How do I identify what version FCP this working file was saved as? HELP

Hi,

I am considering taking on a revision job and tried to open the FCP working file only to find it is from a newer release of FCP than I am currently using. Since the client does not have a good relationship with the former editor they have no idea what version he did this job originally on. Is there a way to identify what release of FCP this file was saved from?

Any help is always appreciated.

C

There's no way to find this out. The easiest thing to do is open it on an FCP 7.0.3 system and export it to an XML file that is compatible with your current version of FCP.

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Hmm..

Thanks for the heads up. But unfortunately I don't have access to a 7.0.3 system. Is this something I could run down to a mac store and do with a display unit? Usually if you have their One to One service they are pretty cool about that type of thing.

Yes, just take the project file and run it out of one of their FCP7s, if they still have any running. Be sure to export the correct kind of XML for your version.

Here's a tutorial to help guide you :

The tutorial is done nicely, but misses some of the secrets.
So if you select - as shown - some stuff, the selected stuff will be exported. You can even select all and export as XML - but that won't create a FCP XML project. To export a project you have to deselect all items in the browser.
As always you have to make sure effects of your version/installation of FCP do exist for the version you are going to. Also parameters of effects have to match. If not the elder versions of FCP will silently ignore those clips affected.

Back to the original poster:
If the project was created by a newer version of FCP rather that the one he owns there is no other choice than going to someone who owns the latest version of the newest version of the old FCP and trying to go the XML way.

Andreas

Seeing as FCP7 is now EOL, has Apple removed it from its in-store computers yet?

My software:
Pro Maintenance Tools - Tools to keep Final Cut Studio, Final Cut Pro X, Avid Media Composer and Adobe Premiere Pro running smoothly and fix problems when they arise
Pro Media Tools - Edit QuickTime chapters and metadata, detect gamma shifts, edit markers, watch renders and more
More tools...