Render using external drive?

Hello,

I am trying to render a video by exporting media to an external drive but I keep running out of space because FCPX insists on using my main HD to store the temporary files as it's rendering. I have around 70gigs free on my main HD. It runs out of space every single time. I understand that you cannot change the scratch disk settings in FCPX and that you instead create or move your events/projects to a different drive. I have done all of this but it will not use my external drive to store the temp files no matter what I do. I have checked the files in the Event Library and they are all pointing to the external drive. I have trashed the prefs. The only way I can render this video (it's duration is only 3:13) is if FCPX will use my external drive to render with. I have removed all that I can from my main HD to make space but it just is not enough.

Do any of you know how to set this up so FCPX will not render using my main HD?

Thank you in advance.

-RTL

The scratch disk is whatever disk you assign to hold the event and project folders. You can assign any drive that mounts in FCP to hold the events and projects.

So, if you create the event on your external, all render files, temp files, etc will be generated there and not on your system drive.

Out of curiosity ridethelightning, how much available space do you have on your system drive?

Yes, what grailz said. I'd be more specific.

What are the capacities of each drive?
What are the specific amounts used on each drive?

I too have run into a similar situation in the past. It's my understanding that you have to set the drive parameters, assigning the Event & Project to the external drive BEFORE you ingest all the footage. Also at that time set your preferences in FCPX so as to make sure it doesn't copy files to your system disk. If I'm wrong on this & you can still change all those parameters during the middle of a project, please inform me. Perhaps a little guideline checklist posted here of exactly how to set your projects/events to an external drive would be helpful to some.

thanks

The event only contains peaks data and thumbnail media renders. The project contains any render files for the timeline so it's the project that should be on the external drive?

Ian.

IF you create a compound clip inside of an event those render files go into the event. If you open a clip into its own timeline from an event, any renders you do there go into the event folder.

Events and Projects both should be on an external drive.

Ah, new in 10.0.6 I presume. Agree that both should not be on the system drive - just trying to contribute ideas to solve the original issue.

All NLE's perform better when projects and media are on their own drive. It has to do with data pipe bandwidth. Nothing new to 006.

What is the total capacity of his internal drive?

Yes, Ben, I know that putting media on the system drive is a bad idea. The point is he has moved his event to an external drive but the renders still go to his system drive. I suggest he moves the project to the external drive also as that may be why the renders are not being stored there. I don't know how big his system drive is and it doesn't matter if he successfully moves the rendering to the external drive.

Yes, the project too, the whole kit and kaboodle. The renders go with the project for sure. We're on the same page. I'd still like to know the capacity of his system drive, just out of curiosity.

Thank you for all of the responses, it's good to see an active FC forum.

As I mentioned above, my main HD (system drive) has around 70 gigs of free space.
I moved everything over to my external drive, yet no matter what I did it was always rendering to the system drive.

I ended up using Compressor and for some reason that rendered perfectly to my external drive.

My guess is it was rendering to the system drive because I did not start the project on the external, however you'd think that moving everything over would have worked.

My external drive is a USB drive. Could this be the reason?
I normally work on FW drives, but this was a quick project and my other drives were not at my current location.

In the future I'll be sure to start projects on the external.

Thank you all for the help.

Thank you for updating the thread with you solution, ridethelightning. You really saved my day.

Bests.

1- Renders ALWAYS go to the drive Project/Event/Library is CURRENTLY on, not the one it was created on. So if renders are going back to your system drive, I think you "duplicated", rather than "moved" them. That tells me you're still working on the original that is still on your system drive, not the duplicate you created on the ext drive.

2- "my main HD (system drive) has around 70 gigs of free space." That is not enough for any drive. 15% capacity as free space is not just a good idea, it will save you major headaches.

3- USB 2.0 is a huge no-no, USB 3.0 should be fine.

4- I'm confused. Compressor transcodes from one format to another, it doesn't create "render" files. Not sure what that means.