Deleting old projects

FCP 5.1.4 Mac O/S 10.5.6 G4 one giga memory, one giga hrz dual processor.

I am sorry I created this confusion:
I am in Uruguay, South America, no FCP user groups here.
I am using the ?Tutorial Getting Started with FCP?.
I moved the folder Apple_Pro_Training Tutorials-NTSC to my work drive.
I made my copy of the Project 1_Intro_FCP_Starting.
I botched the lessons and want to start fresh leaving a minimum of files lying around.
My questions is: if I delete my copy of 1_Intro_FCP_Starting by moving it the trash, would I have deleted everything, or Shall FCP be confused and looking for files or leave garbage files lying around.
Thanks again.



Thanks in advance.
Felix

You'd always want to backup:

- several copies of the project file, preferably with date/time stamps so you know which one is which
- any media that isn't timecoded and can't be recaptured from tape using the project file
- graphics, still images, music files -- other media that can't be recaptured

You'd want to delete:

- timecoded clips that can be recaptured from tape
- render files
- a large portion of the Autosave Vault
- extraneous copies of the project file

If this sounds a bit general, it is -- because you need good file-management skills to be able to do this kind of archiving. If you're not sure about some of the elements above, then you should keep all your files. It's very easy to delete the wrong thing and kiss goodbye to your project, and you're never sure when you'd have to revisit it.


www.derekmok.com

Yes I understand that to select individual files for deletion, I need to know what I am doing, but I want to delete a training project entirely so I can start it from zero.
thanks

felix, im confused as to what it is you want to get rid of.
media, or ust some edits you've done.

if it's just old projects, then what i would do:

create a new folder in your "projects" folder,
call it zz_OLD. (the z's force it to the bottom of the list)
put all the old projects in there,
and start again.


nick

> but I want to delete a training project entirely so I can start it from zero.

If it's from a training DVD, your best bet is just to re-copy the project from the disc. Or just start a new Sequence to edit with, unless you do want to do the entire walkthrough again, including re-importing media into the Browser.

> create a new folder in your "projects" folder,
> call it zz_OLD. (the z's force it to the bottom of the list)

I'd have to disagree with Nick on this one.

First of all, your "projects" folder shouldn't have so many project files in it in the first place, so many that you would need to use this kind of "alpha-numeric" trick. Archiving multiple project files is a good habit, but you should never mix those in with your active, most current project file. It's too easy to open or change the wrong thing.

You should create a separate "archive" folder for older, date/time-stamped project files. Keep those separate from your current project file, and don't put a date on the current one. And if your archive folder gets big, that's where you create another sub-folder inside to get older archived copies out of the way.


www.derekmok.com

YEEK! there are so many "what ifs" to this question...

first of all, it really depends on where your scratch disc is and how you managed your files. if you have to ask this question, most files are likely in your documents folder. in a folder called final cut pro documents. and inside each of the subfolders within that (capture scratch, render files, etc, etc...) you will likely find folders named for each project youve done.

if, AND THIS IS A MAJOR, MAJOR IF - you dont have ANYTHING else that youve done in FCP that you want to save, you could just trash your final cut pro documents folder then recreate your scratch volume. - BUT, if youve done ANYTHING in FCP you want to save, THAT would be a VERY bad idea as that would go bye-bye as well...

THIS is why MANY of us here aggressively preach about good file management procedures. if you'd done that, it would simply be a matter of deleting a couple folders.

do a forum search for "file management" or "folder structure" many of us have detailed our processes in great detail.