Adding PNG breaks Final Cut Pro - black screen and failed export

I encountered the same issue, but I managed to find a solution. For whatever reason, you'll need to navigate to the info box in your library, then select "Handle Alpha" then select "Premultiply". It's uncommon for me to face this issue, so I had to experiment a bit to figure out what was going on. I'm not entirely sure of the technical details or what this action precisely does, but it was a quick fix that allowed the PNG to display and function properly. Hopefully, this resolves the problem for you too!

I take it that if you put another png at that location in the timeline, it works, right?

I would have assumed a problem with the file, but you said you tried converting it and it still would not work.

That thing about transitioning to your new mac may be relevant, especially as you said there are other issues.

It is so convenient to just migrate everything, but the problem is, often, that you bring along old stuff, extensions, daemons, that may cause trouble - especially when coming from an older OS and/or an Intel Mac to a new Apple Silicon Mac.

I always advise to migrate ONLY the user accounts, and then install the needed applications fresh.

You may want to run Etrecheck and post its report so we can look for possible issues.

RoomandBoard wrote:

<EtreCheck report.log>

Here's the EtreCheck report if anyone wants to take a look. Thanks everyone.

Major Issues:

Anything that appears on this list needs immediate attention.

Malware - Malware detected.

Unsigned files - There are unsigned software files installed that could be malicious and should be reviewed.

Malware:

Launchd: ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.codecm.uploader.plist

Executable: ~/Library/Application Support/Codec-M/codecm_uploader

Reason: Malware name match

If Etrecheck offers you the option to remove said malware, use it.

If not, you can do it manually. Let us know.

Login Item: ~/Library/Application Support/Sony Ericsson Bridge for Mac/Sony Ericsson Bridge Helper.app

Sony Ericsson is still a thing?!

[Other] com.codecm.uploader.plist (Malware - installed 2012-03-07)

Executable: ~/Library/Application Support/Codec-M/codecm_uploader

This has been installed since 2012...

[Loaded] com.google.keystone.agent.plist (Google LLC - installed 2022-10-27)

Command: ~/Library/Google/GoogleSoftwareUpdate/GoogleSoftwareUpdate.bundle/Contents/Resources/GoogleSoftwareUpdateAgent.app/Contents/MacOS/GoogleSoftwareUpdateAgent -runMode ifneeded

[Loaded] com.google.keystone.xpcservice.plist (Google LLC - installed 2022-10-27)

Command: ~/Library/Google/GoogleSoftwareUpdate/GoogleSoftwareUpdate.bundle/Contents/Resources/GoogleSoftwareUpdateAgent.app/Contents/MacOS/GoogleSoftwareUpdateAgent -runMode xpchost

Chrome and its keystone daemons are well known to kill professional video applications.

You should completely uninstall them - see https://chromeisbad.com for an explanation of what they do to the system videotoolbox.

After removing them completely you need to delete FCP and download a fresh copy from the App Store.

You also have Seagate and WD software that is not needed in order to use their drives, and often can cause IO performance degradation.

I also wonder about all these AdGuard things, they could well be behind Safari underperforming.

Safari has pretty good privacy controls, and I do not recommend any add-ons such as these.

You have Silverlight - installed in 2016

iPhotoPhotoCast - installed in 2010

....

RoomandBoard wrote:

Yeah, when I add in any other PNG (like a different rating "Seal" for example) it works perfectly fine.

I'll run Etrecheck and post the results, I've never heard of this program before, thanks!

Would you advise doing a time machine backup, then resetting the Mac to the factory defaults and doing a re-setup? Yeah, I came from an Intel Mac (2018 I believe) with the touch bar to this new M2 Max.

That Etrecheck report may well provide clarity.

Let's wait for the report before we proceed.

Anyway, the point of doing a clean install is steer clear of third party system modifications that could be causing problems.

If you end up doing that, then of course you should have a backup

AND when you migrate from said backup it is CRUCIAL that you check only the user accounts.

If you check everything you'll just get back to where you started.

It is quite easy now to do that, but again please show us the report first.

Use the "additional text" button and paste the full report.

Sorry, our posts crossed. I am looking at the report now.

In the meantime: try opening the a jpeg version of your file in Preview; remove the background - this will ask if you want to convert to png; confirm. Does this new png also have the same problem?

Summarizing all my previous posts: yes, it seems like a good time for a fresh start.

This is actually much easier than it used to be.

You do NOT need to erase your drive or reinstall your OS. It is sealed, anyway.

Here is a quick recipe:

1) BACKUP - preferably two of them, as you are going to erase your content from the main drive

2) System Settings->General->Transfer or Reset, click Erase All Contents and Settings...

3) When your system restarts like if for the first time, and you are asked, choose to migrate "from another mac, drive or Time Machine backup" AND CRUCIALLY: check ONLY the user accounts

4) Yes it will take some time to reinstall stuff, but it's totally worth it. You will finally see how your new Mac is supposed to perform

I see that section under question requires rendering.

Try that first.

Al

RoomandBoard wrote:

I'm unsure how you can see that it requires rendering? What's directing you to make that statement? It's a very small PNG and other PNGs of the same file size and type work immediately.

Saying "requires rendering" is justified by the dotted white lines above that part of the timeline.

FCP can still usually play most of that content without rendering, it just indicates that it takes more computation to play it back. It is not any indication of something wrong as such, just information.

Great! I am glad that things are working now, and thanks for reporting back.