xml headache

XML woes -- exported sequence in XML format from latest and greatest FCP 5.1.2 so someone can open sequence in Final Cut 5.0.xx however it throws up a number of errors on importing...and only shows the video clips (not the audio clips) Have tried in XML vs 1 2 and 3 - no luck - any idea what I'm doing wrong? Thanks Andy

are you exporting entire projects, sequences, bins or clips?
when you say "only shows the video clips (not the audio clips)" are you talking about masterclip items not showing up in the browser or items not showing up in a sequence?
are you using nested sequencs anywhere in the items being exported?
don't bother testing v3 xml's, they won't work with 5.0.x, stick with v2.

Just selecting the sequence (i've also tried selecting all the clips in the sequence) then going to export XML - the video clips in the sequence show up in timeline - but the audio portions of the timeline are missing -- also no master clips show up in browser on import at all -- just the XML sequence timeline (which contains video but no audio) Thank for your help - Andy

try exporting the entire project, rather than just a sequence, see if that helps.

sorry, double posted.

Hi Andy (Field),

Sorry for some mischievousness, you should have read some of my posts about XML - I posted that so many times (on different lists), reported to Apple and so on that FCP version 5 XMLs woes especially with audio in many cases. And FCP V5 version 1 XMLs and version 2 XMLs are not really compatible with the version 1 or 2 XML import of any other version of FCP, even not with FCP Version 5, and XMLs version 3 are also not really compatible with FCP 5.1.2 XML import. There is only some basic stuff doable.
But all this only true if you use the standard XML export and do not know what happens inside FCP (But don't feel alone - some other people from a bigger company don't seem to know as well). Third party apps can work fine with those XMLs.

So here something you can do (or can't do):
Unlink all audio if it's more than two tracks and unlink audio from video. If the audio is more than stereo multi-track it won't work anyhow with XML.
Look for audio which is "splitted" from video and now is stand-alone (or video which "splitted" from audio and now is stand-alone) these won't work with XML export and FCP XML import.
Have a look at all filters used, if those are not available on the other system the XML import will fail.
Be careful with multi-clips.

Have a look at the video clips in the imported sequence from XML. Compare the last one with the last one of the exported sequence. If they don't match have a look at that clip in the original sequence which matches the last one in the new sequence. Then look what makes the original clip special - and remove that.
Go through all the clips until it works.

Hope this helps and you do not need too many trials to make it work.

Kind regards
Andreas

P.S.
You should use the "Final Cut Pro -> Provide Feedback" menu to send your XML to Apple as they know everything and for sure can tell you how it works :-)

Thanks for your advice - I'll try the export entire project -- we were on a time deadline so I just uploaded a quicktime of the finished project (the other end just needed to place supers on the project and had all the clips so I thought XML email would be easier - apparently not) I told him to upgrade his darn program to 5.1 so we don't go through this dance again!!! Thanks for your help - Andy

well heck, if he only needs to super then you don't need the audio

and heed Andreas Kiel's advice, he's an fcp xml genius