Bunch of quick "is it possible to?" questions

Hey guys,

Just a quick bunch of questions I have in my mind for some time now to answer by either "yes + how" or "no".
It's not a matter to explain/understand/debate about why I would want to do this or that. I understand that it might not be relevant to everyone. I just want to gather as many answers as possible if it may be of some use to anyone.
Many thanks. Cheers !


1. Is there a way to solo a VIDEO clip? (Not its audio, which alt+S does) I feel the skimmer is not enough when you want to play at actual speed a buried clip on the timeline. I feel solo should solo audio AND video of selected clip.
2. Is it possible to copy a range from the timeline and paste (overwrite or insert) it at the mouse/skimmer's VERTICAL position (be it in a secondary storyline, below or above some already placed clips or somewhere else) ? [from another of my threads, I suspect it's not possible]
3. Is it possible to drag n drop a range from the timeline on top of another clip and "replace from start" (like it works from the browser) ? [from another of my threads, I suspect it's not possible]
4. Is there a way to move the range selection itself to upper/lower clips to move the selection somewhere else and keep it at the same length?
5. Is there a keyboard shortcut (I mean without using the mouse at all) to move clips up/down to rearrange/shuffle them vertically?
6. Is there a keyboard shortcut to enable/disable all audio channels (or anyone of them: nº1, nº2, …) of the selected clips without digging into the INSPECTOR? I want to do it in the INSPECTOR because for the clips you do it, doing it there instead of everywhere else make the audio completely disappear from the timeline should you expand all the clips components to mix your project.
7. Is there a keyboard shortcut to change the viewer’s size to “fit”?
8. Is there a keyboard shortcut to move a selected connected clip to the playhead’s position? (+Option for backtiming ?)
9. Is there a keyboard shortcut to move the playhead at the skimmer’s position ?
[strike]10. Is there a keyboard shortcut to select the clip you just pasted/connected/insterted ? If I want to select it right away it is because FCPX does not center the timeline (and I understand it should be like that by default) on it vertically and horizontally just after you placed it in the TL. But quite often, just after you placed it, you want to edit it so you need to get to it.[/strike] >>>> Forget about that one. I had audio lanes expanded when I noticed that. When they are collapsed, FCPX does re-center the view. I was just distracted
11. Is there a way to roll 2 adjacent 2SL (secondary storylines) ?

To be honest some of these are like me asking if there's an easier way to start my car than having to put the brake pedal while I put the start button, cause holding the brake pedal is a royal PITA. But here's a few quickly off the top of my head.
1. Option-S
2. Yes, select the connected storyline and paste.
3. Not in one click, but in two or three, yes.
4. No, not sure what the goal would be.
5. Hold Shift key while dragging, AFAIK.
6. Using Audio Roles, yes, in the Index Timeline. Not using Audio Roles, see number 1 when using Expand Audio Components along with V for mute.
7. Shift-Z, works in the Viewer, Timeline, and Browser in Filmstrip mode.
8. I find dragging to the playhead easy enough.
9. To move the playhead to the skimmer's current position, click outside of the clip.
10. If you just pasted, it is in the clipboard still. Connecting and Inserting are very different operations.
11. No clue what that question means. What is "2SL"? Are you referring to a Slip or a Slide edit?

I'd strongly suggest a good FCPX course like from Ripple Training or macProVideo. There are ways to use FCPX that preclude the need for many of these operations, honestly. Sorry if that comes off harsh, not meant to be, just an honest observation.

FCPX.guru wrote: To be honest some of these are like me asking if there's an easier way to start my car than having to put the brake pedal while I put the start button, cause holding the brake pedal is a royal PITA. But here's a few quickly off the top of my head.

1. Option-S
2. Yes, select the connected storyline and paste.
3. Not in one click, but in two or three, yes.
4. No, not sure what the goal would be.
5. Hold Shift key while dragging, AFAIK.
6. Using Audio Roles, yes, in the Index Timeline. Not using Audio Roles, see number 1 when using Expand Audio Components along with V for mute.
7. Shift-Z, works in the Viewer, Timeline, and Browser in Filmstrip mode.
8. I find dragging to the playhead easy enough.
9. To move the playhead to the skimmer's current position, click outside of the clip.
10. If you just pasted, it is in the clipboard still. Connecting and Inserting are very different operations.
11. No clue what that question means. What is "2SL"? Are you referring to a Slip or a Slide edit?

1. Your suggested solution does not work. It does solo AUDIO only. Not VIDEO. I said it in my question.
2. No. It pastes the clip on top of every other connected clip. Not at the (vertical) skimmer's position, be it in a secondary storyline for example. I edited my original question since it may not have been accurate enough.
3. Then if 3 clicks, it does not answer my question. But I am curious how do you suggest doing that even in 3 clicks from the timeline ? Shift+F to get it selected in the browser and then back into the timeline ?
4. I thought no as well. The goal would be again to cut things of the exact same length quickly some place else in the TL.
5. Your suggested solution is to constrain vertically while dragging. It is not a keyboard shortcut. I meant without the touching the mouse. I edited my post if it was not clear enough.
6. Your solutions are not answering my question which was about the AUDIO CHANNELS THEMSELVES, not the sound they produce. Which is why I spoke about the inspector. I want to do it in the inspector because for the clips you did it, doing it there instead of everywhere else make the audio completely disappear from the timeline should you expand all the clips components to mix your project.
7. Good one here !! I didn't know shift+Z worked anywhere else than the timeline. (I didn't click in the corresponding window before). Nice catch !
8. Fair enough. I understand a KS is not needed, but still would be great to have.
9. Fair enough too.
10. If I want to select it right away it is because FCPX does not center the timeline (and I understand it should be like that by default) on it vertically and horizontally just after you placed it in the TL. But quite often, just after you placed it, you want to edit it so you need to get to it.
11. 2SL = secondary StoryLine. (sorry for that)

FCPX.guru wrote: I'd strongly suggest a good FCPX course like from Ripple Training or macProVideo. There are ways to use FCPX that preclude the need for many of these operations, honestly. Sorry if that comes off harsh, not meant to be, just an honest observation.

Don't want to be rude too. So I don't suppose what your abilities are or judge you about that. Therefore I try to stick to just answering the questions or I don't.
For the record, if I ask those questions it is because I try to be even more of a FCPX power user that I am, and check out every little detail, not because I don't know how it works, especially compared to classic NLEs. So please, let's cut the chase here and simply answer questions or not.

Thanks for your inputs though. I learned a great new shortcut (shift+Z in the viewer) and already started using it with love

Cheers.

FCPX.guru wrote: To be honest some of these are like me asking if there's an easier way to start my car than having to put the brake pedal while I put the start button, cause holding the brake pedal is a royal PITA ...

That's right. To me it's clear that Ron basically fights FCP X 's paradigms. These requests have to do with a way of thinking , and whereas I find them irritating, I also find them a remedy against becoming blinkered. There once was an article on CreativeCow about how the magnetic timeline (opposed to the "open timeline" of conventional NLEs) changes the way the editor thinks. He eventually has to change his way of thinking, because a primary storyline with dependent clip connections works differently than free clips on independent tracks, period. I encourage everyone to dive deeper into the article(s) and all their comments. Somewhere in these discussions a bold statement is made that's worth considering: FCP X encourages self-suggesting cuts. It gently forces you to compose your story linearly. Each clip you add seems to strengthen the magnetic pull, a storyline is a visual representation of the most obvious, it makes it all too easy to follow your first impulse and don't waste a second thought. This makes editing fast, but not better in the end.

I like to believe that I am immune to this because I am aware of the problem. I enjoy the discussions with my Premiere buddy on these things because any straightforward thinking may make my life easier. According to Kant - a deep thinker - it's not meant to be

Axel wrote:

FCPX.guru wrote: To be honest some of these are like me asking if there's an easier way to start my car than having to put the brake pedal while I put the start button, cause holding the brake pedal is a royal PITA ...

That's right. To me it's clear that Ron basically fights FCP X 's paradigms. These requests have to do with a way of thinking , and whereas I find them irritating, I also find them a remedy against becoming blinkered. There once was an article on CreativeCow about how the magnetic timeline (opposed to the "open timeline" of conventional NLEs) changes the way the editor thinks. He eventually has to change his way of thinking, because a primary storyline with dependent clip connections works differently than free clips on independent tracks, period. I encourage everyone to dive deeper into the article(s) and all their comments. Somewhere in these discussions a bold statement is made that's worth considering: FCP X encourages self-suggesting cuts. It gently forces you to compose your story linearly. Each clip you add seems to strengthen the magnetic pull, a storyline is a visual representation of the most obvious, it makes it all too easy to follow your first impulse and don't waste a second thought. This makes editing fast, but not better in the end.

I like to believe that I am immune to this because I am aware of the problem. I enjoy the discussions with my Premiere buddy on these things because any straightforward thinking may make my life easier. According to Kant - a deep thinker - it's not meant to be

Guys, please. I don't want to troll the forum and don't want to have misunderstandings on my purpose. So let me repeat again the following.

Don't want to be rude too. So I don't suppose what your abilities are or judge you about that. Therefore I try to stick to just answering the questions or I don't.
For the record, if I ask those questions it is because I try to be even more of a FCPX power user that I am, and check out every little detail, not because I don't know how it works, especially compared to classic NLEs. So please, let's cut the chase here and simply answer questions or not.

Now, if you are still thinking I am "fighting the FCPX's paradigm", I can assure I am not. I LOVE IT ! And this is why I just want to push it further in use as a power user. That's why I am asking those questions. Not because "I don't get how FCPX works."

Cheers.

I understood that, really, and I honestly thanked you for thinking aloud.

btw ... forget about nº 10.

I was talking about connected clips and my reasoning was:

"If I want to select it right away after dropping it in the timeline it is because FCPX does not center the timeline's view on it vertically and horizontally just after you placed it in the TL. But quite often, just after you placed it, you want to edit it. So having a quick keyboard shortcut to center the view on it would be great."

BUT somehow, when I noticed that re-centering no happening, I had some audio lanes opened. And in that case FCPX does not recenter the view on the clip you just connected whereas it does indeed recenter the view if audio lanes are collapsed So all good here. I was distracted for a moment

ronfya wrote: … So please, let's cut the chase here and simply answer questions or not.…

If someone's telling me, he's excellent in screwing screws, and now he wants to know "Is my screw-driver able to hammer 9" nails?" - what is the correct answer?

imho "Don't use a screw-driver!".
or "Why nails?"

… not meant chasing you, but that analogy comes to mind …
I know, nothing worse than an analogy… and, don't worry, I will not comment any further.

ahh, and do me/us a favour, stop full-quoting…please.

1. Not that I know of, unless you disable (V) the clips above it. Or if you Reveal in Browser (Shift+F) and then play it from the browser. Once in the Browser you can also hit Shift+I to go to the start of the range.
2. I don't think so.
3. Not quite like that, but you can create a Compound clip first (Option+G), then Reveal in Browser (Shift+F) and drag n drop that Compound clip onto the clip on the Timeline and Replace from Start (or you don't have to drag n drop if you do Option+R with the clip selected)
4. I don't think so, but you can make a note of the length of the range selection (in yellow next to the Project name) and make sure your new range has the same length? (not a quick method, I know)
5. I don't think so, but in one of Apple's recent videos (around the time FCP 10.3 came out) they showed a paralyzed woman moving clips with an Accessibility feature without the use of the mouse, so I wonder if that could be used in a similar way that you're describing?
6. I don't think so, but I've wondered for a while if there is an equivalent of Enable/Disable Clip (V) but for Audio only, is that what you mean?
7. No
8. Yes, put the Playhead in place, then do Command+X then Command+V (cut and paste) which is so quick it might as well be one keyboard short cut
9. No, but then again, if your skimmer is already being positioned by the mouse (which I think is the only way of moving the skimmer around), you're just a click away from moving the playhead there, so I'm not sure why you'd need the keyboard shortcut unless your mouse button wasn't working.
10.
11. Not unless you merged the two secondary storylines first (selecting them both using the bar across the top of the storylines and Command+G) and then rolling the two clips that used to be in separate storylines but are now in the same one, but I suppose that would defeat the purpose of what you're trying to do because separating them out again is a bit of a hassle.