Lost Files!

Hi. I recently lost my project file from my external hard drive after saving it the night before. I usually trade files back and forth from my PC to Powerbook through my external (I have macdrive installed onto my PC).

When I attempt to look for my project on Final Cut, the file no longer appears. I saved and everything as well. Is there a reason why this happen and how do I prevent it from not happening again? And how do I retrieve my lost files if theres that possibility?

Look for the AUTOSAVE VAULT. Open the most recent saved file.

And never go more than four hours of editing without backing up your project at least once. Manual backups are the most reliable way to preserve progress. Autosave Vault can be good for the short term, but being automatic, it can be erratic and buggy. Manual backups should be done to both a running drive (eg. internal or external) and simultaneously to an external medium (eg. a USB flash stick) that isn't hooked up to the computer while you work, in case you have an in-system global meltdown.

External drives aren't meant to be used cross-platform. If you want a stable drive, stop going between your PC and Mac.

This just breaks my heart. You really have to always have a usable backup project file. Yes, the Auto-Save vault works well, but still, I save a copy at the end of every day to my web space or iDisk. That way, if my computer goes down, I can still rescue my show. (Nice idea with the USB thumb drive Derek).

Another mistake that was made is that you should not have your project file on an external drive, it should always be on your Mac HD.

Cheers,
Kevin Monahan
Author, "Motion Graphics and Effects in Final Cut Pro"
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One more note on backups: ALWAYS name them with a date. I use this system:

Current active project file is in a folder called

"Titanic Project"

and the file itself is called

Titanic.proj

When I perform a backup, I duplicate the file (APPLE-D in the Finder), then I rename it to:

Titanic.proj (11-08-05 2159)

2159 is the time, using a 24-hour clock. This prevents you from having to designate AM or PM and all your files will be arranged nicely in chronological order.
Now I move it to a folder called:

Titanic Archive

Seven years of using this system and not a meltdown in sight.
The rationale behind this system is that I've seen many people backup their project without renaming the backup. If you ever mistakenly drag the older project to the location of the newer one, you're screwed -- an overwrite operation that can't be reversed.