Alpha Channel Issue

My dear friends I have an issue that I can't find any solution. I have two final cut install in my computer (for many reasons), fcp 10.6.4 and fcp 10.5.4.
The issue is that when I have an alpha channel (prores 4444) I can't use it in 10.5.4 even though in 10.6.4 is played like a normal alpha channel. The export is from after fx but I tried to make an export from 10.6.4 and it didn't work.

Any suggestions?

You are asking for major trouble with multiple FCP versions on the same machine. There are OS dependencies, library differences, architecture changes... nothing good will come of it.

If you must have both, my suggestion is to keep them on separate machines, with the appropriate OS for each version.

Having multiple copies of FCP on the same machine should be no problem as I have been doing it for years with no issues.

Please give precise details of how and what you are exporting.

My graphic designer sent me a motion graphic of a map. This map has alpha channel in order to see the drone shot under the map. I import it in fcp 10.6.4 and everything is as it should be. I can see both layers. When I import it in fcp 10.5.4 I can't see the background layer. I see only the map with black instead of the alpha (I can't see the 2nd layer). I thought that something has to do with the alpha channel codec file (although it says prores4444). So I made an export (4444) from 10.6.4 and then import to 10.5.4 but still the same.

I can't see any reason why it shouldn't work. It might be worth trashing the preferences . . . it may not help but it only takes seconds. I do it whenever FCP behaves strangely for no apparent reason and sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't.

You could also try posting on the Apple FCP forum to get more publicity, although many of the contributors are also on this forum.

discussions.apple.com/community/applicat...rvices/final-cut-pro

"I trash the preferences . . .  whenever FCP behaves strangely for no apparent reason and sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't."

It is trouble waiting to happen.  Invite it into your life if you want to, but let's not pretend there's nothing to worry about.  Updated library formats for one and not the other, different plugin hooks, different pro video formats versions are just a few.  If you have client work to do, keep them separate.

I have trashed prefs exactly one time in 10 years, and it's been at least 5 since I did.  Because FCP doesn't behave strangely for no apparent reason on my systems.