Shortcut to SWAP two clips in the timeline????

Hi All,

I'm just editing a wedding video and I just simply want to swap two clips of equal length (4 seconds)

I have searched online and found tutorials for FCP7 where you just click, drag, hover and then hold the ALT key to perform the swap.

There doesn't seem to be a similar shortcut for FCPX???

Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance...

Yes, there is.

1- Drag the new clip from the Browser, hold it over the old clip in the timeline, let go, and a second later a menu pops up. Choose Replace from start.

2- Select the old clip in the timeline. Select the new clip in the Browser. Use the keyboard shortcut Option+R.

Here it is in the FCPX help doc;
help.apple.com/finalcutpro/mac/10.2/#/ver4e2fcf0

Just pick it up and drag it. The magnetic track takes care of the rest. If you're talking about connected clips, you can still drag them around. Or convert the section into a secondary storyline.

Hello BenB,

Thanks for replying.

I am aware of the process you describe but I want to find a simple way to swap 2 clips already in the timeline....

This is the process I would like: Select clip A, Select clip B, press keyboard shortcut to swap the 2 clips (and keep any connected clips in place if possible.)

If you want to swap two clips in the primary and keep the connected in place hold the grave/tilde key while you drag the clip.

What Tom said. No keyboard shortcut, because it isn't the same as in version 7. Forget version 7, learn the new paradigms.

Hi Ryszard,

- The process you describe in FCP7 (click on clip in timeline, drag/hover, hold ALT and drop) is called a swap edit. Actually, it does not really "swap" two clips. It only changes the order of a sequence without leaving a gap. In FCP7 you need to hold the ALT key to be able to do this, in FCP X it happens automatically.

E.g. you have 4 clips on the timeline: A-B-C-D, and you want to swap B and C so the clip order becomes A-C-B-D. In FCP X you only need to drag B behind C. Pretty simple.

- The process you decribe in your next reply (select two non-adjacent clips and swap them on the timeline with a shortcut) does not exist in FCP7 and AFAIK not in any NLE.

E.g. you have 4 clips on the timeline: A-B-C-D, and you want to swap B and D so the clip order becomes A-D-C-B.

In FCP7 you would need to perform two "swap" edits, holding the ALT key.

In FCP X you only need to drag B behind D, then drag D behind A. Two clicks, as fast as selecting both clips first and then press a shortcut. FCP X will also automatically bring along any clips that are connected to the clips you swap. In FCP7 you would need to do this manually, as shown in this video:



- Ronny

I magnetic timeline
Just saying :lol:
Greg