change FCPX clip names to match Finder filenames

Is there a script or app to batch rename FCPX clips (that have been batch renamed within FCPX) back out in the Finder?

With FindrCat, you can translate FCP *tags* to Finder tags, and if one of those tags was basically the clip name used in FCP, it was easy to batch-rename the clips in Finder. However, there is a problem with that approach: the names you attach in FCP are just for your own convenience, the NLE internally refers to the untelling original clip names, thereby losing the links ...

Right. I'm aware of FindrCat. I've actually accidentally batch renamed clips in Finder, then open the FCPX library and the files are still linked. So there must be a Finder file ID separate from the Finder filename, that FCPX can read and keep track of.
I was just curious if a utility is out there that could rename Finder filenames to the FCPX convenient names I created in some projects. I used to shoot with the C100, and when parsing AVCHD files it would create Finder clips named "Clip #1" "Clip #2" etc. And so a given drive with several projects could have several Clip #2 filenames. Just trying to avoid that and clean up footage like that to be more descriptive, without destructing my projects that use those clips.

csinclair wrote: Right. I'm aware of FindrCat. I've actually accidentally batch renamed clips in Finder, then open the FCPX library and the files are still linked. So there must be a Finder file ID separate from the Finder filename, that FCPX can read and keep track of.

Just tried this with a test project. You are right, the clips renamed in Finder don't go offline. But unfortunately, the original file names didn't update. It should work like in FCP 7, where you could change the clip names in the log bin from within the program.

Googled for it and found a tool named A Better Finder Rename, which, among other things, allows to batch-rename using tags. Look it up. In this section, the rules how to rename the files look exactly like the rename-window inside FCP. The only additional step was to basically rename the already tagged clips according to the tags in FCP and afterwards repeat the process in Finder using ABFR. According to Creative Cow, there is another process, semi-automatic, but it requires Producer's Best Friend and many steps.

I also need the reverse of this: I would like to import direct from an sd card into fcpx to get the timecode metadata, but then to reveal in finder and rename all the files using renamer (great app!) which saves HOURS of messing around, and then finally update the names in FCPX to the new finder names.

I really hope this is possible, because the advantage of having the timecode is so big for documentary work, but the advantage of a clear naming system is also crucial for archiving and so on....

any thoughts?

I don't think your procedure will work. In short, you don't want to rename media files after they have been imported.

What my team currently does is offload the files to disk, rename them according to some careful naming scheme, then import them -- and never rename the disk files again.

It's also very important to have globally unique filenames, IOW filenames unique across all projects for all time. One way to accomplish that is append a 5-digit incrementing sequence number to each batch of offloaded files. Obviously you have to keep track of the number "high water mark", and if offloading at several locations that must somehow be coordinated. Having unique filenames solves various problems, including issues with XML and relinking. It also provides an unambiguous reference for post production, facilitates archival searching, etc.

Another way is harness the ability of FCP to rapidly skim and keyword clips. In that case only do minimal renaming before importing, e.g, use a folder tree something like: ProjectName/ShootingDay/CameraName/Camera+OperatorName. That minimizes renaming and avoids scrubbing through data outside the NLE, then again inside the NLE. However you are totally dependent on FCP to maintain that metadata, and there is no easy way (except for FindrCat + NeoFinder) to search across FCP libraries.

You can keyword media in FCP, then export those as Finder Tags via FindrCat, then index that with NeoFinder which can search on Finder tags across all drives -- including disconnected and archived drives. NeoFinder can also search inside FCP libraries if enabled:  www.cdfinder.de/


One issue with Finder tags is they work best within the Mac "universe". If you upload tagged files to various cloud-based storage or even some local NAS devices, either the tags can get wiped out or Spotlight search does not work reliably. 

There are 3rd-party media asset managers such as CatDV but once you commit to one you are totally dependent on it. 

My documentary team uses timecode on almost all of our cameras, so that is important to us. We don't need to ingest from the camera card to FCP for that to work. So-called "file timecode" is part of the video metadata on supported cameras and media formats, and it works fine after offloading from the card to a hard drive.

Probably the biggest issue with timecode is the inconsistent support in the MP4 container format. There are ways around that, provided you process the files with QTChange before importing to FCP. That rewrites the existing file timecode in a Quicktime format that FCP recognizes:  www.videotoolshed.com/handcrafted-timecode-tools/qtchange/

This is not an issue for the professional container formats such as MXF.

My process is a lot like joema's, with the main difference that if the media utilizes sidecar files for TC, I'll re-wrap with EditReady (same for AVCHD folder structured media), with batch rename for the output set to the specific client/job/etc.

For media files with proper TC and no sidecars, I'll batch rename in Finder prior to ingest.

A hearty endorsement for NeoFinder - been using it for 20 years now and I'd be lost without it (Norbert is a responsive and affable dev). EditReady, QTChange, and Final Cut Library Manager (arcticwhiteness.com) are other frequent fliers for me in addition to numerous custom AppleScripts I've written for different workflows.