Blackmagic Forum

I have a cut in Final Cut Pro 7 that I would like to continue editing in Davinci. Therefore, I made a clone from the material drive and an XML from the timeline.
Davinci now makes a mistake when importing the cut list and media into the timeline: it imports some clips from the wrong directory – with the right timecodes. The reason is probably that in the directories the file names are the same – so in the directory sd-1 the clip is 00116.mov and in the directory sd-2 is also a clip 00116.mov. Davinci uses the clip from sd-1 in the timeline instead of the clip from the sd-2 directory. Butr it is correctly stated in the XML cut list.

How can I fix or correct this? How can I delete the wrong clip with as few steps as possible but keep the timecodes and insert the correct clip? Can I somehow correct the "internal administration" of Davinci? Should I convert the XML from FCP pro 7? Do I have to delete every wrong clip by hand, write down the IN / OUT points of the source beforehand – insert the new clip and redo the In - Out?

The good news is that Resolve has a good array conform tools, and re-conform tools for fixing conform errors... the bad news is yes, you may have to do some of the work.

Have a look in the manual at "Conform Lock Enabled, "Conform Lock With Media Pool Clip" & "Reconform from bins...", Reconform from Media Storage..."

Find the correct clip in the Media Pool and select it.
Select the timeline clip, right click menu, Conform Lock With Media Pool Clip.
This will force the connection to the currently selected Media Pool clip.

BTW using reel numbers or reel names is no longer required with modern media but it helps Resolve re-conform XML, EDL, AAF correctly, especially when there are duplicate file names.

Peter Cave wrote:Find the correct clip in the Media Pool and select it.
Select the timeline clip, right click menu, Conform Lock With Media Pool Clip.
This will force the connection to the currently selected Media Pool clip.

BTW using reel numbers or reel names is no longer required with modern media but it helps Resolve re-conform XML, EDL, AAF correctly, especially when there are duplicate file names.

whow - thank you thank you thank you - it works - that is the secret - never would have found it on my own. You gave me back lots of time to live. So the file path isn't any more important (only for human beeings to have a better overlook) - only the clip name...

Peter Cave wrote:BTW using reel numbers or reel names is no longer required with modern media but it helps Resolve re-conform XML, EDL, AAF correctly, especially when there are duplicate file names.

I found that particularly helpful with XMLs in the old FCP 7 format. A tool like QtChange can insert the generation date into that field for all clips. Or, IIRC, the name of the folder.

My problem is - I have about 350 clips in 4 folders each, all of which have the same name. Davinci only ever takes the clips from the same (the top folder) with the number noted in the XML cut list - without taking the folder name into account. Manually reconnect 1400 is out of choice.
Perhaps the FCP 7 XML version is to old - Can I convert the XML to a version that causes Davinci to insert the correct clip into the Timeline ?
Or did an older version of Davinci understand the FCP 7 XML better ?

Hey

If there are a lot of similar file names everywhere and/or if the TL is long - which would force the conform lock with media pool clip action very often - you could also export the TL clips out of FCP forcing unique file names, along with an XML, in a fresh new folder, then re-open a new TL with these very new clips on it, and then export a last new XML (which this time refers to unique file names)...
It looks kind of complicated but in the end you just let the softwares rearrange stuff for you...
And Resolve will only search a unique folder...

That's another good workaround to try, Sam!

Hi Sam, Your idea of changing the file names in the Final Cut would be perfect.
But I'm probably a bit too much of a beginner to get that done.
Hence my request for tutoring: The initial situation: I have a directory named sd-1 on my hard drive. There are 350 clips. They are numbered as follows: 0001.mov + 0002.mov... 0349.mov.
I also have a parallel directory in the Final Cut browser where all these files are in. With the same name.

How can I rename the files ?
With the Final Cut Menu item Modify – Rename –
I can either change the names in the FCP browser so that they become the same as given in the finder folder or vice versa.
How can I rename them all at once to 0001-SD1.mov + 0002 SD1.mov... 0349 SD1.mov
Couldn't you give me a step-by-step guide?

Hi

Look, I didn't suggest to rename files on your own : assuming that your TL is ok* in FCP, I suggested to export the TL - therefore the files which are on it - from FCP to a single folder.

This is the same operation as the backup of a project/TL in Resolve BTW : you export everything so that files potentially located on different hard disks would finally be gathered in one single folder.

I also have a parallel directory in the Final Cut browser where all these files are in. With the same name.

This is the reason why I suggest gathering clips : I didn't really understand what your TL is populated with...

Is there clips from the sd1 folder AND the sd2 folder on your TL ?

If your answer is yes, so exporting the TL with only clips which are on it can avoid the work of relinking later on.

Now, it's been a while I didn't open FCP7, thought 15 years passed working on it, so I have to check how to do this very export in FCP7
(on Resolve it's exporting the TL with used trimmed clips only, you have to do the same from FCP7)

A super quick look into FCP7 shows : right click on the TL file inside the FCP7 browser > choose content manager (4th choice on the list I think).
Then in the new window, inside the Content part, choose Copy but
- untick what's more than the used files (don't see the app windows in english here)
- untick render files
- tick the option to supress unused data in the duplicated files
.... (logically do anything to only export a next TL with only used files)
- down below in the Project area : choose to make a new project and to relink

Coose/make a destination folder

Open this project in FCP7 > check everything is ok > export an XML now > import this one in Resolve

Sam I never would have found that on my own. I'm just trying. It's a long film so it takes a while to copy. I will report.
But I certainly owe you some beer... don't you have a coffee cup ?

Hey

It's not that complicated actually; the whole trick consists in having a clean TL yet in FCP, "clean" meaning 1 TL, 1 (single) folder with every clips inside, 1 XML to reference everything.
Assuming you have a finished TL in FCP, it's a lot easier to tidy it prior to import in Resolve, moreover if it's a long sequence...

And no, I don't have any cup yet, thx anyway
(funny, I was thinking about buymeacoffe.com less than 10 days ago)

Sorry Sam - you had the work and I have bad news ... Once the worm is in – it just shouldn't be.

Have called the media manager for the large timeline – configured everything – it starts to copy the affected files to the new directory and assigns appends to the double names –1... -2 etc. - Very nice. And then FCP crashes. One more attempt - the same.

Made a smaller test timeline and let the media manager do it – this time no crash – but in the media directory the video files were not playable – the copies were incomplete somehow – instead of 1 GB (camera recording) a (cut) clip was only 100 MB in size – but not playable. When the new project was called, only abstract colors were seen in the FCP.
I guess I have to come up with something else.

Try my suggestion. But careful, try it with a few duplicates first.

Hi Uli, Hi Sam,

I really would find out, why the mediamanager in FCP 6 cannot do a simple copy - all the rest he does fine.

OK - I downloaded QtChange trial (the full version wants 30 $) - but I'm a little bit anxious to destroy my FCP work. so I should make a 4 GB clone first.
When I change the video files - will my FCP Timeline then still recognize the files - will I have to relink all clips - manually one by one ? I'm no coder - the QTchange surface looks a bit complicated - Couldn't you propose a step by step ?
My problem is - if I can do something wrong I will do the wrong - even if it is difficult to do the wrong I will find a way - as you can see with my failure on Sams proposal....

sorry - FCP 7

- Make a copy of your project and reduce the number of clips to just a few.
- Or just make a new test edit, just using a few clips with identical names out of separate folders.
- Use the demo version of QtChange to add a reel name (called tape in some NLEs, but it's the same).
- You'll need to repeat that for every clip, since the demo only works on one per use.
- Now try if the same project is still read in FCP 7. If so, export the XML and try in DR.

Good luck!


If it works, you may try Shutter Encoder for the same purpose, which is free. But it's up to you to check it out, I've never used it for that purpose (I use Kyno for such jobs, but that's expensive).

Next time I'd suggest using DR to manage everything, sending either a raw cut or proxies to FCP. DR is pretty good at managing it's own stuff, but not always capable of what other NLEs do.

But I'd also check if that camera(s) can't be set to a mode where it doesn't always start with the same naming pattern for a new card.

Thanks a lot Uli,
I did a test - and it seems to work - as shown in your screenprint I "set custom reelname" and entered in the blue lined field the folder name sd-2.
Now downwards the status showed that the file name will be unchanged but the reelname - which has been before "NA" is now NA sd-2. Said "do it".
Than back in FCP 7 I made a timeline with same filenames from sd-1 + sd-2 + sd-3 and then an xml - and back to DR - and import XML - and bingo - while in earlier imports all 3 clips were the same from sd-1 now the second clip was from sd-2.
So I will go on and try to change the Timecode options of the sources in FCP and see if the xml export will work in DR...
I'll report ...

Sounds good so far.
Of course, the whole approach is about not changing file names, only that field entry in the metadata.

All in vain.
I bought Qtchange - but the changing of the metadata helped only in the first 2 directories - DR didn't recognize the files in the 3d directory.
I renamed the folder - reconnected in FCP 7 - new xml - but nothing changed
I tried other metadata - no change.
Renaming the 1500 Clips or so will be a horrible work.
It seems that DR doesn't like folders- when importing from XML - only individual names.

So that was that for now. sorry stealing time.

Sorry to read that. But it’s not about folders per se, we use folders a lot with XML transfers.
Seems to be that specific case of identical names plus TC.

You want to rename by serializing from number x to number y you choose ?
Use Rename, it's basic and the app works, not you...
https://we.tl/t-w39OTHrkQI

Sam Steti wrote:You want to rename by serializing from number x to number y you choose ?
Use Rename, it's basic and the app works, not you...
https://we.tl/t-w39OTHrkQI

Sam, Thanks a lot - but the problem is - when I rename the Clips I will have to reconnect each single clip in FCP 7 - and for each reconnection FCP 7 needs about 8 Clicks - if I could serialize that !!! but as it is I fear to get a Click Trauma...

Ok, so make separate TLs from the main one, and exports clips with single names, using the same destination folder, the way I suggested to you, using the manager. This only because you wrote FCP crashed and it looked like the reason was the long TL (though I didn't see that myself years ago).
Then export XMLs from each sequence, re-open the XMLs to have clean TLs with single named clips, and finally export these XMLs to make as many TLs in Resolve you had made in FCP7.
I personally won't have any further suggestion, good luck.

ergofilm wrote:

Sam Steti wrote:You want to rename by serializing from number x to number y you choose ?
Use Rename, it's basic and the app works, not you...
https://we.tl/t-w39OTHrkQI

Sam, Thanks a lot - but the problem is - when I rename the Clips I will have to reconnect each single clip in FCP 7

Been a long time since using FCP7 but I seem to recall that, if you have FCP7 and the project open while renaming, FCP will automatically update its notion of the filenames to match what you did in the filesystem. So you won’t end up with lots of unlinked files.

I could be wrong but I have a pretty strong memory of this.

I will try that - would be phantastic - renaming while FCP is open -

Your other proposal with media manager seems to be a good way too - I'll think about t. The problem will be that I want to go on with FCP n this film - and if I change a Timeline and use other clips (with identical names, not yet used in any timeline) than those which have been copied from the existing timelines ... I shall have to rebuild the whole job -... maybe the Click Trauma is the more simple way - or I just stay in FCP for this theme.
Thanks

Been a long time since using FCP7 but I seem to recall that, if you have FCP7 and the project open while renaming, FCP will automatically update its notion of the filenames to match what you did in the filesystem. So you won’t end up with lots of unlinked files.

I could be wrong but I have a pretty strong memory of this.[/quote]

No sorry - medium goes offline - I will have to relink - just tried with one clip...

ergofilm wrote:Been a long time since using FCP7 but I seem to recall that, if you have FCP7 and the project open while renaming, FCP will automatically update its notion of the filenames to match what you did in the filesystem. So you won’t end up with lots of unlinked files.

I could be wrong but I have a pretty strong memory of this.

No sorry - medium goes offline - I will have to relink - just tried with one clip...[/quote]Bummer! Installing good old fcp 7.0.3 - or was it 7.0.4? - to play with it and see what I was (mis) remembering!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

After all

DR seems only to see file names - when importing through XML - no folder structure - even no different drive names - so the only way to get a job from FCP to DR is
be aware that your file names are individuals...

I don't think so. This is from an XML out of DR for a recent project:

<pathurl>file:///Volumes/SSD_RAID/Wayang_Golek_Arbeitskopie/Drobo_Projekte/Wayang_Golek/Cipta_Gelar_final/Shogun/SHOGUN2_S001_S001_T015.MOV</pathurl>

Remember, XML is just a text file. You can check it with any text editor.