My FCPX file is too BIG…….over 900GB even after deleting a ton of library files

[Gary Huff]

How large are your clips in the Original folder?

[Jeremy Garchow]

Try relocating the cache outside of the library. This is done with the library selected, inspector open, and click modify settings.

[Chris Kokoszka]

Well I have large clips in my original folder on my external hard drive. But I won’t be deleting those since those are my source files. Which is why I deleted a lot of my library files within FCPX which were linked to my source files.

My original movie was 900GB in my timeline but I deleted about 80 percent of the clips in my timeline to make a short movie trailer. Plus I deleted many library clips in my browser so I’m baffled as to why my file is still huge.

There must be something I’m missing here.

[Joby Anthony jr]

Making the assumption that most or all footage is external to the library, and you’ve duplicated the original movie library to make a trailer library, to Gary’s question, if your storage doubled from 900 to 1800, then there’s definitely a concern that all external footage got duplicated in the process of creating a new library. But, if you had 900 before and after the trailer library was created, then you’re probably in good shape.

Two thoughts:

1. it seems that the Library Properties inspector inside FCPX shows total storage for the library in the “Original” category regardless of where the clips actually reside (i.e., inside or outside of the library). If the both the movie library and the trailer library both say 900, then they’re probably just reporting the same size because they’re both pointing to the same media. However, I would expect that number to drop over time as you delete media from the trailer library.

2. double-check actual library size at the Finder level (outside of FCPX). If they both say 900, then you know what’s inside of each library is indeed 900. One thing I’ve noticed is that even though you can delete Proxies and Renders from within FCPX, Analysis files get left behind, and that storage can get pretty big over time, especially if you’ve done a lot of work with Stabilization and Optical Flow.

— Joby.

[Jeremy Garchow]

[Joby Anthony Jr] “2. double-check actual library size at the Finder level (outside of FCPX). If they both say 900, then you know what’s inside of each library is indeed 900. One thing I’ve noticed is that even though you can delete Proxies and Renders from within FCPX, Analysis files get left behind, and that storage can get pretty big over time, especially if you’ve done a lot of work with Stabilization and Optical Flow.
“

This is exactly why moving the cache outside of the library will help reduce the size of the library.

Jeremy

[Joby Anthony jr]

Ah, good to know Jeremy–thanks! Would that be a good strategy prior to archiving a library? I’ve typically gone into the library to manually delete those analysis files.

— Joby.

[Jeremy Garchow]

[Joby Anthony Jr] “Would that be a good strategy prior to archiving a library?”

I always keep the cache outside of the library, and never archive it. If I need to restore something, I just let the optical flow reanalyze.

I like having the cache outside because it’s easy to trash the whole thing in one go, rather than in pieces. But you still have the option to trash it in pieces though FCPX (by Event, Project, whatever). Plus all my cache files for all Libraries are in one place, so it’s easy to keep track of.

Jeremy

[Joby Anthony jr]

Good thoughts–thank you. I hadn’t really considered the advantage of cache files external to the library, so never worried about it, but I follow what you’re doing here. Will start tinkering with that idea into our workflow.

— Joby.

[Jeremy Garchow]

[Joby Anthony Jr] ” I hadn’t really considered the advantage of cache files external to the library, so never worried about it, but I follow what you’re doing here. Will start tinkering with that idea into our workflow.
“

I move libraries around a lot, between machines, and drives, to go from studio to mobile and back.

Leaving out the cache saves a lot of time. If I want to, i can choose to move it with me as well (as a separate, external file). I find it works pretty well for us.

Jeremy

[Michiel De leeuw van weenen]

Use the FCPX library manager. Cheap and works brillant.
https://www.arcticwhiteness.com/finalcutlibrarymanager/