[Mark Smith]

I’d say mental bumps and bruises, but no blood or concussions- yet.

Now that I have this issue resolved I’m converting libraries to external media so i can work the plan I have outlined in my other recent post.

[Mark Smith]

DUH

Thank you.

[Mark Smith]

I am looking in the Library, top of the browser list and as the project opens. No search info is in play.

[Mark Smith]

Here is my experiment:

I took a small project file and following the Larry Jordan post converted it from a managed media library to a external library. After that I confirmed that the library/project worked properly.

I copied the folders with the external media to second drive keeping the folder names the same on the second drive.

I ejected drive 1 which is the drive that I established the external media for this particular library on and opened the library which resides on Computer ‘A’

I got the message that the media was missing and I was able to point FCPX to drive ‘B’ where I had copied the folders from drive ‘A’ and presto- the media is active and I can work with the library / project.

My conclusion is that in theory I could have the library reside in my drop box , have 2 sets of external media which are identical, one for remote work and the other for my office, use the library which resides on drop box and work either in the office or remotely after pointing FCPX towards the media and have one library file that reflects changes made either in the office or remotely.

I am going to do a test with a larger Library to find out what the re linking process gets to be like with a larger library before I fully commit to this route.

[Mark Smith]

So there seems to be plenty of info about sharing FCPX projects which is useful but doesn’t answer my question. I’m at the organizational stage of my project screening, favoriting, noting and tagging clips. I want to be able to do this remotely or in my office. Do I keep the library on iCloud or drop box and 2 identical copies of media eternal to the library, one in the office and one in my pocket for when I work remotely?

[Mark Smith]

I think waht I seem to be asking for is 2 versions of my media files which are identical copies – one copy of my media files ( all 720 GB) is on small travel drive that I can throw in my backpack and take on the road with for screening purposes and an identical set of media files on my raid drive in my office . The way I am thinking of this is that making the media files external instead of managed and having 2 copies, I could use one library file to whether I am on the road or in my office to open the project and do screening work and then obviate the need to be constantly exporting xml’s from either the home or road versions and importing to update organizational work that I have accomplished.

Or maybe I am asking the wrong question and going about this in the wrong way…. Which is yet another question.

[Mark Smith]

THe link now that the Internet is cooperating
https://larryjordan.com/articles/fcp-x-convert-managed-to-external-media

[Mark Smith]

I did find another useful tip by Larry Jordan about transferring a library where media is managed to a library where media is external . If I am thinking about this in the right way I could set myself up with a library for this project with 2 media locations, both external and be able have one sit on my desk and the other on a travel drive for remote work . I’ll investigate this option further once I get back to my desk.

[Mark Smith]

Oh sure but bringing the conversation back around to the original starting point. My original library is on a 4 tb 4 drive raid which is bulky and I don’t care to travel that drive. I copied the library to a 2 to drive which is easier to travel and. Will allow me to continue screening and and adding meta data. I just want to be able to bring said metadata that I add while on the road back into the library on the original raid drive since that is what I will use for the edit . A metadata XMLexport from the travel drive after I’ve added metadata that is then imported into the main library drive seems like a reasonable path.

[Mark Smith]

The main project drive is on a 4 drive raid which is more bulky than I care to travel with considering that I already have all my shoot gear to manage, extra bags etc. I’m at the point of “if I add one more thing to my travel pack something is going to break” hence the idea of copying the library to a small travel drive and working on that since all I am really doing at this point is tagging and bagging as they say .