Import multiple MXFs as a single clip FCPX 10.1.4

Hi

So with a recent clean install of Yosemite and a new download of 10.1.4 I can now import orphaned mxf and mts files.
However when I try to import from a CF card from a Canon xf305, I get multiple 2GB clips instead of a single clip, how would I get back to seeing them as a spanned file ?

The card is also seen as a device in the import window and not as a camera, I tried the Canon plugin which did the show the card as a camera but the file structure did not show.

With a private folder from a Panasonic it appears as a camera but again the mts files are not visible. Previously I was using the P2viewer plus plug to handle mts files, but I did think that the update meant I would not need plugins to handle these file formats.

Any ideas ?

Hi Jeremy, welcome to the forum.

In order to overcome file size limits, some cameras split long clips over multiple files. In your particular case the camera records long takes in chunks of 2GB clips.

Editing programs can treat the entire set of files as a single clip, or a “spanned clip.” This is accomplished by examining the directory structure and the supporting files for the clip on the memory card.

- When you import from the card directory structure spanned clips are recognized as such and are stitched together again as one single clip.

- If you don't have the complete directory structure this will result in a file not being recognized as belonging to a set of files that are a spanned clip and every part of a spanned clip will be imported as an individual clip. This is what happens when you import orphaned MXF and MTS files

So if you want to make sure that spanned clips will automatically be stitched together into one long clip while importing: make sure you always import from the complete card structure and never from orphaned clips.

If you do have to work with orphaned clips: the NLE will import the chunks as individual clips. After importing, select all the chunks that belong together in the Clip Browser and press ALT+G to group them in a compound clip. This will assemble all the chunks of a spanned clip into one long clip again. You can edit with a CC just like you would edit with any regular clip.

- Ronny