Is it safe to delete FCP generated files to free up hard drive space on my iMac?

Select the library, four stars, and use Delete Generated Library Files. This only deletes optimized, proxy, and render files. It does not delete analysis files.

Yes!

Most of the time modern Macs do not need render files and you should switch of background rendering in the Preferences (Settings).

Deselect the tick box.

To delete the existing render files select your Library and go to File/Delete Generated Library Files and set it as below.

Ian, this is the exact same render process I use with FCP X.

The only time I render anything is if I have a very complex timeline that won't play smoothly. If I really need to see it run smooth, I highlight the clips and press <CNTRL R> and let it render.

However, at the end of that day's edit session, I will delete all the library render files, as I posted above. Once I have seen the complex time line play properly and I'm satisfied with it, I don't need to see it play perfectly again. I know that when I render out the final video, it will be fine.

I delete all the library render files at the end of a day of editing. It keeps the .fcpbundle file smaller.

After deleting all the render files, I also CLOSE the library I'm working in at the end of the day. I've found that closing the library and re-opening it fresh the next day has helped eliminate almost all FCP crashes. It is a minor inconvenience to have to select the library to open when I start work each day, but it has definitely helped stabilize things. I rarely have an FCP crash these days.

Keeping your media organized is one of the most important things you can do to smooth your workflow. I have several clients, all of whom have done multiple projects. I also have a ton of family videos that I am slowly editing and uploading to my YouTube channel.

Here's how I handle it:

• ALL of my media is stored on fifteen Western Digital Red, external, USB3 hard drives. I use two Sabrent USB3 hard drive enclosures for this. I have separate drives for each client, and some client's media spans two or three 4TB drives.

• When I start a new project, I make a folder on the appropriate hard drive and place all the media files there.

• When I import media into my Final Cut Project, I leave the files in place. I don't copy them to the library. I understand that this may not be the way many of you do it, but given the amount of data I have to work with, this is what works best for me. I do this because I often have to use one or two files from one folder in another project. It's just more convenient this way.

• If you store the original files in a few separate folders with descriptive names, when you import the files into FCP, you can tell FCP to automatically make Keyword Collections from those folder names. I've found this to be a BIG help in staying organized within FCP. When you import your media, In the Keywords section you can choose "From folders" to automatically create a keyword for each folder name and apply that keyword to all the files in that folder during import. HERE is a good page in the Apple support site that explains this.

• If I have still images to be used in the project, I add an "images" folder within the main folder on the external drive, and place them there. Here again, when I import them, I use the "From Folders" selection in the import options to automatically build a keyword collection of all the still photos.

• If there is a voice-over audio file, I make an "audio" folder within the main folder and place those files there. Once again I use the "From folders" selection in the import options to automatically build a keyword collection of all the audio files.

Spend some time thinking about what file organization system will work best for you. The key to a smooth work flow is MEDIA ORGANIZATION, and unfortunately most computer classes don't focus much on this important aspect of computer management.

Make sure you have quit FCP.

Navigate to your FCP Library which will be in your Movies folder unless you have specified somewhere different.

Click on the title once or twice to make it go blue (editable).

Change the name.

You can use as many FCP libraries as you need.

A good rule is to use one library per production.

Name them in a sensible way that makes it clear what each is about.

This helps keep things organized and libraries small.

Are you doing complex projects that require rendering?

For the past 8 years I have not automatically generated any render files except on the odd occasion I have trashed the preferences and forgotten to turn off background rendering.

I have used manual rendering occasionally when playing back a particularly effect laden timeline.

The same as any other item in the Finder. Locate the library and click on the name once. Press the Return key to highlight the name. Type the new name.

You can do it the same way in the FCP Browser. Select the library with the four star icon. Click once. Press Return and type.

The app "Arctic" makes all of this way easier, too.

With the application closed can you change the name of the library in the Finder?