How do you backup to ext HD after completing a project?

[Cameron Poole]

I'm surprised there is very little on Google for this, for FCP7 anyway.

The first project I backed up by keeping all the files in one place and copying the folder to my external terrabyte. I have since learned that this is not the proper way to do it and that it should be done from FCP itself.

I thought the process started with EDIT/COPY but nothing happens. I'm a bit wary to experiment here because I can't afford to screw this up.

[Mark Ahrens]

I use the media manager.
Select the main timeline in the browser and go to Media Manager.
Copy to new project and save on the external drive.
Pros - it gathers all assets from various locations and puts them in one place.
Cons - you can't select multiple timelines (pretty sure) and anything unused in the timeline is not copied (this is mostly good, but can be a problem if you need something later that you forgot about).

Various options are available. You can choose to include media outside the in/out points or add a predetermined handle size (i usually use 3 second handles). Don't use 'move' - i've heard of unreliable results with this.
After that, i'll copy folders of assets used outside the project as well - project notes, dvd assets, etc.
I've also been bit by finding that Motion project assets have been missing. To archive Motion projects, save to external and check collect media.

[Cameron Poole]

Thanks Mark. When you say can't select multiple timelines, I assume you mean that you can only backup one project (the completed/most recent one) or do you mean that I have to merge all the layers (nest?) into one video layer?

I'm nervous to try this at the moment as there was a power cut earlier, but i'll finish the project before I try.

[Mark Ahrens]

Sometimes my projects require multiple iterations/versions - ie different timelines. This is what i mean.
So, if there's 4 interviews, i would have to copy and paste into one master timeline or process each timeline to 4 separate archived projects.

It handles layers fine. I've never tried nested sequences.

Duplicate your timeline and trim it down to 3 minutes for a test run and see how it works.
And go out and get a UPS, it's pretty important.

[Cameron Poole]

I tried backing up my last project (which is still on my laptop) using the Media Manager and it seemed to go very well. I was surprised at how quickly it took and it looks like it has only copied the files that were used in the project thus saving a lot of space by ignoring everything that wasn't used, and all the files are in one place, albeit rather messily (see pic) - I was going to ask how to auto tidy the files window but a more serious issue arose when I tried to backup my current project which I will come to in the next post.

The first backup appears in the menu on my terrabyte with the render files in a separate file. I guess I will only know for sure if the backup has worked when I delete the project from my laptop to free up space.

[Cameron Poole]

This is deeply concerning as I have been working on this current 3 minute project for about 8 months.

As soon as I clicked on the media manager, this is what I got.

I need to backup this project asap and this is considerably worrying.

P.S. Thanks for the advice r.e. a UPS. I hadn't even heard of them, but as soon as I can afford one i'll get one.

[Jase Tanner]

Cameron

I make no claim to being an expert on media manager. But having heard so many nightmare stories about it when I took over a project from someone I copied all media and and the project file onto my system and it worked without a hitch. I don't know why this isn't supposed the right way to do it but at least when I did it, it was fine, even if not as automated as media manager would be (when it works properly) I have successfully used media manager to create offline projects but the one time I used media manager to eliminate unwanted media and get things onto another drive it was a nightmare.

[Geoffrey Cox]

Cameron, I've used media manager lots and have never had any real problems with it. But Jase is right - doing it manually is pretty straightforward. The problems arise if you're not sure where all the files are stored (the browser will tell you if you use preferences to show their location in the window) and MM gets round this by putting them all in the same place. The other advantage of MM is, as you noticed, it ditches unused media, potentially saving lots of disc space.

[Cameron Poole]

Thanks Brian/Jase, that's sort of bad news and good because I backed up my first professional project manually and tried to open it a few months after it was deleted from my laptop (unwittingly due to a hard drive failure and subsequent replacement) only to find that the entire thing was offline. I have always made a desktop file and kept all related media in there and each day I have worked on a project I have saved it as 'project name + date'. However, the render files are stored elsewhere (scratch disk presumably) and I didn't at the time think to locate these and put them with everything else.

Is this why everything is offline when I try to reload it from the terrabyte? With that project I just hope the client never requires an update because it'll be a headache.

What I don't understand with this current project is that the Media Manager worked perfectly the first time with another previous project from last year which I backed up from the most recent dated file, and it eliminated all unnecessary data. I only got the ERROR message with this current project. I even tried backing up a small, personal project and got the same thing. Very odd.

[Mark Ahrens]

Did you select the 3 minute timeline/sequence before engaging Media Manager?
This sets the focus of what you want to 'manage.'

[Cameron Poole]

No I forgot, and you told me to do that in the first reply.

It's now working and I have egg on my face, apologies for missing that before.

Thanks for putting me back on track.



Power cuts here are not that frequent but do happen, and I am currently not in a position to afford a UPS, which I assume is going to cost at least 100 USD. I'm backing up now as I type, it'll probably take a good hour or so. In the unlikely event of a power cut, what is the worst case scenario?

My laptop battery is healthy but the terrabytes are mains powered.

As I said I have many project files, sometimes two per day - so I'm guessing that if one of them was destroyed by a power failure I could at least pick up from the previous project and only lose a fraction of the work.

I'll invest in one as soon as I can.

[Mark Ahrens]

Glad it worked out for you. It's probably a good idea to play or skim the archived project timeline to verify that no assets are missing before deleting the main. Additionally, you could simply 'encase' your scratch folder in another to take the original assets offline - a quick way of simply changing the path to the files.

Eh, worst case scenario on power failure during archiving . . . the archive file is toast, the current project file gets corrupted, and i suppose a possibility of hurting the external hard drive (but i doubt it).

Most likely, just the backup file / archive is garbage and you have to start over.

Why do you save the project file so often? So you can go back to an iteration of the project if an edit path doesn't meet your expectations?

In that case, i just duplicate the sequence and name it accordingly (keeping them in a bin labeled Sequence Storage so it doesn't clutter and confuse). Otherwise, i set the autosave at every 15 minutes. Are you familiar with autosave settings?

Also put on your list a dedicated external drive for TimeMachine backups. That would suit your purpose, as well. Automated and covers the whole system. Almost as important as your UPS in an unstable electrical environment, IMO.

[Cameron Poole]

Hi Mark, I save the project file so often just to be on the safe side or in case I get into an irreversible mess. Isn't there a 'command something' shortcut to undo an undo? I know it's being overly protective but I've only been editing in FCP over a year and I'm probably a little paranoid. This forum has been of great help though, and the great thing about MM is that I end up with just the one project file. I have no idea how much or how little space the former ones take up but it doesn't seem to be much.

I probably don't need a UPS at this stage, however I should get on Google and figure out how Time Machine works, it's just one of those things I've been putting off.

[Mark Ahrens]

Autosave does the same thing, but if you don't have the max number of saves up high enough, it'll save over previous saves and you wouldn't have 'days of saves'

Undo: cmd-z
Redo: cmd-opt-z (to undo an undo)

I highly recommend getting acquainted with the keystrokes - it really speeds up the editing process. Even if it's one command a week. Once you start using, you'll see the benefit and look for more. Anything you do repetitively, there's either a stroke or a button that you can use. (see button bar under tools)
Some of my favorite buttons: paste attributes, delete all markers, export quicktime conversion

Also . . . it may be boring, but reading the manual taught me quite a bit . . . good for my insomnia, too!

[Cameron Poole]

Insomnia/shallow sleep is the bane of my life, you have my sympathy. I have the manual somewhere but I'm currently stuck into my Panasonic AV HMC-152 manual. I have a thing or two to learn about white balance.

Thanks for the cmd-opt-z, I was hoping you'd come back with that! Will make sure I don't forget this time.