Visual QuickStart Guide [Electronic resources] : Final Cut Express HD for Mac OS X نسخه متنی

Installation Options for the FCE Suite of Applications

Final Cut Express ships with a pair of helper applicationsLiveType and Soundtrack. Both LiveType and Soundtrack require big media libraries, which push the minimum disk space required to 15 GB for a default FCE installation. Soundtrack''''''''s library of music loops can be installed on another drive, but that 9 GB of LiveType media will be installed on your boot driveunless you take steps. Here are a couple of options:

• Install the LiveType data into a folder on another drive (call the folder LiveType Data), and then create an alias for that folder. Put the alias on your boot drive here: Library/Application Support/LiveType/ (your alias, which must be called

  exactly LiveType Data). The alias will direct LiveType to the location of its stock media folder.

• Install individual LiveType fonts from the application DVD on an as-needed basis. LiveType supports this option; you can preview the fonts and textures without installing the multi-gigabyte LiveType data.

1.

Be sure any external video hardware is connected and turned on before you start the installation procedure, so that Final Cut Express can automatically detect your video capture equipment.

2.

Insert the Final Cut Express disc into your DVD drive (Figure 2.6 ). then follow the onscreen installation instructions.

3.

After reading the obligatory licensing agreement and read-me file, choose an installation location from the Install Final Cut Express dialog box. Normally, you should choose the Applications folder on the startup disk; installing FCE in this folder gives all users of your computer access to the program (Figure 2.7 ).

However, if you want exclusive use of Final Cut Express, install the program in a private application folder you create inside your Home directory (Figure 2.8 ).

• For each user, Final Cut Express creates a separate Final Cut Express User Data folder and generates a separate Custom Settings folder and Final Cut Express Prefs file (Figure 2.9 ).

  
  

  Figure 2.9. For each user, FCE creates a Final Cut Express User Data folder. You can find it in each user''''''''s Preferences folder (in the user''''''''s Library folder).

  
  

• One big benefit of personal FCE Preference files is that your individual Scratch Disk preferences stay put, even when you''''''''re sharing your FCE system with the masses. As long as you remember to log in to your own identity before you start work, your preferences will load from your User Data folder when you launch FCE.

• Final Cut Express relies on QuickTime for its functionality, which is installed automatically under Mac OS X 10.2 and later. However, it''''''''s a good idea to check Apple''''''''s web site for the latest information on QuickTime updates and Final Cut Express version compatibility before you install FCE.

• You don''''''''t need to upgrade to QuickTime Pro to use Final Cut Express.

Upgrading to Final Cut Express HD

Here are a couple of tips for users upgrading to Final Cut Express HD from an earlier version:

• You can open and update project files from FCE 1 and 2.

• Final Cut Express 2 switched to a new kind of clip-handling structure: a master-affiliate clip relationship. You can rename and relink any member of a master-affiliate clip group, and all clips in that group will be modified. Final Cut Express 1 projects updated in FCE HD will retain FCE 1''''''''s clip-handling structure, which dictates that separate instances of clips shall be independent of one another.

For more information on FCE''''''''s clip-handling grammar, see Chapter 4, "Projects, Sequences, and Clips." For details on project upgrade procedures, see Chapter 9 of Apple''''''''s

Final Cut Express Help PDF.

1.

Open the Final Cut Express application and enter your registration information and serial number.

2.

In the Choose Setup dialog box, choose an Easy Setup from the Setup For pop-up menu (Figure 2.10 ). Choose the setup that matches your system''''''''s video format and hardware. FCE constructs a short list of Easy Setups based on your hardware format; check Show All to display a complete list of setups available (Figure 2.11 ).

For more information, see "How to choose an Easy Setup" in Chapter 3.

A brief description and summary of your selected Easy Setup appears below the pop-up menu (Figure 2.12 ).

3.

From the Primary Scratch Disk pop-up menu, choose the disk you want to use to store your captured video, audio, render, and cache files (Figure 2.13 ).

4.

Click OK.

If you didn''''''''t connect a DV camcorder or deck during launch, Final Cut Express displays the External Video dialog box notifying you that it can''''''''t find an external device. Click Continue to dismiss it. If the dialog box appears and you did connect a device, see "Troubleshooting" later in this chapter.

Final Cut Express is now configured to use a standard set of preferences and preset controls based on information you supplied. You may want to review the default preference settings before you dive into a project. For details on modifying preferences, read "Specifying User Preferences and System Settings" in Chapter 3.