Deleting projects from FCP
 

i want to delete old project files i did in FCP to free up some space on my hard drive but the project files all say they are 96kb even a few 10 minute interviews i edited that have music, transitions, etc.

when i go in the finder and delete a FCP project file isnt it supposed to automatically delete any associated files with it?

The project file is just a roadmap that tells FCP what it needs. You won't delete any actual media as you have found out.

The media manager is better at handling all your project related files.

-gb-

James

This might be a good time to call your FCP support people -assuming you're still within your free support period after getting FCP.

Or re-read the manuals, very carefully.

Maybe I should do this myself:-)

While I can't say I have a definitive answer to this question, it does seem to me that a Project File is a completely separate thing from the ingested clips or originals.


The Project works off thumbnails or proxies, so the Project File is just a file-path thing...and when you delete it, you are not (as far as I know from the few weeks I have been working with FCP) NOT deleting the Master Clip...

Let's put that another way.

You can write a document in Word (I hope you're familiar with this) and save it as an original under a given name.

Then you can work with that file, but save it under a different name....

Delete that file...and you have not deleted the original.

That's what seems to apply with Projects. Each of them has a different name....but deleting them does not delete the originals.

To do that, you have to follow the "tree" back to where your ingested files are stored and delete those you do not want from there.

Which means you have to figure out where you asked your computer to store things when they were ingested.

And to do that, you can do a "reveal" (I think it's under "VIew") in any FCP project to backtrack to the "Master" for any clip.

....

Michael Knight.


(Any opinions offered by Michael Knight are his alone and should not be construed as if he really knows what he's talking about.....:-)

You should be able to do it with FCP's media manager.

James, I would recomend you not delete the actual project files. Delete the media and render files instead, this way if a client should ever come back to you and say, "can i get that, but with our new logo?" you can just open up your archived project file re-digitize the media, insert the "new logo" and make your client happy!

As you saw, the project file itself is very small, so it doen't take much to back it up and then erase it from you system drive.

Phil

James, backup your FCP project files onto a cd. Then if you want to delet them off of your hard drive you can. As Phillip said, you want to have a backup of the project file somewhere in case you need to make changes in the future. The actual project files don't take up that much space to begin with and your better off just saving them on the harddrive. Backup you media files, and then delete those from your hard drive if you need the room.

cool, thanx everybody, as you can tell i'm new to FCP. i hadn't even seen the media manager function. i'll do this as soon as i get from work.

Just a question...are you using Final Cut Studio I guess that is the "whole enchilada" version? Has anyone used the express version? Would it be easy to explain the basic differences? If so I would greatly appreciate it.

yea, i'm using FCP Studio 5.1.2

Big difference!
to name a few:
Studio has better color correction
Keframeable effects etc..
Logging and Batch capture
Multicam capabilities

And with studio you get a bunch of other Pro apps:
Motion
DVD studio Pro
Livetype
Soundtrack Pro
Compressor
etc

FCE is great for learning or less technical projects. I used it for 2years before geting Studio.

Phil

yea i thought about cutting corners and getting express but when i started reading about the tradeoffs i decided to just swallow that hard pill and save up for the real deal. it sure was worth it.

Hang out on the apple discussion boards, there is a lot of knowledge and instruction there if you run up against a problem with FC, or want to do somthing and can't figure out how.

Good luck
Phil

Thanks! Ordering FCP today. I have Vegas 7 but it's on a Centrino Vaio Laptop. I will put FCP on my 8 GB ram 2.5 Dual. That ought to work. Is 8 GB ram enough for heavy effect editing?

By the way...Can I move files between these 2 platforms? Say, if I want to do one thing in the PC and move back to the MAC and so on? Appreciate the advice.

Well,
it depends on what "enough" means to you. I use a G4 PowerBook with 1G of Ram, It is a pain if I use Motion, but FCP works. I am more of a shooter than editor though... so I do not do heavy duty graphics like MAYA or Lightwave.

Cross Platform? as far as I know only Avid goes cross platform, FCP is mac only.

Phil