Final Cut Studio "3" Manuals

Robert Lane · August 5th, 2009, 02:42 PM

You're preaching to the choir, Shaun. I'm totally with you on having a printed book; nothing replaces picking up a physical reference and being able to make bookmarks, liner notes etc and read them anytime sans computer interface. However I've learned to live without them and instead print out sections on-demand as needed from the now defunct PDF's.

And you're right; there's really no reason that you shouldn't be able to pay a third-party service for being able to have a full-on printed manual.

In fact, when you purchase a new car or motorcycle you *can* pay the dealer to get the full service and parts manual (something normally reserved for dealer techs) so why this hasn't been adopted by the software industry is curious.

Gary Nattrass · August 5th, 2009, 06:04 PM

To quote a classic head strong movie about three men and some GOLD!!!:

"Manuals we dont need no stinking manuals"

I have lots of them with my FCS1 and FCS2 and they are a good shelf filler but have found the programes easy to use and always seek out user experience on forums via the wibblenet!

Andy Mees · August 5th, 2009, 10:32 PM

Count me in the Shaun and Robert camp ... for me the HTML manual really doesn't improve on my own personal electronic manual experience at all, at least not yet. It doesn't lend itself to printing especially well, and for what its worth, in my scan through so far, it actually seems a bit thinner on details (although that may be me trying too hard to find things wrong with it). I guess on the upside it should offer the facility for always being up to date (via online page retrieval / software updates). But surely it would have made sense to offer users the option to purchase a hard copy (or even soft copy) of a "proper" reference manual? Ah well, it is what it is .. and Apple aren't deaf or dumb despite occasional appearances to the contrary. Things may yet change on this front.

Tim Dashwood · August 6th, 2009, 08:59 AM

Just to add one more independent confirmation of offline manuals.

I unplugged the ethernet cable and opened the following:

This is what you get in the help menu. Note: Release Notes and New Features will require an internet connection.
Name: FCP7_help_menu.png
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Name: FCP7_help_menu.png
Views: 449
Size: 29.3 KB

When you select "Final Cut Pro Help" you come to this help app, not Preview and a pdf.

Final Cut Studio "3" Manuals-fcp7_help.png

When you select "Final Cut Pro 7: User Manual" you get this with a search area.

Final Cut Studio "3" Manuals-fcp7_manual.png

The other apps (Motion, DVD Studio Pro, Color) all work the same way.

What I don't like about this help app is that it is a top-layer window linked to FCS, so you can't bounce back and forth between it and the FCS app you are using with command-tab. The only good solution is to minimize it down to the dock.

I have always had a fondness for printed manuals, especially when scripting in DVD Studio Pro, but I have to say that after upgrading to every version of FCP/FCS since v1.25 I am probably personally responsible for the demise of about 5 trees! All those manuals from over the years have their own shelf dedicated to them. I think Apple assumes that if you are buying an upgrade you already have the manuals from the previous versions... and the "new features" amendments work just fine for most of us. This is also the cheapest Final Cut upgrade ever and I can only assume the lack of manuals was the major factor in the lower price.

Robert Lane · August 6th, 2009, 09:38 AM

This functionality wasn't available in my ADC copy and was obviously added in a later release. And it seems that there's confusion amongst many users on how this is accessed. So the validity of my original post is incorrect and this thread should be removed so people don't freak-out with the incorrect info!

Mathieu Ghekiere · August 7th, 2009, 12:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robert Lane

So the validity of my original post is incorrect and this thread should be removed so people don't freak-out with the incorrect info!

There is interesting information in this thread about the cons and pros of HTML manuals, that I didn't know.

Just change your original post, edit it with for instance a line at the end with:
EDIT: It's now cleared up that...
Easier, no?

Shaun Roemich · August 7th, 2009, 08:17 AM

Mathieu: there is only a limited amount of time in which one can edit one's posts and I believe that time has passed. Otherwise, yes, that would be easier.

Robert Lane · August 7th, 2009, 08:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mathieu Ghekiere

...Just change your original post, edit it with for instance a line at the end with:
EDIT: It's now cleared up that...
Easier, no?

I would have except the time limit for editing has passed so that's no longer an option. Only a moderator can make changes like that now.

Boyd Ostroff · August 7th, 2009, 08:55 AM

All,

I have already changed the title of this thread to remove the phrase "buyer beware" and personally agree that there's good
info here. My feeling is that we should leave things the way they are and move along, but we'll see if Chris feels otherwise.

Chris Hurd · August 7th, 2009, 09:01 AM

Stays. There's real value in this thread as a "teachable moment" on several different levels. Closed though. Let's move on.

Chris Hurd · August 11th, 2009, 08:23 AM

Just to note that the Final Cut Pro 7 manual in .PDF format is available for download from Apple:

http://www.documentation.apple.com/e...ual%20(en).pdf

August 5th, 2009, 02:42 PM	#16
Robert Lane Go Go Godzilla Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Scottsdale, AZ USA Posts: 2,823 Images: 15	You're preaching to the choir, Shaun. I'm totally with you on having a printed book; nothing replaces picking up a physical reference and being able to make bookmarks, liner notes etc and read them anytime sans computer interface. However I've learned to live without them and instead print out sections on-demand as needed from the now defunct PDF's. And you're right; there's really no reason that you shouldn't be able to pay a third-party service for being able to have a full-on printed manual. In fact, when you purchase a new car or motorcycle you can pay the dealer to get the full service and parts manual (something normally reserved for dealer techs) so why this hasn't been adopted by the software industry is curious. Last edited by Robert Lane; August 5th, 2009 at 10:33 PM.

August 5th, 2009, 06:04 PM	#17
Gary Nattrass Trustee Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Cornsay Durham UK Posts: 1,992	To quote a classic head strong movie about three men and some GOLD!!!: "Manuals we dont need no stinking manuals" I have lots of them with my FCS1 and FCS2 and they are a good shelf filler but have found the programes easy to use and always seek out user experience on forums via the wibblenet! __________________ Over 15 minutes in Broadcast Film and TV production: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1044352/

August 6th, 2009, 08:59 AM	#19
Tim Dashwood Wrangler Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Toronto, ON, Canada Posts: 3,637	Just to add one more independent confirmation of offline manuals. I unplugged the ethernet cable and opened the following: This is what you get in the help menu. Note: Release Notes and New Features will require an internet connection. When you select "Final Cut Pro Help" you come to this help app, not Preview and a pdf. When you select "Final Cut Pro 7: User Manual" you get this with a search area. The other apps (Motion, DVD Studio Pro, Color) all work the same way. What I don't like about this help app is that it is a top-layer window linked to FCS, so you can't bounce back and forth between it and the FCS app you are using with command-tab. The only good solution is to minimize it down to the dock. I have always had a fondness for printed manuals, especially when scripting in DVD Studio Pro, but I have to say that after upgrading to every version of FCP/FCS since v1.25 I am probably personally responsible for the demise of about 5 trees! All those manuals from over the years have their own shelf dedicated to them. I think Apple assumes that if you are buying an upgrade you already have the manuals from the previous versions... and the "new features" amendments work just fine for most of us. This is also the cheapest Final Cut upgrade ever and I can only assume the lack of manuals was the major factor in the lower price. __________________ Tim Dashwood

August 7th, 2009, 08:17 AM	#22
Shaun Roemich Inner Circle Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Vancouver, British Columbia (formerly Winnipeg, Manitoba) Canada Posts: 4,088	Mathieu: there is only a limited amount of time in which one can edit one's posts and I believe that time has passed. Otherwise, yes, that would be easier. __________________ Shaun C. Roemich Road Dog Media - Vancouver, BC - Videographer - Webcaster www.roaddogmedia.ca Blog: http://roaddogmedia.wordpress.com/

August 7th, 2009, 09:01 AM	#25
Chris Hurd Obstreperous Rex Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: San Marcos, TX Posts: 27,368 Images: 513	Stays. There's real value in this thread as a "teachable moment" on several different levels. Closed though. Let's move on. __________________ CH Search DV Info Net \| 20 years of DVi \| ...Tuesday is Soylent Green Day!

August 5th, 2009, 10:32 PM	#18
Andy Mees Major Player Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Posts: 645	Count me in the Shaun and Robert camp ... for me the HTML manual really doesn't improve on my own personal electronic manual experience at all, at least not yet. It doesn't lend itself to printing especially well, and for what its worth, in my scan through so far, it actually seems a bit thinner on details (although that may be me trying too hard to find things wrong with it). I guess on the upside it should offer the facility for always being up to date (via online page retrieval / software updates). But surely it would have made sense to offer users the option to purchase a hard copy (or even soft copy) of a "proper" reference manual? Ah well, it is what it is .. and Apple aren't deaf or dumb despite occasional appearances to the contrary. Things may yet change on this front.

August 6th, 2009, 09:38 AM	#20
Robert Lane Go Go Godzilla Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Scottsdale, AZ USA Posts: 2,823 Images: 15	This functionality wasn't available in my ADC copy and was obviously added in a later release. And it seems that there's confusion amongst many users on how this is accessed. So the validity of my original post is incorrect and this thread should be removed so people don't freak-out with the incorrect info!

August 7th, 2009, 08:55 AM	#24
Boyd Ostroff Wrangler Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Mays Landing, NJ Posts: 11,800	All, I have already changed the title of this thread to remove the phrase "buyer beware" and personally agree that there's good info here. My feeling is that we should leave things the way they are and move along, but we'll see if Chris feels otherwise.

August 11th, 2009, 08:23 AM	#26
Chris Hurd Obstreperous Rex Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: San Marcos, TX Posts: 27,368 Images: 513	Just to note that the Final Cut Pro 7 manual in .PDF format is available for download from Apple: http://www.documentation.apple.com/e...ual%20(en).pdf __________________ CH Search DV Info Net \| 20 years of DVi \| ...Tuesday is Soylent Green Day!