Saving project files to disc,..then deleting projects files?…What’s the safest way??

[Steve Eisen]

Save everything (graphics, audio, project files, autosave projects, etc.) except the raw media. If you need to re-edit the project, all you will need to do is recapture your footage. You can delete the render files.

G5 Dual 2.5 160GB System 400GB Media Drive ATI 9800 256MB 6 GB RAM
Dual Gig Quicksilver 1GB RAM 80 GB System drive (3) 250 GB internal media storage
15″ Al Powerbook 1.25 1GB RAM
OS 10.3.8 FCP 4.5, DVDSP 2, QT 6.5, Boris Red 3GL 1.65 TB External Stor

[Justin Dee]

I’m using the Browser bins for another project so I’m keeping them but you suggest I save everything to disc then just delete it all??

If I want to use the stuff I’ve saved again,..is it easy to load back into FCP??

Thanks again,..

– Juggs

[Bill]

i personally don’t delete my project files, they are so small anyways. there is always a chance of corruption when saving to anothehr disk. your only going to save a few mb’s, but the other advice to save everything is right on….. make sure if you exported something out and then imported it back into the project you save that.

[Jerry Alto]

Juggs- There are three areas of a project; FCP project file, graphic/audio files to help build graphics/audio within FCP and media files (digitized footage). Typically the FCP project file is very small 1-4 mb. The graphic files are also relatively small depending on how much of the project came from photoshop, graphic stills, etc. The media files are huge.

When we back-up we obviously save the FCP project file and the imported graphics that were used in the project to a CD. We dump the media files (if we have the original video tapes). If we have to re-open the project we re-load the graphics files on a hard drive then launch the FCP project file, then re-link the loaded graphics files. Then we batch digitize the missing video files from the original tapes. The project is re-loaded and ready for changes.

In your case on this project where you are continuing to use the browser/bins from the previous project you want to archive, I would do a ‘save project as’ from the file menu and name it with the new project name. You’ll now have two projects open in FCP; old & new. I would close that new project then I would delete all the unrelated items from the old project so that it is a clean stand alone project file you want to archive. Then copy that FCP project file and graphic/audio files to a CD.

[Justin Dee]

Thanks guys,…really appreciated the help.

– Juggs