Duplicate Event command not duplicating entire event in FCP X, OS 10.6.8

I am trying to duplicate a large event (750GB) onto an external drive to give to an editor. In my preferences, I have selected "Copy Files to Final Cut Events folder".

But when it finishes duplicating the event, it's only half the size, and it is full of aliases. Some .mov files are there in their entirety, and then they'll be about 4 or 6 that are just aliases, then another full clip, then a string of more aliases, a full clip, and so on.

BTW, I am running 10.6.8 because my machine constantly rejects the Lion upgrade...so upgrading right now is not an option until I drag the machine into the shop.

Is not having Lion a likely cause of this? Is there another reason?

And can I solve the problem by manually replacing the aliases in the folders in the copy of the event with ones from the original event? I know that would be a time-consuming pain but I'd do it so I can get this thing out to my editor.

Any help much appreciated. thanks, Bob Krist

Your preferences don't effect copying a Project.

Nothing wrong, you're just missing one step. Highlight that Event in the Event Library, the new one you copied. Go to the File menu and towards the bottom select "Organize Event Files". This will copy anything that's an alias into the Event folder so it's totally self contained. I'm betting the original Event had aliases in it.

Do NOT manually copy Events and Projects. Those database files have unique ID's embedded in them. Copying in the Finder gives you multiple Events and Projects with the same ID numbers. Which will confuse FCP X. Copy from inside FCP X, and it will assign the new copies unique ID numbers, and not get confused.

Thanks, Ben. I appreciate the help. Bob K.

Out of curiosity, why can't you upgrade to Lion?

I don't know...I've tried about three or four times, and I get an error message telling me to try again later. Even called my local Mac store (independent Mac store that's been here for 15 years) and they did a remote takeover of the computer and they couldn't get it upgraded either.

It's not a hardware thing...I meet all the requirements. So the store wants me to bring the computer in, but I've been too busy using it to bring it in. It's probably some kind of software incompatibility or something.

I hope to be able to bring it in a little later this summer, but not until I get this latest project done.

BobKrist wrote: I don't know...I've tried about three or four times, and I get an error message telling me to try again later. Even called my local Mac store (independent Mac store that's been here for 15 years) and they did a remote takeover of the computer and they couldn't get it upgraded either.

It's not a hardware thing...I meet all the requirements. So the store wants me to bring the computer in, but I've been too busy using it to bring it in. It's probably some kind of software incompatibility or something.

I hope to be able to bring it in a little later this summer, but not until I get this latest project done.

Bob,

By any chance have you tried doing a clean install of Lion on a connected FW800 drive? Or installed Lion on an external drive from a different computer and then attached that drive to your computer and tried to re-boot to it? Strange issue.

Dave

Hi Dave: I haven't tried that, but the guys at the Mac place said that's would they would try first. With Snow Lion coming, I want to get up to Lion fairly soon.

Get the hardware tested before upgrading!
Run Disk Warrior, also.

Will do, Ben. Or more accurately, that's what the Mac place will do, or said they would do.

BobKrist wrote: Hi Dave: I haven't tried that, but the guys at the Mac place said that's would they would try first. With Snow Lion coming, I want to get up to Lion fairly soon.

Bob,

I'm still on 10.6.8 myself and will hold out as long as possible (this is the end of the line for my Adobe CS 1 software). I will skip Lion and go directly to Mountain Lion when Apple tells me I have to. I have installed Lion on an external drive so I could use the newest version of Xcode and iBook Author. Aside from using those apps, Lion offers me exactly nothing, so I'll go to Mountain Lion when I have to.

FCPX works fine and is stable for me in Snow Leopard. Since I don't need an external monitor setup, I'm not forced to upgrade the OS (yet).

Good luck with the upgrade and original problem,
Dave