[ There are more than twenty significant new features in the 10.0.6 update to Final Cut Pro X. This article looks at one of them. Check out our latest training covering the Final Cut Pro X 10.0.6 update here ]
One of new features in Final Cut Pro X that drove me the most nuts was the inability of any clip to remember the In or Out when you clicked to another clip.
This made comparing clips really, really difficult. (Yes, I know, you could set favorites and keywords and all sorts of other shenanigans, but all that was really necessary was for the clip to remember the In and the Out.)
Now, they do. In fact, Apple took this one step farther, which provides even more benefits, as you’ll see in a minute.
Brace yourself.
Select a clip in the Event Browser. Set an In. Set an Out. Click anywhere else. Click back to the first clip.
Ta-DAH!!!
The In and Out are still there! Whew… Even better, these selected ranges remain until you get rid of them.
NOTE: You can not set multiple ranges in the Timeline.
BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE…
This ability to set, and retain, ranges exists in the Event Browser and the Import window. However, we can now:
To set multiple ranges in the same clip – this is especially useful when importing multiple portions of the same source clip – press Command while dragging to select a range within a clip.
Each time you drag, you create a new selection range. (There were initial reports that Apple included keyboard shortcuts for this function, but they do not seem to be in the released version.)
NOTE: If you edit the selected ranges into the Timeline, they will be placed in the Timeline in the order you selected each range; not in Timecode order. Cool.
Notice here, the top clip still retains its three selected ranges, while the bottom clip has a single selected range. However, only the currently selected clip will edit to the Timeline. In other words, you can have lots of ranges set, but only the selected clip’s ranges edit to the Timeline.
Apple removed the keyboard shortcut that deletes individual ranges – it used to be Option+X. So, to delete all selections:
Select the clips from which you want to delete the selections and choose Mark > Clear Selected Ranges. You can use this menu to remove ranges from a single selected clip, or a group of selected clips in the Event Browser.
This ability to select multiple ranges within a clip is especially useful when importing. Now, we can select multiple ranges within a single clip, or multiple clips each containing a range. Prior to the 10.0.6 update, we could only import one range at a time. Which made importing portions of multiple clips really tedious.
Here’s the secret you need to know to make this work:
I’ll write more about importing shortly, when I write up all the new changes Apple made to the Import process.
NOTE: You can’t set ranges when importing from the Finder, or from some DSLR cameras using PTP protocol.
35 Responses to FCP X: Select Multiple Ranges
Newer Comments →-
Regi says:
October 29, 2012 at 5:28 am
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Mat says:
February 12, 2013 at 12:02 pm
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Justin says:
November 1, 2012 at 10:57 am
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Larry Jordan says:
November 1, 2012 at 11:04 am
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Justin says:
November 1, 2012 at 11:12 am
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Larry Jordan says:
November 1, 2012 at 11:17 am
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Micheal Johnston says:
January 7, 2013 at 10:15 pm
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Larry Jordan says:
January 8, 2013 at 7:58 pm
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Rob says:
January 15, 2013 at 4:40 am
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Larry Jordan says:
January 15, 2013 at 8:40 am
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Micheal Johnston says:
January 15, 2013 at 4:08 pm
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Micheal Johnston says:
January 15, 2013 at 4:26 pm
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Rob says:
January 15, 2013 at 4:52 pm
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Micheal Johnston says:
January 15, 2013 at 5:36 pm
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Mudh says:
February 10, 2013 at 4:07 am
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Larry Jordan says:
February 10, 2013 at 8:33 am
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Mudh says:
February 10, 2013 at 10:16 pm
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Markus D says:
July 17, 2013 at 10:55 am
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Jared says:
September 13, 2013 at 8:56 am
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Jared says:
September 13, 2013 at 9:03 am
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Markus Daum says:
September 13, 2013 at 9:39 am
Newer Comments →Thank you to advise! I was waiting for this feature.
FYI….this new feature does not work for all media, I just got a bunch of converted Go Pro files and I cant select the i/o ranges in the import window. cant figure out why?
So how far is the option to create multiple ranges from performing the role of subclips (favorites do not count)?
Justin:
By definition, a subclip is a portion of another clip, without duplicating media. Setting ranges is setting Ins and Outs within a clip. So, they are not the same thing.
Larry
Thanks! Btw, do you foresee and sort of revision of the media management set up (i.e. “Events”) and returning to a more traditional and flexible system (i.e. bins)?
No. Because Events coupled with keywords is far more flexible than bins. For example, the same media clip can be in several different keyword groups, but only in one bin.
Larry
Larry,
I have tried setting ranges in a clip in the import window (as demonstrated in NF06.02.02) but can only select the whole clip.
Could this be due to file size clip is MOV format 638MB.
Micheal:
The size of the clip is not important. The FORMAT of the clip is critical. If the movie already exists as a QuickTime movie, you can’t import ranges. If you are transcoding camera native formats, then you can.
Here’s a blog that explains this: http://www.larryjordan.biz/app_bin/wordpress/archives/2059
Larry
This was my problem – trying to select a range for some studio clips recorded on an Atomos Samurai, and FCP X will not allow me to select a range which isn’t helpful!
This there any software that allows splitting ProRes 422 clips so I can then only import the sections of footage we need rather than the entire clip?
FCP X doesn’t actually “import” the media into the program, it only “points” to where the files are stored on disk. For this reason, importing entire clips is generally not a problem. And importing a single clip requires less memory than importing multiple clips.
That’s the benefit of having a single clip, then editing multiple sections of it into your Project.
However, if for some reason you need to break a QuickTime movie into smaller chunks, you would need to open it into an application that allows you to select sections and export them. This raises the issues of quality loss during export, however. A program that does this nicely is QuickTime 7. You might also check into ProPlayer from Digital Heaven.
Larry
Larry,
you say that FCP X doesn’t import the media to the program. I have my preference set not to copy to Event folder but I note when importing, the drop down window has the Copy Media to event ticked and is greyed out.
Is this still just pointing to the media?
Rob,
what format are the clips? I solved a similar issue by copying .MTS clips into the stream folder of an AVCHD Folder, and by copying .mpg files into the last folder inside a DCIM folder.
I copied the AVCHD folder from my Panasonic camera, stripped out the .MTS files from the Stream folder (AVCHDBDMVSTREAM) and replaced them with my .mts files. FCP Import window reads the folder and allows range selection of the clip.
I copied the DCIM folder from my Drift HD camera and stripped out the .mov files from the Drift folder (DCIMDrift) and replaced them with .mpg files.FCP Import window reads the folder and allows range selection of the clip
Depending on where you put the folder FCP Import window sees them differently.
If you put the AVCHD or DCIM into the root directory (top level) of the card or flash drive FCP will see it as a camera. If you put the them into an enclosing folder it will list them as a file.
If you drop me an email to micheal@a-n-m.com I can send you a copy of the folders.
B Happy,
Micheal
The files are ProRes created with my Atomos Samurai, so I was hoping I could select certain clip ranges and only import those in order to save space, but as Larry pointed FCPX doesn’t actually import (copy just those segments to the FCPX Event folder), which is a shame, does it only copy segments from your AVCHD clips?
Rob,
Yes I can select ranges and import, the import window indicates that the clips will be COPIED to the event folder, I haven’t checked whether or not the media is actually copied over but will do so this evening when I get home.[I am based in Singapore and currently hard at work in my office :-)]
Hi Larry , whenever I undo something usually the timeline snaps back to the beginning and I lose the view of the portion of the timeline…..then again I have to find the portion by scrolling ….is there a way to keep that area shifting again and again ??
Mudh:
Generally, I’ve found that if the Timeline does something I don’t expect, its because skimming is turned on (S) and you weren’t paying attention to the skimmer position.
If that is not it, then try trashing FCP X preferences: http://www.larryjordan.biz/improving-fcp-x-performance/
Larry
Wonderful ….I guess so….Thank you so much.
Hi Larry,
Thanks for telling us about the multiple ranges functionality. I would like to define multiple ranges via keyboard commands though, i.e. by moving the time slider to the position I would like as IN or OUT points of my new range and then pressing the I or O keys accordingly. Instead of adding a range the I or O keys delete the old range though, so you always end up with a single range only.
If find defining multiple ranges via mouse quite cumbersome and often not precise enough. Do you know of a way to achieve this by any chance? Oh and while I’m at it… 😉 do you know if there is something like an undo cue for ranges, to undo range deselections? After defining a couple of ranges a single mouse drag in another area of that clip does delete all previously defined ranges – without any (obvious) way back.
Thank you very much for your time!
Cheers,
-Markus
I would love to know if this is possible too – it would be brilliant for interviews where you want to quickly pull several portions into the timeline from the same clip, or quickly review all the selections you have made. Selecting with a mouse is fine I guess but it’s not the same as using I and O to select accurate points.
For those who would like a keyboard way of doing this… I am experimenting using Markers to first mark my multiple in and out points in a clip, then Cmd-dragging between them to create my selections. Seems to work quite well.
Nice find! seems to be a bit cumbersome, but does the trick (for now)! 🙂