Relinking Improvements in 10.3?

I was just wondering if anyone has had a chance to relink some media in 10.3 yet and if it works any better than previously?

As I'm sure many of you have experienced, FCPX can decide it just doesn't want to relink to some things...even when its the same exact file, etc.

This is especially common when replacing watermarked stock music (via relink) with the non-watermarked (often higher quality .WAV) music. It often rejects it, in my experience, and it can be extremely aggravating. Even video clips that were transcoded with a different audio setting or something can be a real pain.


Anyway, updates on your experience with relinking in 10.3 is appreciated...I hope it was quietly fixed!

Unfortunately it looks like not - just trying to relink watermarked audio here and I am getting the error message

That's not technically FCPX's fault. It's the music producers' fault. This happens to me all the time. I use a lot of PremiumBeat stuff and usually for about 1 in 5 files the final .WAV file does not match the watermarked .MP3. If you examine the two files in an audio editor you will notice the total length of the file is slightly different - usually by just a few 100ths of a second. FCPX is (rightfully) picky about ensuring that the file you're relinking is the exact same length as the original media.

There is a solution. Open both files in the freeware audio editor Audacity. Write down the total length of the MP3 file and the total length of the WAV file. Typically the MP3 will be a bit longer. Find the difference. Then, using audacity, insert (or delete) the equivalent amount of silence at the very end of the WAV file (assuming it's a music piece that ends/fades out and not a seamless loop - you're out of luck there). Export the .WAV file as a new file and then relink with that. Works every time for me.

This is way better than the solution of dropping the files into a compound clip prior to editing - because that method does not allow you to make subframe adjustments - which is crucial when doing music edits.

That's very interesting. I had thought perhaps it was because one was 44.1k and the other 48k.

I do think there needs to be a force re-link option or an over-ride of some sort similar to the warning you get when you try to place a transition on a clip that lacks handles.

smg669 wrote: That's not technically FCPX's fault. It's the music producers' fault. This happens to me all the time. I use a lot of PremiumBeat stuff and usually for about 1 in 5 files the final .WAV file does not match the watermarked .MP3. If you examine the two files in an audio editor you will notice the total length of the file is slightly different - usually by just a few 100ths of a second. FCPX is (rightfully) picky about ensuring that the file you're relinking is the exact same length as the original media.

There is a solution. Open both files in the freeware audio editor Audacity. Write down the total length of the MP3 file and the total length of the WAV file. Typically the MP3 will be a bit longer. Find the difference. Then, using audacity, insert (or delete) the equivalent amount of silence at the very end of the WAV file (assuming it's a music piece that ends/fades out and not a seamless loop - you're out of luck there). Export the .WAV file as a new file and then relink with that. Works every time for me.

This is way better than the solution of dropping the files into a compound clip prior to editing - because that method does not allow you to make subframe adjustments - which is crucial when doing music edits.

I've even had issues relinking the very same exact file after having had it go offline for whatever reason...not just replacing a WAV for a watermarked MP3 only. Just weirdness.

Or another example is relinking a transcoded clip that was transcoded in say, Compressor initially, and then with identical settings in Resolve by someone else, and it simply wont accept it, even though it the same exact clip and transcode settings for all intents and purposes...

I've done the "add/subtract length" trick many times to get it to accept it and it does work but sometimes it doesn't... what a hassle!

Its generally "seeing" extra audio channels or something I think, but doesn't let you know specifically in the error message so it hard to work around. These "phantom channels" always seem to not show up if you open the file in an NLE, etc so its really impossible to even know if it somehow has more/less channels or mismatching settings, as it "appears" to be identical.

Some kind of force relink would be very helpful...I guess we'll just keep on hoping.

I have found a problem with delinking in the past, mostly due to slight shorter durations in the clip. It possibly applies to audio too.

So I figured out a solution by inserting 1 sec of black frames at the end of the clip and it seemed to have worked. I'm sure you could insert silence at the end orf an audio track too. Quite easily achievable if you have a decent audio editor.

Granted, we shouldn't have to do this.

I have found a problem with delinking in the past, mostly due to slight shorter durations in the clip. It possibly applies to audio too.

So I figured out a solution by inserting 1 sec of black frames at the end of the clip and it seemed to have worked. I'm sure you could insert silence at the end orf an audio track too. Quite easily achievable if you have a decent audio editor.

Granted, we shouldn't have to do this.