few days.

[Urban Skargren]

Thanks, but like I said in my first post, I do have all source media backed up.

[Pete Cofrancesco]

Didn’t see that.

This article suggests by default backup are automatically saved to the movies folder and outer media related file locations can be changed,

https://support.apple.com/kb/PH17905?locale=en_US

[Urban Skargren]

Originally Posted by Pete Cofrancesco

This article suggests by default backup are automatically saved to the movies folder and outer media related file locations can be changed https://support.apple.com/kb/PH17905?locale=en_US

Thanks Pete, I will check that.

[Gary Huff]

If you don't mind having an exact duplicate of your library backed up in its entirety, then if you use Carbon Copy Cloner to backup over that library, it will only copy changed files, not everything. This is the method I use.

If you're really adventurous, you can dig into the library and copy just the .fcpevent files out of the folder that has the same name as the Event under "Bin". However, I would test that you can wipe it out and restore it on a sample project first before relying on that.

[Urban Skargren]

I think this is a good method. I have SuperDuper, which I belive is very similar. In this case I am looking for a way to save up space, so I don't use it for Final Cut, but I will next time I initate a big project. Thanks.