Using Drop Zones in FCP 10.0.6 (Revised Tutorial Video)

Here's a quick video that shows the new implementation of Drop Zones in 10.0.6.

UPDATE: After publishing this video I ran some more tests and shared experiences with a number of other users investigating this issue (see also some of the comments below), and although it is clear that the implementation has changed, it is also clear that the new implementation does not produce reliable and repeatable results.

At least that's my experience - I would be happy to be proved wrong but since Apple have not documented how things have changed it's going to be easy to pin this one down, especially as a method that seems to work one time, won't work a second time, and most importantly results that appear to be consistent in the timeline can frequently be entirely different once exported.

In short, don't trust a "solution" that simply appears correct inside FCP X - make absolutely sure that you have double checked that it's the same result after export.

Hey Simon,

I didn't know this. Thank you for this useful information!!

Hi Ronny

As far as I can tell, this is undocumented - but it's a very nice new feature in my view. Drop Zones have never been good in Final Cut, even before FCP X, but now I think the implementation is just perfect.

AFAIK this is absolutely undocumented. And really great to know. Being able to set an exact starting point for your inserted video at an exact point in your drop zone is just wonderful. Again, many thanks for sharing this.

Very good find!

I wonder how many other things of this type are undocumented. It's nice to stumble over things but it would be better to have real documentation.

When Apple releases 10.0.7 they put this in the manual.

This was useful, thank you.

The ability for setting an exact point at your drop zone is very useful.

But there is a bug:
If the play head is not at the first frame at your generator FCPX does not remember that position by exporting. The same if you copy and paste the generator.

Good to know. As soon as I have the time I will do some experiments. Thank you.

DELETED - see original post for details

I have checked that again.
Now it even does not work if the play head is at the first frame.
Don`t know why.

Beaver Templates wrote: I have checked that again.
Now it even does not work if the play head is at the first frame.
Don`t know why.

EDIT

After a bit more testing, it looks as though the export doesn't reflect what the timeline looks like.

Video now marked as "private" on youtube—can't get it to play.

I just did a quick test with 3-Way Asymmetric Split and it worked fine. I placed the playhead in the timeline at the middle of the clip and the beginning and got the expected results. FYI

DELETED - see original post

I see what you mean. I closed and re-opened the project I was testing and the start points of the video in the drop boxes has changed. Not good!


EDIT I cannot get it to work correctly at all. Playback in the timeline is what I expect but export or closing and re-opening the project takes all the source clips back to the beginning and not the chosen sync point.

It should work like Simon Ubsdell's earlier video has shown.
In my case at the beginning the export works if the play head was at the first frame.
Yet that also does not work.

In the timeline it seems to be correct but the export is buggy.
I have sent a bug report to Apple.

Here you can read how to handle drop zones since FCPX 10.0.6.
www.beavertemplates.de/en/Drop-Zones-Since-1006.html

Since 10.0.8 drop zones are working correctly.