[This article was first published in the June, 2004, issue of Larry's FCP
Newsletter. It's FREE! Click here to subscribe.
Updated 9/18/2005
and 8/19/2006.]
If you are like me, you are reluctant to take advantage of many of
the cooler features in Final Cut, because when you trash preferences,
they all disappear. Features like Favorite Motions, Favorite Effects
and some Window layouts. Not to mention all the different preference
settings that get reset back to a default when preference files get
trashed.
And, while I don't trash preferences every day, I do trash them often
enough that resetting preference files is a pain. On the other hand,
trashing preferences fixes many bizarre and baffling problems.
What to do, what to do?
Well, I just stumbled across a neat, and FREE, little utility that
allows you to back up your Final Cut preference files, so that you
can keep a good set of preferences, with all your favorite settings,
ready for use whenever you need it.
It's called "FCP Rescue." To use it, run this utility to create backups of your current FCP
preference files (assuming they are working fine currently). Then,
when things turn ugly, run this utility again to replace your misbehaving
preference files with the copies it made when your system was working
fine.
Important note: This program simply creates back-ups
of your current preference files. It doesn't determine if they are
bad or good. So, if after running this utility you are still having
problems, then trash your preferences manually, rebuild them from scratch,
then run this utility to make another new backup.
There are other utilities out there. However, I've got this one running
on my system where it seems to work fine.
UPDATE
Michael Horton, Head Cutter of the L.A. Final Cut
Pro User Group, was the first of many to point out that Anders Holck's
excellent utility -- FCP Rescue -- can be downloaded, free, from the
LAFCPUG web site. If you don't already use this utility, now is an
excellent time to give it a try.
Download it from: http://www.lafcpug.org.
BETTER THAN FCP RESCUE
Ben Balser, an Apple-Certified Trainer, writes:
I also used to host both v.4 and v.5 of FCP Rescue on my
own web site for my own students to download. But I just found something
better than FCP Rescue. It's called FCP Preferences
Attic and is a free beta.
I and some of my students and colleagues have been using it for
awhile now and love it! It backs up everything, not just preferences.
Layouts and Plugins, too! You may want to check this out! FCP trainer
Brian Summa turned me on to this.
Larry replies: Ben, the website you
provided is no longer active. However, Fiver Löcker sent
me an updated URL for this utility: www.chesa.com/pro/.
Remember, it is still in beta.
This tip is compiled from several issues of "Larry's
Final Cut Pro Newsletter," a very cool FREE monthly Final Cut
Pro newsletter -- subscribe at Larry's web site: www.larryjordan.biz.
Larry Jordan is a post-production consultant and an
Apple-Certified Trainer in Digital Media with over 25 years experience
as producer, director and editor with network, local and corporate
credits. Based in Los Angeles, he's a member of both the Directors
Guild of America and the Producers Guild of America.
Any references to trademarks or products are used for
editorial purposes only. Text copyright 2006 by Larry Jordan and
Associates, Inc.. All rights reserved.
Larry Jordan is a post-production consultant and an Apple-Certified Trainer in Digital Media with over 25 years experience as producer, director and editor with network, local and corporate credits. Based in Los Angeles, he's a member of both the Directors Guild of America and the Producers Guild of America.
The information in this article is believed to be accurate at the time of publication. However, the author assumes no liability in case things go wrong. Please use your best judgment in applying these suggestions.
The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author. This newsletter has not been reviewed or sanctioned by Apple or any other third party. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners and are mentioned here for editorial purposes only.
Links to my website home page or this article are welcome and don't require prior permission.
