FCP X: Move Libraries, Events and Projects

Apple has continued to refine the process of moving Final Cut Libraries, Events and Projects. And, based on my email, a lot of folks find this process confusing. So, let me explain.

NOTE: For these techniques to work, you must be running FCP X version 10.1.2 or later.

BEFORE YOU START

There are three articles that are related to this subject that you may find useful:

• Read this to better understand media management in FCP X.
• Read this if you have a large library that you want to break into smaller chunks.
• Read this if you have media inside a library (“Managed media”) that you want to move outside the library (“External media”).

MOVE A LIBRARY

The easiest way to move a library is using the Finder.

First, and most important, quit Final Cut. Never move a library with Final Cut Pro X running.

Then, drag the library from wherever it is to wherever you want it to be.

At this point, one of two things will happen:

1. If the media for that library is managed (stored inside the library), all your media will move with the library and all the links inside your project will continue to work.
2. If the media for that library is external (stored outside the library), then none of the media will move with the library. This means, depending upon where the media is stored, that links may or may not work. If media becomes unlinked when you next open the library, you’ll need to relink it. This article explains how.

NOTE: I generally store all media that I use for my projects outside the library. Also, in general, when moving libraries, my links don’t break.

MOVE AN EVENT TO A DIFFERENT EXISTING LIBRARY

An Event is a “folder” that stores stuff inside Final Cut. An event can store media, projects or both. You can have as many events in a library as you want.

BIG NOTE! Unlike earlier versions of FCP X, do NOT move Events into or out of a library using the Finder. Things will break, media will become unlinked and chaos will rain havoc on your hard disks. This is a bad idea, don’t do it. (Well, maybe not havoc, but, gosh, it won’t be good.)

While you can only move one event at a time, the process is easy:

Open both libraries in Final Cut Pro X

Select the event you want to move and choose File > Move Event to Library > [ Name of other library ]. Only those libraries that are currently open in Final Cut are displayed in this menu.

Final Cut then asks what media you want to move: native media, optimized media, or proxy media. If nothing is checked in this dialog, only the camera native media will be moved.

Click OK and Final Cut starts moving media. You can track the progress of the move using the Background Tasks window. To display this, either click the small clock face in the Toolbar next to the Timecode display, or type Cmd+9.

NOTE: You can achieve these same results by dragging the event you want to move on top of the name of the library where you want to move it in the Library List, while at the same time pressing the Command key.

COPY AN EVENT TO A DIFFERENT EXISTING LIBRARY

The process of copying an event to a different library is exactly the same as moving a library, with one change and one big benefit.

The benefit is that you can copy more than one event at once (as illustrated here by selecting two different events in this screen shot). However, you can only select multiple events contained in the same library.

The menu change is that you need to choose File > Copy Event to Library > [ Name of other library ].

As before, Final Cut asks what media you want to copy. (Again, if nothing is checked, only camera native media is copied.) If you look closely at this dialog versus the earlier one, the only change is the word “Copy” in the title.

As before, you monitor the copy using the Background Tasks window.

NOTE: You can achieve these same results by dragging the event(s) you want to move on top of the name of the library where you want to copy it in the Library List, without pressing any keys.

MOVE OR COPY EVENTS TO A NEW LIBRARY

You can also move or copy one event at a time to a new library. In this case, open the library containing the event you want to copy or move.

Select the event.

• To move an event, choose File > Move Event to Library > New Library
• To copy an event, choose File > Copy Event to Library > New Library

In the next dialog, give the new library a name and location and click SAVE.

FCP immediately creates a new library and transfers the media.

COPY OR MOVE A CLIP TO A DIFFERENT LIBRARY

We can also move selected clips from one library to another. (Footage courtesy John Putch – www.route30too.com.)

NOTE: To move selected clips between events in the same library simply drag them from the Browser in FCP X to the name of the new event as displayed in the Library list.

To copy or move clips to a different Library, open both libraries in Final Cut Pro X.

Select the clips you want to move in the Browser (you only only select clips in one event at a time).

• To copy clips to a different library, choose File > Copy Clips to Library > [ name of library ]
• To move clips to a different library, choose File > Move Clips to Library > [ name of library ]
• To copy clips to a new library, choose File > Copy Clips to Library > New Library
• To Move clips to a new library, choose File > Move Clips to Library > New Library

NOTE: You can also copy clips from one library to another by dragging them from the Browser to the name of the new event in the Library list.  (You need to drag to the event name, not the library name.)

You can move clips from one library to another by dragging them from the Browser to the name of the new event in the Library List while pressing the Command key.

COPY OR MOVE A PROJECT TO A DIFFERENT LIBRARY

By now, you probably suspect how this process is going to work.

• Select the project you want to copy or move. You can only move one project at a time.
• To copy a Project, select File > Copy Project to Library > [name of library]
• To move a Project, select File > Move Project to Library > [name of library]
• To copy a Project to a new library, select File > Copy Project to Library > New Library
• To move a Project to a new library, select File > Move Project to Library > New Library

NOTE: You can also copy a project from one library to another by dragging it from the Browser to the name of the new event in the Library list. However, you can not move projects by dragging them, nor can you copy a project by dragging it to the name of the library.

SUMMARY

The key point you need to keep in mind is that whenever you are moving something that is stored inside a Library, always move it using tools supplied inside Final Cut Pro X. Don’t move library elements using the Finder.

Because of how FCP utilizes Unix, the actual copy and move process is extremely fast, even for large files.