an open letter to adanac. RE: your ongoing P2 transfer issues...

wgzn

Veteran
ok, lets narrow things down:

what version of FCP are you running?

1. it would appear from your posts that you have successfully transferred the footage from your P2 card to your computer, is this correct?

if so. you SHOULD have a folder on your computer somewhere that has BOTH the CONTENTS folder and LASTCLIP.TXT file.
what is that folders name? it should have only abc_ABC_123 in it's name. no special characters and use UNDERSCORES rather than spaces

2. power down then disconnect your camera from the computer. (this step isnt crucial. it just removes any confusion as to where FCP goes to find footage)
FYI NEVER connect or disconnect your camera from the computer while the camera is on. always power it down before inserting/removing cables.

3. depending on your FCP version...
if its older that 5, im not sure it supports P2 at all.
if its version 5 go to file >import > P2
if its version 6 or 7 go to file > log and transfer

4. in the import / transfer window. there will be a little folder icon in the upper left (or a + sign somewhere near the top, FCP5). click that and navigate to the folder that you created that has the CONTENTS and LASTCLIP.TXT. navigate to that FOLDER and click Open.

5. a list of thumbnails should appear in the window, yes?
here you can do a number of things:
you can watch the clips
set in and out on the clips
select what tracks to capture
rename clips
add selected or all clips into FCP

you can either select all, command click to just get the ones you want, or just do one at a time. whatever suits your needs.
once youve done this, click the "Add Selection to Queue" button. its at the lower right of the thumbnail list

is this where the red exclamation points appear?
if so. a couple of things may be happening:
1. one or more of your files may be corrupt. if the footage is still on your p2 card. put the card back in the camera. do a repair clip procedure on the card and repeat the whole process
2. did you shoot multiple cards? if your footage spanned multiple cards, you often need to have both cards copied to the computer and added in the log and transfer window for them to show up successfully.
if you DID shoot multiple cards, have you transferred both cards CORRECTLY? you need to create a NEW folder for every card you shoot. my fool-proof folder structure this is:

JOB_NAME
--- SOURCE_MM_DD_YYY
------ P2
--------- CARD_01
------------ CONTENTS
------------ LASTCLIP.TXT
--------- CARD_02
------------ CONTENTS
------------ LASTCLIP.TXT
--------- CARD_03
------------ CONTENTS
------------ LASTCLIP.TXT
and so on for each card i fill on a given shooting day

are we all on the same page here? if you indeed have NOT successfully copied the footage from your card to a folder on your computer. let us know and we can backup and take care of that...
 
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I don't think File -> Import -> P2 works in FCP5. Have you had any success with it wgzn? I haven't.
to be dead honest. i havent used FCP5 in what, 3years? but as i recall, v5 was the first version to address direct P2 card structure and this (as i recall) was the way i went about it...

http://manuals.info.apple.com/en/Final_Cut_Pro_5.0_lbn_z.pdf (see pages 28, 29 and 30 to clarify FCP5 P2 procedure)

http://www.hdvisionstudio.com/blog/2007/09/24/fcp-tips-using-p2-technology-with-final-cut-pro/
 
wg- vying for that paid P2 consultant gig, huh? :cheesy:

I think adanac's on 5.1.something.

Should he:
a) look for someone in his area with FCP7 to test if his material's OK?
b) upload a small P2 test for anybody on the forum with 5.1.x? (Is there anyone with 5.1.x???)
c) upgrade his version?
d) not pass Go?
e) start a new thread? :happy:
 
He's gone missing in all of his threads.

Hope he hasn't met his demise like Baz! (thanks Tom!).

But just remember, when the going gets tough, the tough get Toad Rum!!! :grin:

(and a new NLE!)
 
He's gone missing in all of his threads.

Hope he hasn't met his demise like Baz! (thanks Tom!).

But just remember, when the going gets tough, the tough get Toad Rum!!! :grin:

(and a new NLE!)

Thanks groveChuck,
Hopefully adnac has found a friend who can walk him thru the basics and not experience the trials that "Baz" went thru, especially by "Victa".

I think at times we all need light relief from computer/camera issues.

cheers from downunder
Tom K
oline
 
Thank you for your post. I have a MBP running OS 10.6.8 with FCP 5.1.4. This version does have the P2 import function.

I have used two ways to get the files from the two 16GB P2 cards I shot onto my MBP. Both were with the camera connected via Firewire:

1) Copy and paste the entire "No Name" disk image as suggested by another user. This results in the creation of a No Name folder with the CONTENTS folder (with it's six sub-folders) and the LASTCLIP.TXT within.

2) Use P2CMS as described by Barry Green in a sticky. This results in the creation of the CONTENTS folder (with it's six sub-folders) and NO LASTCLIP.TXT file.

I have tried getting files to FCP from folders generated from both upload methods described above. Using the "Import P2" function in FCP, I can successfully load the clips into the window above the queue. I can see the thumbnails, file names, etc., and I can play the clip in the viewer to the right. I can also add clips to the queue.

After adding the clip to the queue, the circular arrow spins in the status column but there is no action in the progress bar and, after a few seconds, the arrow stops spinning. If I click the now idle clip in the queue the red question mark appears. The clip has not been copied.

I de-selected the "Remove Advanced Pulldown and Duplicate Frames" box in the Preferences window of the Import P2 function.
I do not think there are any spanned clips.
I did initially not copy protect the cards before uploading to the MBP, although I have since done so and re-uploaded to the MBP.
I have not attempted to repair clips.

Many thanks,

A.





ok, lets narrow things down:

what version of FCP are you running?

1. it would appear from your posts that you have successfully transferred the footage from your P2 card to your computer, is this correct?

if so. you SHOULD have a folder on your computer somewhere that has BOTH the CONTENTS folder and LASTCLIP.TXT file.
what is that folders name? it should have only abc_ABC_123 in it's name. no special characters and use UNDERSCORES rather than spaces

2. power down then disconnect your camera from the computer. (this step isnt crucial. it just removes any confusion as to where FCP goes to find footage)
FYI NEVER connect or disconnect your camera from the computer while the camera is on. always power it down before inserting/removing cables.

3. depending on your FCP version...
if its older that 5, im not sure it supports P2 at all.
if its version 5 go to file >import > P2
if its version 6 or 7 go to file > log and transfer

4. in the import / transfer window. there will be a little folder icon in the upper left (or a + sign somewhere near the top, FCP5). click that and navigate to the folder that you created that has the CONTENTS and LASTCLIP.TXT. navigate to that FOLDER and click Open.

5. a list of thumbnails should appear in the window, yes?
here you can do a number of things:
you can watch the clips
set in and out on the clips
select what tracks to capture
rename clips
add selected or all clips into FCP

you can either select all, command click to just get the ones you want, or just do one at a time. whatever suits your needs.
once youve done this, click the "Add Selection to Queue" button. its at the lower right of the thumbnail list

is this where the red exclamation points appear?
if so. a couple of things may be happening:
1. one or more of your files may be corrupt. if the footage is still on your p2 card. put the card back in the camera. do a repair clip procedure on the card and repeat the whole process
2. did you shoot multiple cards? if your footage spanned multiple cards, you often need to have both cards copied to the computer and added in the log and transfer window for them to show up successfully.
if you DID shoot multiple cards, have you transferred both cards CORRECTLY? you need to create a NEW folder for every card you shoot. my fool-proof folder structure this is:

JOB_NAME
--- SOURCE_MM_DD_YYY
------ P2
--------- CARD_01
------------ CONTENTS
------------ LASTCLIP.TXT
--------- CARD_02
------------ CONTENTS
------------ LASTCLIP.TXT
--------- CARD_03
------------ CONTENTS
------------ LASTCLIP.TXT
and so on for each card i fill on a given shooting day

are we all on the same page here? if you indeed have NOT successfully copied the footage from your card to a folder on your computer. let us know and we can backup and take care of that...
 
I have always just used the normal import function in FCP 5, not the import P2 function. Just import the whole folder as though it is just a collection of .jpg's or something. It will work, though you have to sync the audio with the video on your timeline.
 
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