Canon MXF import plugin is finally available

The folder structure is

FOLDER (any name) > CONTENTS > CLIPS001 > ...

so by making those two missing top folders you should be able to get everything into FCP X.

Hello

I have the new Final Cut Pro X (version 10.0.4) and I downloaded the canon plugin so that I could import xml files, but it didn't work. When I imported from camera, I selected open archive (the files are on an external hard drive), but the files were transparent/grey and I could not select them. I also tried importing them as files, or choosing import xml, but with the same result.

Is there a new problem with the lastest updated version of FCPX? Or is there an issue with my files?

A speedy reply would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!

Specifically what Canon camera do you have? If it's a DSLR you simply use Import File, as they are QT movie files already. You don't import XML files from a camera, either.

When you copy the card to the hard drive, you need to keep it's contents intact; folders, hierarchy, everything.

You mean MXF files from a Canon XF or C300? Did you use the Canon XF Utility to import your card, then moved the files manually?
That has also brought me in doodoo once. Good, old XFCPX came to the rescue. That nifty little app is really a keeper.

It's a canon xf.
The files were given to me on a hard drive, which I connected to my computer (no space so have to run through hard drive for final cut). I have the canon xf utility on my computer, but I'm not exactly sure how that makes a difference, or if something had to be done before the clips were put on my hard drive??.. And I guess I mean MXF. I'm knew to this

(@BenB - my dslr clips work just fine in final cut, it is the xml I am having trouble with. And the clips are on a hard drive, not my computer, so I have to 'import from camera - archives' to get them.. I'm not importing from a camera. Also I do believe the files are intact, hierarchy, etc. but I'm not positive.)

I had the same issue. Once XF Utility has backed up a card to a drive, you can't move it manually to another. Seems that XF Utility saves some header files or whatever somewhere else, and without those headers, you can't access the back-upped footage anymore.

You'll have to use XFCPX to rewrap your files, then you can import them directly into FCP X.

ok I'll give that a shot! thanks so much for the help!

it worked! thanks again

Thanks for the advice on file structure. It all worked perfectly apart from one card in which the INDEX.MIF file appears to be corrupted as it is zero k.

Of course FCP X refuses to import this media. Is there any way I can rebuild the index?
Failing that I guess I'll need to convert the MXFs to QuickTime manually.

What's the best way of doing this?

Files are from the Canon CS300.

The sooner the next update comes and we can import these MXF files the better they are a PITA

Seanus, did you try XFCPX? I linked to it somewhere earlier in this thread,

Yes I did see that thanks.

Downloaded it but couldn't figure out how to make it work with the card.

stupid question, does it import MXF from P2 card too ?
It says that new 10.0.4 can import natively AVC-INTRA from P2 but it is not true for me.Can import if your P2 Cam is connected then it convert MXF to MOV.It is not natively for me.
Today we can't work with MXF directly

There are two flavors of Panasoic's P2. The original DVCPRO-HD which FCP X could always import via Import From Camera. And the newer AVCHD P2 format. Both are MXF. As far as I know you should be able to import P2 AVCHD via Import From Camera just like with DVCPRO-HD. Cards must be mounted on the desktop. If cards are copied to a hard drive (full folder hierarchy in tact), use the Open Camera Archive option within the Import From Camera window. As far as I am aware this should work.

Wrong idea

Any advice on how to convert these orphaned MXF clips? The only thing I've found that can play them is VLC..

I've just found that you can open .MXF files in XDCAM Transfer tool so I tried to somehow export them out of there and couldn't find a way. I'm in the same boat with some XF100 footage I just saved to my MBP HD after a shoot instead of directly importing from the camera card.

I'm not really sure why or how but I've gone to another copy of FCPX on my MBP and simply selected the 'Canon' folder where the MXF files were and FCPX let me import.

I could previously do this on my main production MacPro running the same version 10.0.4 of FCPX. Really strange indeed.

I don't know Seanus whether this will help you out but the folder structure is as follows...

Canon/CONTENTS/CLIPS001/then all separate numbered folders with media in.
You might want to try and recreate that folder structure and drag the media back onto a CF card or similar to see if that works?

Thanks anyway. Yeah there are hundreds of cards and they'e all successfully imported apart from this one. You can tell there's something wrong because the INDEX.MIF file is 0K where all the others are 2.6MB.

As said before I can drag and drop the clip folders onto VLC and they play just fine so there is no damage to them. It's just that pesky INDEX file that's causing all the dramas.

Seanus, XFCPX should be able to rewrap those orphaned MFX files. Unlike the XF plugin, it doesn't need the index. I had a problem with a folder that couldn't even be opened in the XF Utility. Wasn't a problem at all.

Just direct XFCPX to the folder that contains a clip, then name a target and run it.

The XDCAM Utility can rewrap the MXF clips, but there have been problems reported with audio.