Different versions of FCP - One project - help!?!

Hi.
I have a project which I'm editing at home in FCP 5.0.4, and then I take it to the production studio and they have FCP 5.1.4, and I also just got the new FCP for home, but haven't installed it yet.

(platform, G5, 3gigs ram, latest OSX)

QUESTION: Is there a way to work in one of the newer versions but still be able to open the project file in an older version? I need to be able to work and save back & forth often.

The studio can't afford to upgrade, and I don't want to upgrade 5.0.4 when I just got the new one.

Please let me know what you think.

Search the forum for "XML." This is a very common question that pops up everywhere.

You'll need to export an XML of the cut if you intend to work on the project with machines running different versions of FCP. You can also XML the project, but really, once the project is there and all the media and clips and bins are there, the only thing you change it the cut, so use XML. Version 5 for 5.0...so stick to that.


www.shanerosseditor.com

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Thank you for your response.
However, I did search for XML and it found nothing. Not even "export as xml".
Could you tell me how to do that?
Thanks.

Hmmm...odd. Perhaps it is one of the many other forums I am on...

FILE>EXPORT>XML. After you mark IN and OUT on your sequence.


www.shanerosseditor.com

Listen to THE EDIT BAY Podcast on iTunes
[itunes.apple.com]

read this:
[www.lafcpug.org]

same basic principles apply.

Shane are you sure about XMLv5?
my list is:


Use XML Version 1 for going to Final Cut Pro 4.0;
Use XML version 2 for going to Final Cut Pro 5.0;
Use XML version 3 for going to Final Cut Pro 5.1.2
Use XML version 4 for going to Final Cut Pro 6.

The forum software doesn't recognise searches for words of three letters or less (which is clearly silly, in this three letter acronym [TLA] world we live in) - so a search for XML wouldn't find anything, even though there is stuff here.

> However, I did search for XML and it found nothing. Not even "export as xml".

Think you'd typed one word too many. I did "export XML" as well as ""export XML"" (in quotation marks) and I had hits on the search.


www.derekmok.com

i was going to ask 'isn't this in the FAQ?"
when in the spirit of the thread, i did a search,
and found out that NO! it isn't..

nm

Quote
Nick
my list is:
Use XML Version 1 for going to Final Cut Pro 4.0;
?

Should be: "Use XML Version 1 for going to Final Cut Pro 4.1"

The bigger issue is that using XML for version round trips may loose some information as the XML version X from version Y of FCP is not the same as XML version X from version Z of FCP.
It will work fine with "simple" projects, but one may get in trouble with more complicated ones.
Also it needs to be clear that the "plugin" setup has to be exactly the same on both machines otherwise filters or generators might be replaced or clips might be ignored.

And as always: the XML error report in FCP is an "XML error report" not a "FCP error report", so it doesn't matter what is written there. It only gives you a hint on what might have happened or it does not.

Andreas

Thank you so much to everyone!
You are all so helpful, and there are some rather accomplished editors on here taking the time out to give me a hand, I really appreciate it.
I will be editing away today, and will do the export as XML from FCP 5.1.4 last thing before I head home to import it and try and edit in FCP 5.0.4.

Thanks again!
-Tara

Quote
Andreas
Should be: "Use XML Version 1 for going to Final Cut Pro 4.1"

thanks, i'll fix that

Quote

the "plugin" setup has to be exactly the same on both machines

and fonts, too, now that you mention it


nick

>>i was going to ask 'isn't this in the FAQ?" <<

Nick - would you mind adding it to the FAQ please? You're the one with the best understanding of XMLs and other media management issues, I think.

ok, finally getting around to writing this up.

a couple of Qs..

JUDE:
which section of the FAQ do think it belongs in?

ANDREAS:
i wanted to check the list with you again.
i wrote:
"Use XML version 4 for going to Final Cut Pro 6"
but i think it should be
"Use XML version 4 for going to Final Cut Pro 5.14"



cheers,
nick

umm.I reckon in 'EXPORTING" since that what the function is - Exporting XMLs for compatibility with previous versions of FCP. Thanks

Hi Nick,

Below my corrected list
Use XML Version 1 for going to Final Cut Pro 4.1/4.5
Use XML version 2 for going to Final Cut Pro 5.0.x
Use XML version 3 for going to Final Cut Pro 5.1.x
Use XML version 4 for going to Final Cut Pro 6.x

Think about this list as an 'XML version show up' list as well
Final Cut Pro 4.1: XML Version 1
Final Cut Pro 5.0: XML version 2
Final Cut Pro 5.1.2: XML version 3
Final Cut Pro 6.0: XML version 4

So using a version 6 of FCP and exporting XML version 1 will not create a FCP 4.1 XML version 1 but something similar.

As said keep an eye on new features of each version as they may make their way into a lower version XML but the elder version of FCP can't read it and may silently just ignore those clips or show errors which might not show a hint to the real error.
Also keep an eye on linked multi-mono audio files. Even though there is not so much difference in the XML handling, different versions of FCP do parse them their own way - they might cause some strange errors (FCP 5 can't import them).

For XML back always keep the project simple.

Regards
Andreas


P.S.
Maybe I publish my FCP Juggler after IBC, which allows to view/save all FCP related things. So you could get a list of plugins and fonts.

Quote
Andreas
Maybe I publish my FCP Juggler after IBC, which allows to view/save all FCP related things. So you could get a list of plugins and fonts.

yes! that's such a good idea.


wrote something up last night, but i'll add some of your comments, Andreas
getting on a plane in an hour - going to teach FCP in the outback!
it's not *that* remote, so i'll post when i get there

nick