Too many projects - FCPX takes 15min to start - what is your strategy ?

Hi there

The title says it all.

The way I work to edit a film is that I iterate many projects, V1, V2.... V52

Unfortunately I've reached the point where there are so many of them that FCPX takes up to 20 min to load ! (yes I have a Mac Mini, it is not enough).

I have created a separate event within the library where I drag the projects I don't use anymore, but FCPX sometimes loads that event.

It's a bit of a nightmare. What's your strategy ?

(Those are the moments where I think FCPX ain't good enough yet)

Why not deactivate V1 after you made V1.1?

Do you mean disabling all clips ?

Open a the old library.

Create a new library, and within that a new event. Copy your most recent version of the current project into the new library. Close the old library.

That should help.

Then, buy a new computer. Really, you can't expect decent performance on a machine meant for light computing.

Thanks Screendor. The issue with managing 2 libraries is the duplication of media. Do you have a solution for that ?

You're right about the hardware. Money is an issue at the moment. But reading what other experience with powerful machines, it's not sure it would fix the problem.

Ahh. So you are using managed media, right? The clips are contained within your library folder, correct? And not on an external hard drive?

Part of my media is managed indeed. I do keep some media outside when I need to use it in other applications.

Well, there's another issue. You're asking a tiny computer to both run the app and juggle all the media on the same drive. The huge performance drag is a cry for help.

You'll want to migrate your media to another drive if can. Preferably with the fastest connection your computer has--probably thunderbolt. Keeping your media external will definitely improve your performance.

Besides which, why would you keep 51 versions of a project? My process is to throw away most, but keep versions that represent significant breakthroughs/changes. Everyone is different so I'm not saying that's better. But it does take up less system resources.

The real issue you are dealing ultimately is you are asking the world of tiny computer meant for casual computing. And it doesn't like it.

Hi Screendor. Thanks for the advice.

The library is on an external HDD.

The mac mini is robust enough to do a lot more than you think. The main difference between a Mac Mini loaded with RAM and an iMac is the graphic capability. I could have 432 versions on Premiere and FCP7 that don't require too much graphic card power and those apps would cause no problem. Not FCPX.

The issue is FCPX loading all projects a little randomly, overloading the RAM. So my question is if somebody has identified the pattern of loading and has a tip how to avoid loading thos projects for nothing. The answer you gave me about separating the libraries (and not events as I was doing) is valid. Thank you for that.

I open a new library for every new project. When a project is finished, I close that project-library (right-click or control-click on the library name). You can always open it again when needed (by browsing in the Finder to the library location and double clicking on it). In that way, the libraries of projects not in use, won't be loaded into FCPX. And I have all files outside the libraries. Works for me (iMac 2011)! - Good luck, Ronald

FCP7 also has a point where the project file gets too big, and they will become unstable. Not sure if you remember that, but I know with FCP7, when the project file gets to around 100mb or so, you can have many problems. I'm pretty sure you're exaggerating, because there's no way you'd be able to get 432 moderately complicated sequences in your project file in those programs.

What you have to do is just basic housecleaning, and one of the reasons why I tell most people doing serious work to use only externally managed media. That way, you can always dupe your library any time and treat it like a FCP7 project because it doesn't actually contain any media. So whenever you start to amass a large number of sequences, you can dupe your library, archive the old one as with a version number, and then delete a lot of your old timelines. The other thing you really need is RAM, and I would recommend at least 32 GB for a serious number of large timelines. Unfortunately, that's beyond what a Mac Mini can handle.

My 2 cents:

I've worked on VERY large projects, FCPX can handle it. Just like any system you can overload it. There are probably a number of things that are happening that is slowing down your workflow.

It sounds like you are keeping around a large number of versions of your project timelines. One thing to try is to move those older versions to other events. For example for your 432 versions (is this for real?) then make an event for old timelines 1-50, another for 51-100, etc. Then just keep one or two versions in your "current timelines" event. This might just take care of your issue.

An even better idea would be to move those old versions to another library on the same drive. This will not duplicate media if it is on the same dive. However, make sure that you move, or drag an actual EVENT containing you old project timelines to a new library, not just an individual project.

I feel there needs to be a better workflow for you. having 52 versions of something? moving projects into other events or libraries and your trying to have some not be opened, but some be open. you should explain a bit of your projects and process and maybe we can give you better advice. but a good general rule for me is.....

Library's: have only 3-4 max open at any given time.

Event's: maybe a max of 15 events per library, especially on a non-performance machine.

Projects: I have never hit a high threshold on these...but I would think you could have a good 25 before having issues.

Also, a lot of this depends on how much media you have in each event and what media that is connected to. Currently I run off thunderbolt hard drive...but its a single spinning disk...so it only gives me 120mb read a sec. I am going to buy an SSD external soon, which will boost that read time to 400mb a sec. So if you want to have better performance and not drop a lot of cash on a new computer, a 500gb SSD shouldn't be too bad...unless your media goes over 500gb...mine typically doesn't.

tpayton wrote:
An even better idea would be to move those old versions to another library on the same drive. This will not duplicate media if it is on the same dive. However, make sure that you move, or drag an actual EVENT containing you old project timelines to a new library, not just an individual project.

tpayton, that's actually a great point and something that can be done. But in my experience, copying an event that has a great number of complicated projects (timelines) in it can take some time, especially in a library that's already bloated. I think it's a lot easier to keep lean libraries and just duplicate those in the finder. This has a side-effect of giving you backup library versions other than the automated backups.

manoucho wrote: Thanks Screendor. The issue with managing 2 libraries is the duplication of media. Do you have a solution for that ?.

Media is NOT duplicated on the hard drive. Hard and Soft Links are used for that.
www.bbalser.com/video/FCPXguruFiles/LinksWebFile.mp4

manoucho wrote: …  The way I work to edit a film is that I iterate many projects, V1, V2.... V52 … 

Not meant offensive!, but I actually try to imagine, you do your project, suddenly slapping own forehead "Yes, in version 17 I made it different! Let's restart all over from that version, and dumb the last 34 others!" or what? …  :huh:

Some degree of 'back-up paranoia' is fully acceptable, all of us doing 'crucial' projects have it, but why to keep 52 versions of one project??? Can't imagine your workflow… using a 'template' ok, saving snapshots of 'milestones' ok, but … 52 version of a single project - how do you manage to remember which does differ how from which?