Problems with FCPX Generators

So here is my dilemma, we use lower 3rd and titles for our documentary work.
In the middle of a project the Producer requested to have some changes done with the graphics (Generators).
Well after updating the old Generators are now showing offline with no information or trace what clips where used in the Dropbox of the Generator!

Is there anyway to find out which or relink the Generators to keep the original clips?

Thanks

When you modified the Generator did you copy it and save the modified version as a new Generator? That's the only correct way for doing this if you already have used the Generator in the timeline.

- Ronny

Nope they get updated from our graphic department and then pushed out over the network.

That's a common mistake. Although the updated generators will work perfectly well in new projects there is a big chance that you will have problems with older versions of the generators on existing timelines. Let me explain:

By modifying the generator without keeping the existing one you remove every connection to the current version of the generator in existing timelines. That's why the existing generator in the timeline shows offline after the modification and you lose any information about any media used in the existing generator.

The correct way for modifying a generator that is already used in project timelines is to make a copy of the generator, modify the copy and save it as a new generator. Then you replace the current generator in the timeline with the updated version. This works without any issues, and after this you can safely delete the old version of the generator.

There is one possible caveat when the generator uses moving drop zones and you have modified the drop zones in the updated version. In some circumstances replacing the existing generator with the updated one may cause the content of the drop zones to disappear. To avoid any such issues you should make a note of the clip information next to the drop zones in the existing generator before you replace it with the updated copy. This way you will easily find back the clips that were used in the drop zones if they should go missing after the replacement.

- Ronny