Apple FINAL CUT SERVER User Manual

Final Cut Server

User Manual

Apple Inc.

Your rights to the software are governed by the accompanying software license agreement. The owner or authorized user of a valid copy of Final Cut Server software may reproduce this publication for the purpose of learning to use such software. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted for commercial purposes, such as selling copies of this publication or for providing paid for support services.

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Every effort has been made to ensure that the information in this manual is accurate. Apple is not responsible for printing or clerical errors.

Note:

Because Apple frequently releases new versions and updates to its system software, applications, and Internet sites, images shown in this book may be slightly different from what you see on your screen.

Apple Inc. 1 Infinite Loop Cupertino, CA 95014–2084 408-996-1010 www.apple.com

Apple, the Apple logo, DVD Studio Pro, Final Cut, Final Cut Pro, Final Cut Studio, FireWire, iDVD, Keynote, Mac, Macintosh, Mac OS, Pages, QuickTime, Soundtrack, and Xsan are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.

Finder and Leopard are trademarks of Apple Inc.

AppleCare is a service mark of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.

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Preface 7 Welcome to Final Cut Server

About Final Cut Server

Resources for Learning About Final Cut Server

Contacting AppleCare Support

Chapter 1 13 About Final Cut Server

The Final Cut Server Client Workflow

Installing the Final Cut Server Client

The Final Cut Server Main Window

Views for Assets and Productions Panes

Search Options and Saved Searches

Asset Info Window

Final Cut Pro Project Info Window

Final Cut Studio Project Info Window

Production Info Window

Annotations Window

Downloads & Uploads Window

Search All Jobs Window

Search Devices Window

Preferences Window

Using Shortcut Menus in Final Cut Server

Using Keyboard Shortcuts in Final Cut Server

Chapter 2 29 Uploading Files to Final Cut Server

About Creating Final Cut Server Assets

Types of Files That Can Be Uploaded to Final Cut Server

About Metadata and Metadata Sets

Strategies for Uploading Media and Project Files Uploading Media Files

32 37

Uploading Final Cut Pro Projects

Uploading Final Cut Studio Projects

Chapter 3 49 Organizing and Searching the Final Cut Server Catalog

An Overview of the Final Cut Server Asset Catalog

Organizing Assets with Productions

Using Metadata to Organize and Search Assets

Searching in Final Cut Server

Displaying Search Results

Tracking the Status of an Asset or Production with Metadata

Adding and Changing Asset Metadata

Searching Devices and Jobs

Chapter 4 77 Working in Final Cut Server

Final Cut Server Client Actions

About the Asset Info Window

Viewing an Asset

Adding Versions for a Media or Project Asset

Locking and Unlocking an Asset

Writing Annotations on a Video Asset

Duplicating an Asset

Using the Edit-in-Place Feature

Monitoring Jobs

10 0

Setting Final Cut Server Client Preferences

Chapter 5 103 Working with Media Assets

10 3

About Caching

10 5

Checking Out, Editing, and Checking In a Media Asset

10 7

Preparing Media Assets To Be Used on a Computer That Is Not Connected to the Final Cut Server Network

111

Exporting Media Assets

Chapter 6 113 Working with Final Cut Pro Projects

11 4

About Final Cut Pro Projects

11 5

Using Final Cut Pro and Final Cut Server Together

117

Moving Final Cut Pro Projects Between Final Cut Server and Final Cut Pro

11 8

Checking Out a Final Cut Pro Project

12 0

Editing a Checked Out Project in Final Cut Pro

121

Checking In a Final Cut Pro Project

12 3

Making Versions of Final Cut Pro Project Assets

12 4

Working on Final Cut Pro Projects While Away from the Final Cut Server Network

12 7

Exporting a Final Cut Pro Project

Contents

Chapter 7 129 Working with Final Cut Studio Projects

12 9

About Editing Final Cut Studio Project Assets

13 0

Checking Out, Editing, and Checking In Bundle Assets

13 2

Checking Out, Editing, and Checking In Final Cut Studio Projects and Their Media Files

13 7

Exporting a Project Asset and Its Media

Chapter 8 141 Using Status Metadata in the Final Cut Server Workflow

141

Using Status Metadata to Track Assets and Productions

14 6

About the Review and Approve Feature

14 7

Using the Review and Approve Feature

Chapter 9 153 Exporting, Archiving, and Deleting Completed Assets and Projects

15 3

Outputting a Final Project

15 6

Archiving and Restoring Media Assets

15 8

Deleting Assets from Final Cut Server

Glossary 161

Index 165

Contents

Welcome to Final Cut Server

This chapter covers the following:

About Final Cut Server (p. 7)

Resources for Learning About Final Cut Server (p. 9)

Contacting AppleCare Support (p. 11)

Final Cut Server is powerful media asset management and workflow automation software. Final Cut Server can manage your assets and refine the processes in your organization’s workflow, freeing you from the repetitive tasks of managing media and projects. It can be customized by your Final Cut Server administrator to automate common tasks. Whether you’re running a small production studio or are part of a larger workgroup, Final Cut Server can streamline your organization’s workflow.

About Final Cut Server

Final Cut Server works similarly to other client-server computer networks. A client computer sends a request to the server computers. Upon receiving the request, the server computer performs a job to process the request and then sends the result (or message of completion of the job) back to the client computer. Jobs can include uploading, copying, transcoding, cataloging, and otherwise tracking media files. Media can be stored on the server computer’s internal and external drives as well as on many supported network devices. Larger facilities may use an Apple Xsan storage area network (SAN) for asset and production storage.

Preface

The Final Cut Server client is the focus of this user manual. The Final Cut Server client is software that communicates with the Final Cut Server server. The client allows you, one of multiple users, to access the assets shared across your organization’s system. In your Final Cut Server client, you can quickly search your organization’s asset catalog and transfer media files between your local computer and the devices on which the assets are stored. You can run the Final Cut Server client on Mac OS X v10.4 and Windows XP or Windows Vista operating systems.

The Final Cut Server client provides many features to help you manage your media. These features all use Final Cut Server assets. When you upload a media or project file to Final Cut Server, an asset is created for it. This asset contains metadata, the original file (called the primary representation file), and proxy copies of the primary representation file that are used within Final Cut Server.

Final Cut Server can help you do the following tasks:

Find the assets you need.

As the number of assets in your Final Cut Server catalog increases, creating and managing searches becomes more important. Final Cut Server provides multiple ways to search and organize the assets in your organization’s Final Cut Server catalog.

Have immediate access to media.

Final Cut Server provides immediate access to media from the Final Cut Server client software. You can easily get information and view a media asset from the client software. If you want to edit the media asset, you can check out a Final Cut Server–managed copy of the file to your local computer, edit it, and then check it back in to Final Cut Server. Because Final Cut Server is managing the checked out file, the new edits are tracked by Final Cut Server.

Track the status of media.

Final Cut Server provides metadata fields and saved searches to help you track assets as they move through your organization’s workflow. Your Final Cut Server administrator can further customize the metadata fields to increase the effectiveness of asset tracking for your organization.

Perform powerful media conversion.

Final Cut Server uses Compressor, a powerful transcoding application that is part of Final Cut Studio, to convert media from one video format to another when uploading, exporting, and copying media files.

Work while not connected to the Final Cut Server network.

You can check out Final Cut Server–managed project and media files and then edit them while not connected to the Final Cut Server network. When you later connect to the Final Cut Server network, you can check the edited files back in to Final Cut Server. When you check in the files, the assets that track the files are updated with the new files.

This user manual covers what users can do with the Final Cut Server client. For information about administering and customizing Final Cut Server, read the

Final Cut Server Setup and Administration Guide

system administrators.

8 Preface

, a document written for Final Cut Server

Welcome to Final Cut Server

Resources for Learning About Final Cut Server

There are a variety of resources for you to use when learning about your Final Cut Server system.

Final Cut Server Printed Documentation

This guide is one of two printed documents that are included with Final Cut Server.

Final Cut Server User Manual:

Final Cut Server client for the day-to-day use of the system, such as browsing assets, managing jobs, and managing productions.

Final Cut Server Setup and Administration Guide:

configure, and administer most components of the Final Cut Server system. It does not describe day-to-day use of the system, such as browsing assets and managing jobs, productions, and orders, which are described in the

Final Cut Server Onscreen Manual

An onscreen version of the client’s Help menu.

The content of the onscreen versions of this documentation is identical to the printed version. The onscreen version, however, is fully hyperlinked and enhanced with many features that make locating information quick and easy:

The access page provides quick access to various features, including the index and other relevant documents and websites.

A comprehensive bookmark list allows you to quickly choose what you want to see and takes you there as soon as you click the link.

This user manual describes how to use the

This guide describes how to install,

Final Cut Server User Manual.

Final Cut Server User Manual

is available for all users from the

In addition to these navigational tools, the onscreen document gives you other means to locate information quickly:

All cross-references in the text are linked. You can click any cross-reference and jump immediately to that location. Then, you can use the Preview Back button to return to where you were before you clicked the cross-reference.

The table of contents and index are also linked. If you click an entry in either of these sections, you jump directly to that section of the document.

You can search the text for specific words or phrases.

Preface

Welcome to Final Cut Server

Apple Websites

There are a variety of Apple websites that you can visit to find additional information.

Final Cut Server Website

Go here for general information and updates as well as the latest news on Final Cut Server.

To access the Final Cut Server website, go to:

http://www.apple.com/finalcutserver

There are also a variety of discussion boards, forums, and educational resources related to Final Cut Server on the web.

Apple Service and Support Website

Go here for software updates and answers to the most frequently asked questions for all Apple products, including Final Cut Server. You’ll also have access to product specifications, reference documentation, and Apple and third-party product technical articles.

To access the Apple Service and Support webpage, go to:

http://www.apple.com/support

To access the Final Cut Server support page, go to:

http://www.apple.com/support/finalcutserver

To access the Apple discussion pages, go to:

http://discussions.info.apple.com

10 Preface

Welcome to Final Cut Server

Contacting AppleCare Support

Information about the support options available from Apple is included in your Final Cut Server box. Several levels of support are available.

Whatever your issue, it’s a good idea to have the following information immediately available when you contact Apple for support. The more of this information you have to give to the support agents, the faster they will be able to address your issue.

Â The Final Cut Server Support ID number found on the front of the serial number

sheet included in your Final Cut Server box.

Note: The 11-digit Support ID number is different from the product serial number used to install Final Cut Server.

Â The version of Leopard or Leopard Server you have installed. To find the version,

choose Apple menu > About This Mac.

Â The version of Final Cut Server you have installed that you have a question about. To

find the version of Final Cut Server on your computer, choose Final Cut Server > About Final Cut Server.

Â The model of computer you are using.

Â The amount of RAM installed in your computer. You can determine this by choosing

Apple menu > About This Mac.

Â What other third-party hardware is connected to or installed in the computer, and

who the manufacturers are. Include hard drives, graphics cards, and so on.

To access AppleCare Support for Final Cut Server, go to:

Â http://www.apple.com/support/finalcutserver

There is also an item in each Final Cut Server client’s Help menu that will take you directly to the AppleCare website.

To go to the AppleCare website from within a Final Cut Server client:

m Choose Help > Final Cut Server Support.

Preface Welcome to Final Cut Server 11

1 About Final Cut Server

This chapter covers the following:

Â The Final Cut Server Client Workflow (p. 14)

Â Installing the Final Cut Server Client (p. 15)

Â The Final Cut Server Main Window (p. 15)

Â Views for Assets and Productions Panes (p. 17)

Â Search Options and Saved Searches (p. 20)

Â Asset Info Window (p. 21)

Â Final Cut Pro Project Info Window (p. 22)

Â Final Cut Studio Project Info Window (p. 22)

Â Production Info Window (p. 23)

Â Annotations Window (p. 24)

Â Downloads & Uploads Window (p. 25)

Â Search All Jobs Window (p. 25)

Â Search Devices Window (p. 26)

Â Preferences Window (p. 27)

Â Using Shortcut Menus in Final Cut Server (p. 28)

Â Using Keyboard Shortcuts in Final Cut Server (p. 28)

This chapter provides an overview of the Final Cut Server client, including information about the Final Cut Server workflow, how to install the Final Cut Server client, and descriptions of the Final Cut Server user interface. You can use this chapter to orient yourself while learning to use Final Cut Server. You’ll find more information about the features described in this chapter in the following chapters.

The Final Cut Server Client Workflow

Final Cut Server makes it easy for users to find, access, and track media and project files, as well as transcode media and easily check in and check out assets for editing.

While different organizations perform each of these tasks slightly differently, the typical Final Cut Server workflow involves four steps.

Step 1: Organize existing media and upload new media

The project you’re working on might use media that has already been uploaded to Final Cut Server, or it may require new media. Media can be uploaded using an automated scan set up by your administrator or uploaded manually by any person in your organization.

Step 2: Edit the media and project

This step of editing within your organization can include creating and editing a Final Cut Pro project, creating and revising artwork and graphic overlays or motion effects, or other workflows your organization uses to create projects for client review. The final part of this step involves putting all the finished pieces together into a review copy of the project.

Step 3: Review and approve the project

This step may involve your coworkers or clients logging into Final Cut Server and viewing the project or sending copies of the project out for review. If your Final Cut Server administrator has configured your system to automatically send out Review and Approve emails, they are used in this step.

Step 4: Output and archive the final media and project

This step includes creating backup copies of the assets and archiving the final assets in Final Cut Server.

Final Cut Server can be customized to meet the specific needs of your organization’s workflow. For more information, contact your Final Cut Server administrator.

14 Chapter 1 About Final Cut Server

Installing the Final Cut Server Client

Your Final Cut Server administrator will provide you with a URL from which you can download a copy of the Final Cut Server client to your computer. Your administrator will also give you a user name and password for the Final Cut Server client.

After downloading the Final Cut Server client, a login screen appears. You can log in to Final Cut Server using the user name and password provided by your Final Cut Server administrator.

You can log out of the Final Cut Server client by choosing Log Out from the Server pop-up menu, or by clicking the close button in the Final Cut Server main window.

After the Final Cut Server client is installed on your computer, you can open it by double-clicking the application icon that appears in the location where you installed the application.

The Final Cut Server Main Window

After logging in to Final Cut Server, you’ll see the Assets pane of the Final Cut Server main window. The Assets pane may be empty or filled with media that has been scanned by your Final Cut Server administrator or uploaded by other Final Cut Server users.

The Server pop-up menu

The Window pop-up

The Assets and

Productions panes each

has a Toolbar.

Click this button to

show or hide the

Information pane.

Note: The screen shots shown in this manual show a default Final Cut Server system. Because your Final Cut Server administrator can configure different media types and metadata fields, your system may look different than the system shown on these pages.

The Help pop-up menu

Click this button to open the Downloads & Uploads window.

Chapter 1 About Final Cut Server 15

The Assets pane and Productions pane are the two views of the Final Cut Server main window. An asset is used by Final Cut Server to track every file that is uploaded to the server or scanned. The Assets pane shows all the assets that Final Cut Server is managing. Productions are used to group assets. The Productions pane shows all the productions that have been created by you or other people who use your Final Cut Server system.

You switch between the Assets and Productions panes by clicking either Assets or Productions at the top left of the Final Cut Server main window.

Assets Pane

After clicking Assets, all of the assets that exist in Final Cut Server are listed in the main part of the window. You can move through the assets by clicking the page controls in the top-right corner of the Assets pane. The Toolbar includes the Lock button, the Check Out button, and the New Production from Selection button. After selecting an asset, these buttons become active.

The Lock button

Click Assets to see the

Assets pane.

The Information pane

shows information about

any jobs that are in

progress.

The Check Out

button

The New Production from Selection button

Move through multiple pages of assets using these controls.

Assets are here.

To learn more about media assets, see Chapter 5, “Working with Media Assets,” on page 103. To learn more about Final Cut Pro project assets, see Chapter 6, “Working

with Final Cut Pro Projects,” on page 113. To learn more about Final Cut Studio project

assets, see Chapter 7, “Working with Final Cut Studio Projects,” on page 129.

16 Chapter 1 About Final Cut Server

Click Productions to see

the Productions pane.

Productions Pane

The Productions pane varies somewhat from the Assets pane. Its Toolbar has a New Production button.

The Production Toolbar has a New Production button.

Productions are shown here.

To learn more about productions, see “Organizing Assets with Productions” on page 54.

Views for Assets and Productions Panes

The Assets and Productions panes can be displayed as lists or thumbnails. You can change the view by clicking the List View button or Thumbnail View button.

Thumbnail View button

List View button

Chapter 1 About Final Cut Server 17

This video asset is

represented with a

thumbnail image.

Thumbnail View

Thumbnail view displays a thumbnail image of the asset. The thumbnail image can be a frame from the video file that was uploaded, the graphics or image file that was uploaded, or an icon representing the type of asset or application the asset was created in. Thumbnail view is useful when you want to browse a number of assets or productions in a compact format without other information.

This Final Cut Pro project

asset is represented with

Thumbnail view selected

a Final Cut Pro icon.

List View

List view displays the asset Title and other metadata in columns. This view is useful when you want to view asset or production information or sort by any field.

List view selected

18 Chapter 1 About Final Cut Server

Final Cut Server marks assets and productions with icons to identify them. In Thumbnail view, the icons appear on the asset or production tile, just above the thumbnail image or icon. In List view, the icons appear to the left of the Title column and in the State column.

The icons you’ll see on assets and productions include:

Icon Description

Final Cut Pro project asset

Media (video) asset

Media (graphic or still image) asset

Media (audio) asset

Asset (generic) or bundle asset

Asset checked out by me

Asset checked out by another user

Asset locked by me

Asset locked by another user

Asset archived (yellow) indicates you can restore this asset from its archive

Asset archived (white) indicates you do not have permission to restore the asset from its archive

Unlinked Final Cut Pro project element

Primary representation for this asset is missing from its device

Final Cut Server cache is out of date

For specific information about these icons, see the chapter that describes the type of asset or the state that the icon describes.

Chapter 1 About Final Cut Server 19

Search Options and Saved Searches

A search field is at the top of the Assets and Productions panes. You can use this search field to find a specific asset or production, or to limit the number of assets or productions shown.

Close the disclosure triangle to show only the simple search settings.

Clicking the search disclosure triangle reveals advanced searching options. The Assets and Productions panes have different advanced search options.

Open the disclosure triangle to show the advanced search settings.

When you create searches that you will repeat, you can save the search so you can use it in the future. Final Cut Pro comes with several default saved searches, called Smart Searches, which are stored in the column on the left of the main Final Cut Server window.

Asset and production

Smart Searches are

saved here.

For more information on searching, see Chapter 3, “Organizing and Searching

the Final Cut Server Catalog,” on page 49.

20 Chapter 1 About Final Cut Server

Asset Info Window

The info window contains a large amount of information about the asset. When you double-click an asset that is listed in the Assets pane or in a production (or Control-click an asset and then choose Get Info from the asset’s shortcut menu), the asset’s info window appears.

The left side of the asset info window displays the asset’s thumbnail image and general asset metadata. The right side of the asset is organized into multiple panes that list specific types of information. You can view the information in each pane by clicking the pane’s button.

Click the Metadata button to display the metadata pane.

The asset’s thumbnail

image and general

asset metadata

The Metadata pane

Â Metadata pane: This pane lists metadata for the primary representation file (the file

that was originally uploaded to Final Cut Server) and metadata for the asset.

Â Resources pane: This pane lists information about the primary representation and

proxy files that were generated for the asset. It also displays other information about where the asset is used.

Â Versions pane: This pane lists information about versions of the asset that have

been saved.

Â Locks pane: This pane lists locks that have been applied to the asset.

Â Review & Approve pane: This pane shows the asset’s status and is used for the Email

Notification feature.

For more information about the Metadata, Resources, Versions, and Locks pane, see “About the Asset Info Window” on page 79. For more information about the Review & Approve pane, see “About the Review and Approve Feature” on page 146.

Chapter 1 About Final Cut Server 21

Final Cut Pro Project Info Window

You can view a Final Cut Pro project’s info window by double-clicking a Final Cut Pro project asset (or Control-click the asset, then choose Get Info from the shortcut menu).

When Final Cut Pro projects are uploaded to Final Cut Server, an asset is created for the project file. In addition to the panes included in the asset info window, the Final Cut Pro project asset info window includes an Elements pane. This pane lists the media assets that are used in the Final Cut Pro project file.

Click Elements to view the Elements pane.

The Elements pane lists the media that is used in the Final Cut Pro project.

For more information about Final Cut Pro project assets, see Chapter 6, “Working with

Final Cut Pro Projects,” on page 113.

Final Cut Studio Project Info Window

You can view a Motion, Soundtrack Pro, or DVD Studio Pro project asset’s info window by double-clicking a Final Cut Pro project asset (or Control-click the asset, then choose Get Info from the shortcut menu).

When Final Cut Studio project files are uploaded to Final Cut Server, the asset that is created for the Final Cut Studio project represents only the project file. Unlike Final Cut Pro project assets, the Final Cut Studio project asset does not contain a list of the media linked to the project.

22 Chapter 1 About Final Cut Server

A Final Cut Studio project asset info window includes Metadata, Resources, Versions, Locks, and Review & Approve panes. You can view the information in each pane by clicking the pane’s button.

For more information about Final Cut Studio project assets, see Chapter 7, “Working

with Final Cut Studio Projects,” on page 129.

Production Info Window

In Final Cut Server, you can use productions to group related assets. If you click to open the Productions pane at the top left of the Final Cut Server main window and then double-click one of the productions (or Control-click the production, then choose Get Info from the shortcut menu), that production’s info window is displayed.

The Assets pane shows all of the assets contained in the production; the Metadata pane shows the production’s metadata.

You can click either of these buttons to display more information about the production.

Each of these assets is part of the production.

To learn more about productions, see “Organizing Assets with Productions” on page 54.

Chapter 1 About Final Cut Server 23

Annotations Window

You can mark a single video asset with comments in the Annotations window. Because comments added in the Annotations window stay with the video asset in Final Cut Server, annotations are useful for internal reviews and communication with other Final Cut Server users.

To view the Annotations window, open a video asset’s info window and click the Annotations button.

Click the Annotations button in a video asset’s info pane to open the Annotations window.

You can preview the

clip here.

You can add text in the

Annotation field.

Annotations that have been added to a video asset appear here.

24 Chapter 1 About Final Cut Server

Downloads & Uploads Window

This window helps you more closely monitor the status of files that you are uploading to or downloading from Final Cut Server.

You can open the Downloads & Uploads window by clicking the Downloads and Uploads button in the Final Cut Server main window (or by choosing Downloads & Uploads from the Window pop-up menu).

For more information about the Downloads & Uploads window, see “The Downloads &

Uploads Window” on page 98.

Search All Jobs Window

The Search All Jobs window is opened from the Server pop-up menu (located at the top-left corner of the Final Cut Server main window). It shows a list of recent jobs that were initiated by all Final Cut Server users.

The Search All Jobs window shows a list of the most recent jobs initiated by all Final Cut Sever users.

For more information about the Search All Jobs window, see “Searching for a Job” on page 74.

Chapter 1 About Final Cut Server 25

Search Devices Window

The Search Devices window is opened from the Server pop-up menu in the Final Cut Server main window. In it, you can search a device directly, viewing all the assets (files that have been uploaded to Final Cut Server) as well as other files that have not been uploaded to Final Cut Server and are stored on the device.

Warning: Use the Search Devices window with caution. Devices can contain files that

both have and have not been added to the Final Cut Server catalog. Working with files in the Search Devices window could result in making duplicate copies of an asset in your Final Cut Server server system, or in deleting all copies of a file from a device.

For more information about the Search Devices window, see “Searching Devices” on page 72.

26 Chapter 1 About Final Cut Server

Preferences Window

Your Final Cut Server administrator is responsible for configuring most of the preferences that affect you while working with your Final Cut Server client. However, there are a few settings that you specify for your Final Cut Server client. These include search display preferences, the location and size of the Final Cut Server cache, and the location to which you can save alias copies of prepared media files.

You can open the Preferences window by choosing Preferences from the Server pop-up window.

For more information about the preferences for your Final Cut Server client, see “Setting Final Cut Server Client Preferences” on page 100.

Chapter 1 About Final Cut Server 27

Using Shortcut Menus in Final Cut Server

You can take many actions in Final Cut Server by making choices from shortcut menus. You can view a shortcut menu’s items by Control-clicking an asset, a Final Cut Pro project, or another area of Final Cut Server.

The asset shortcut menu

Mac users using a multi-button mouse can also use right-click to access shortcut menus.

Note: If you’re a Windows user, note that a right-click on a Windows system is the equivalent of a Control-click on a Mac. To display the shortcut menu on your Windows system, right-click.

Using Keyboard Shortcuts in Final Cut Server

Many of the standard Mac OS X keyboard shortcuts are available in Final Cut Server. In addition, application-specific keyboard shortcuts are available for the Final Cut Server Annotations window.

28 Chapter 1 About Final Cut Server

2 Uploading Files to Final Cut Server

This chapter covers the following:

Â About Creating Final Cut Server Assets (p. 29)

Â Types of Files That Can Be Uploaded to Final Cut Server (p. 30)

Â About Metadata and Metadata Sets (p. 30)

Â Strategies for Uploading Media and Project Files (p. 31)

Â Uploading Media Files (p. 32)

Â Uploading Final Cut Pro Projects (p. 37)

Â Uploading Final Cut Studio Projects (p. 40)

Before you can manage and track your files in Final Cut Server, you first need to upload the files. This chapter describes how to upload three different types of files to Final Cut Server: media files, Final Cut Pro project files, and Final Cut Studio projects and their linked media files.

About Creating Final Cut Server Assets

The first step in building a Final Cut Server asset catalog is to upload media to Final Cut Server. You can manually upload media files, Final Cut Pro projects, and other Final Cut Studio project files to Final Cut Server. Additionally, your Final Cut Server administrator can set up automated processes to automatically upload files. Even if your Final Cut Server administrator has created useful automated upload workflows, you will often manually upload files to Final Cut Server.

When a file is uploaded to Final Cut Server, an asset is created. The asset is used by Final Cut Server to track the media or project file that you uploaded. The asset contains the original file and the metadata from the file. Depending on the type of file that has been uploaded, the asset may also contain several proxy files, including a Clip Proxy (for video files) and a Thumbnail and Poster frame proxy (for all media files). More information about proxy files is included later in this chapter.

Because media assets, Final Cut Pro project assets, and Final Cut Studio (Motion, Soundtrack Pro, and DVD Studio Pro) project assets are managed differently in Final Cut Server, how to work with each type of asset is explained throughout this manual.

Types of Files That Can Be Uploaded to Final Cut Server

Final Cut Server can manage many types of files, including the following:

Media Category Supported File Types

Video Final Cut Pro projects (.fcp) and many of the video file formats

available for output from Final Cut Pro and Compressor, including .mov and .mpeg

You can also upload QuickTime reference movies.

Audio Soundtrack Pro files (.stap and .stmp) and other audio files, including

.aif, .ac3, uncompressed audio files, .mp3, .mp4, .m4a, and .wav

Motion graphics Motion projects (.motn)

DVD DVD Studio Pro project files (.dspproj), iDVD (.dvdproj) projects

Still images and graphics Photoshop files (.psd) and other graphic and image files including

.tif, .jpeg, .png, .bmp, and .gif

Text files Pages files (.pages), Keynote files (.key), and other document files

including .doc, .txt, and .pdf

About Metadata and Metadata Sets

Metadata is an important part of the assets and productions included in the Final Cut Server catalog. Because you search for asset and production metadata, it is important that you add as much metadata as possible when you are uploading the original file.

When you upload a media or project file, all the supported metadata contained in the file is uploaded with the file and applied as file metadata in Final Cut Server. The Upload window also prompts you to provide a metadata set. A metadata set is a collection of metadata groups and fields. The metadata set that you choose for the asset determines what metadata can be added to the asset.

Note: Common metadata, including XMP and QuickTime, is supported by Final Cut Server. If you have specific questions about the metadata supported by Final Cut Server, contact your Final Cut Server administrator.

30 Chapter 2 Uploading Files to Final Cut Server

Final Cut Server comes with default metadata sets to describe your assets. If the default metadata sets do not meet the needs of your organization’s workflow, your Final Cut Server administrator can add metadata fields to existing sets or create entirely new metadata sets.

Important: If your Final Cut Server administrator has modified the default metadata

sets or created new ones, the metadata sets listed in your copy of Final Cut Server will look different than the list shown here.

When you’re working in Final Cut Server, you can use the metadata that an asset contains to search for, sort, and identify assets and productions in Final Cut Server, and to track information within your workgroup. After a file is uploaded, you and others can manually add and change the metadata that describes the asset at any time.

For more information on how to use metadata in Final Cut Server, see “Using Metadata

to Organize and Search Assets” on page 58.

Strategies for Uploading Media and Project Files

Your Final Cut Server administrator may have set up scans that automatically upload files to Final Cut Server. When you want to upload media and project files manually, you can do it in two ways:

Â You can drag files from your system or a connected device to Final Cut Server. This is

the option to use when you have a few pieces of media you want to add to your asset catalog.

Â You can open the Upload window from the Server pop-up menu in the

Final Cut Server main window, navigate to a folder of media files, and then select the ones to be uploaded. This is the option to use if you are uploading multiple media files.

Important: It is recommended that you include file extensions on all files uploaded to

Final Cut Server.

Chapter 2 Uploading Files to Final Cut Server 31

In the Upload window that appears, you have many options. You can choose a metadata set for the new asset. You should also add several types of metadata to the file at upload.

You can also choose to convert the file being uploaded to another codec (using the transcode settings for video and audio files from Compressor) during upload, and group the asset in a production.

When you upload a file, the filename is entered, by default, in the Title field in the Upload window. You can choose to enter a new name in the Title field; however, it is important to understand that the Title field is used exclusively in Final Cut Server. The asset’s title will not appear in the asset’s metadata if you export a copy of the asset.

Important: If you are uploading large project or media files, turn off your computer’s

sleep function. If the computer on which the Final Cut Server client is running goes to sleep during an upload, the upload will be canceled.

About Uploading QuickTime Reference Movies

A QuickTime reference movie can contain a list of references to movies having different data rates, allowing an application to choose the best-looking movie that can play smoothly as it downloads over the Internet, based on the user’s connection speed. When you upload a QuickTime reference movie, a dialog appears advising you that the movie has one or more external alias files and asking you if you want to flatten the file before uploading it. Flattening the file creates a new file that contains all of the media that was previously in the external alias file or files. It is recommended that you choose to flatten any QuickTime reference movies that you upload to Final Cut Server.

Uploading Media Files

When you upload a media or project file to Final Cut Server, the asset that is created contains the original media file, which Final Cut Server calls the primary representation.

At upload, Final Cut Server creates proxy files for certain types of media assets. Proxy files are copies of the primary representation that are used for certain operations within Final Cut Server.

If the file being uploaded is a graphics or video file, Final Cut Server creates two proxy graphics files: a Poster frame and a Thumbnail. These are used to represent the asset’s media within Final Cut Server.

If the file being uploaded is a video asset, Final Cut Server also creates a Clip Proxy file. The Clip Proxy file is created by transcoding the primary representation file to a lower-resolution codec. The Clip Proxy is used for viewing the file in Final Cut Server.

32 Chapter 2 Uploading Files to Final Cut Server

Here’s an example. When you upload an uncompressed HD video clip to Final Cut Server, a Final Cut Server asset is created. This asset holds the original file (the primary representation). The original file is also transcoded to create the Clip Proxy file, and JPEG images are created to be used as Thumbnail and Poster frame proxy files for the asset.

Upload video clip to Final Cut Server

Media file

Media asset

Primary

representation

Metadata

Clip Proxy

Thumbnail

Poster frame

After the upload is complete, you can view a list of the proxy files created for the asset in the Resources pane of the asset’s info window.

You can see proxy files created for the asset in the Resources pane of the asset info window.

You can upload one or more media files to Final Cut Server. When you upload multiple media files, keep in mind that any setting you define in the Multiple Upload window, including metadata, will apply to all the files being uploaded. For example, if you specify a transcode format, all of the files being uploaded will be transcoded.

Important:

It is recommended that you include file extensions on all files uploaded to

Final Cut Server.

Chapter 2

Uploading Files to Final Cut Server

The Server pop-up menu

To upload one or more media files:

1 Do one of the following:

Â Drag the media file or files that you want to upload from the Finder, the desktop, or a

connected volume to the column on the left of the Final Cut Server main window, the Assets pane, or a production.

Â Choose Upload File from the Server pop-up menu, select the media file or files in the

file browser that appears, then click Upload.

Depending on the number of files you uploaded, the Upload or Multiple Upload window appears.

The Upload window includes an editable Filename field.

The Upload and Multiple Upload windows are very similar. In the Upload window, you can enter a filename for the asset (the filename is entered automatically). In the Multiple Upload window, the filename field is hidden, and each asset being uploaded is automatically named with the filename.

Note: You can change an asset’s title at any time after uploading in the asset’s info window Metadata pane.

34 Chapter 2 Uploading Files to Final Cut Server

Choose a different

metadata set from the

pop-up menu.

After choosing a metadata set, a variety of metadata groups appear.

2 Some of the information and metadata in the Upload or Upload Multiple window is

automatically entered. You can change the metadata set from the Metadata set pop-up menu and add metadata for the new asset or assets.

You can enter metadata in any editable field.

Important: If you are uploading a file that you previously added metadata to using the

default QuickTime annotation fields, you must choose the Media metadata set for the asset. When you do this, the metadata that was assigned to the file in QuickTime appears in Final Cut Server in the QuickTime metadata group of the Media metadata set. If you apply any other metadata set to the asset, the QuickTime metadata will not appear in the Final Cut Server asset.

Remember that all the metadata you apply for a multiple upload will be attached to each of the assets being created.

3 If necessary, choose a new destination device from the Destination pop-up menu. This

specifies the device on which the file will be stored. If you have questions about which device to choose, contact your Final Cut Server administrator.

The Destination

pop-up menu

To group the assets in a production, click Choose and select a production.

To transcode the media files, click Choose and select a codec.

When you’re ready to upload the files, click Begin Upload.

Chapter 2 Uploading Files to Final Cut Server 35

Note: Media and Library are the primary Final Cut Server devices. Talk with your Final Cut Server administrator about which other configured devices are appropriate for media file storage.

4 If you want to group the media asset or assets in a production, click Choose at the right

of the Associate with Production field and specify a production.

For more information about productions, see “Organizing Assets with Productions” on page 54.

5 If you want to convert the original media file or files to a different codec, click the

Choose button and then select a new transcode setting in the window that appears.

6 Click Begin Upload to create assets from the media file or files.

The upload begins. The upload progress is displayed above the Information pane in the bottom-left corner of the Final Cut Server main window.

The Jobs in Progress indicator shows how many jobs are being run.

Click this button to open the Downloads & Uploads window.

Click “Assets created by

me” to view the asset

that was created.

7 To monitor the progress of the file upload, click the Downloads and Uploads button to

display the Downloads & Uploads window.

8 After the file is uploaded, click the “Assets created by me” Smart Search to view the new

asset or assets that you just uploaded.

36 Chapter 2 Uploading Files to Final Cut Server

Uploading Final Cut Pro Projects

Final Cut Pro project assets have a different structure than media assets. When you upload a Final Cut Pro project to Final Cut Server, the Final Cut Pro project file is the primary representation for the asset. Final Cut Server discovers the video and other media files that are linked to the Final Cut Pro project and uploads each of the media files as a unique media asset. Final Cut Server then lists each of the project’s linked media files as an element of the Final Cut Pro project.

Note:

If your Final Cut Server administrator has turned on Edit Proxy file creation, an Edit Proxy will also be created for every video file that is linked to the Final Cut Pro project. This Edit Proxy is used for checking out Final Cut Pro projects for editing. For more information about the Edit Proxy feature, talk to your Final Cut Server administrator.

The illustration below shows a Final Cut Pro project at upload. Notice that the elements list is inside the asset, but the media assets that the elements list references are independent media assets. Any of the media assets can be found by double-clicking the element in the Elements pane; when you do this, the media asset’s info window opens.

Upload Final Cut Pro Project to Final Cut Server

.mov

.jpeg

.aif

Project assetFinal Cut Pro project

List of linked

media elements

.mov

.jpeg

.aif

Clip Proxy

Chapter 2

Uploading Files to Final Cut Server

After a Final Cut Pro project has been uploaded, you can get information about the project’s linked media files in the Elements pane of the Final Cut Pro project’s asset info window.

The linked media is shown in the asset info window’s Elements pane.

Alternately, you can look at the Resources pane of a media asset’s info window to see if a media asset is linked to a Final Cut Pro project.

The production “Motorbikes1” includes this media file.

Important: It is recommended that you include file extensions on all files uploaded to

Final Cut Server.

38 Chapter 2 Uploading Files to Final Cut Server

An instance of this media asset is used in the Final Cut Pro project titled “3133_Motorbikes.”

To upload a Final Cut Pro project file:

1 Do one of the following:

Â Drag the Final Cut Pro project file to the column on the left of the Final Cut Server

main window, to the Assets pane, or to a production in the Productions pane.

Â Choose Upload File from the Server pop-up menu (the pop-up menu in the

Final Cut Server main window that appears when you click the Server button), select the Final Cut Pro project file in the file browser that appears, then click Upload.

The Upload Final Cut Pro Project window appears.

2 Some of the information in the Link Final Cut Pro Upload window is automatically

entered. You can change the metadata set and add any metadata for the new Final Cut Pro project and the linked media.

Important: Any metadata you enter for the project asset will be applied to the new

project asset and to each asset being created for the linked media files.

3 If necessary, choose a new destination device from the Destination pop-up menu.

This specifies the device on which the file will be stored. If you have questions about which device to choose, contact your Final Cut Server administrator.

Note: Media and Library are the primary Final Cut Server devices. Talk with your Final Cut Server administrator about which other configured devices are appropriate for media file storage.

Chapter 2 Uploading Files to Final Cut Server 39

4 If you want to group the Final Cut Pro project asset in a production, click Choose at the

right of the Associate with Production field and specify a production.

For more information about productions, including creating a new production, see “Organizing Assets with Productions” on page 54.

5 Click Upload.

The upload begins. The upload progress is displayed above the Information pane in the bottom-left corner of the Final Cut Server main window.

6 To monitor the progress of the file upload, click the Downloads and Uploads button to

display the Downloads & Uploads window.

7 After the file is uploaded, click the “Assets created by me” Smart Search to view the new

asset or assets that you just uploaded.

Uploading Final Cut Studio Projects

Final Cut Pro project assets are unique in that the relationship between a Final Cut Pro project and its linked media files is managed by Final Cut Server. Final Cut Studio project files can also be uploaded as assets and tracked by Final Cut Server, but the references between the project file and the media files are not automatically managed by Final Cut Server.

It is recommended that you upload a folder containing the Final Cut Studio project file and all of the media files linked to the project to Final Cut Server.

Important: It is possible to upload only a Motion, Soundtrack Pro, or DVD Studio Pro

project file to Final Cut Server. When you upload only the project file, an asset will be created for only the project file. Unlike a Final Cut Pro project file, the Final Cut Studio project file will not include a list of elements. Instead of uploading a single project file, it is recommended that you upload a folder containing the Motion, Soundtrack Pro, or DVD Studio Pro project file and all of the media files linked to the project file to Final Cut Server.

When you upload a folder containing the Motion, Soundtrack Pro, or DVD Studio Pro project file and all of the media files linked to the project file, a dialog appears asking you if you want to the upload the folder and the files it contains as a bundle asset or as individual assets.

40 Chapter 2 Uploading Files to Final Cut Server

If you select Create Bundle Asset, the project file and each of the media files are uploaded as a bundle asset. Uploading the folder as a bundle asset guarantees that when you check out or export the bundle asset, all of the media files that were checked in with the project will still be there. The bundle asset can be checked out, edited, and checked back in; it can also be exported. However, when you upload a folder of files as a bundle asset, the files that the bundle asset contains are not available as separate assets in Final Cut Server.

If you select Create Individual Assets, the project file and each of its linked media files are uploaded to Final Cut Server as single and unique assets. Because Final Cut Server does not manage the references between the project and media files, it is advised that you group the project asset and media assets in their own production, and that you add unique metadata to the project asset and media assets. You can perform both these tasks in the Upload window that appears after selecting Create Individual Assets. While uploading a folder of files as individual assets requires some planning, it is useful because each of files in the folder is uploaded as an individual asset and can be accessed from within Final Cut Server.

Important: It is recommended that you include file extensions on all files uploaded to

Final Cut Server.

Uploading a Final Cut Studio Project and Its Media Files as a Bundle Asset

Choosing to upload a Final Cut Studio project and its media files as a bundle asset creates a single asset in Final Cut Server. This bundle asset is easy to work with: after checking out or exporting the bundle asset, the folder becomes visible and you can open the project file contained in the folder in the appropriate Final Cut Studio application. Assuming that the media was linked to the project file when the folder was uploaded to Final Cut Server, the project file will open with all its media connected and ready to use.

Chapter 2 Uploading Files to Final Cut Server 41

The illustration below shows a Final Cut Studio project being uploaded as a bundle asset. The bundle asset appears in Final Cut Studio as a single generic asset, with no indication of its project file or its linked media files.

Upload folder to Final Cut Server

Folder

Project

Bundle Asset

BikeBlur.motn

Road_3232.mov

Music_3225.aif

Rider_322.jpg

Motorbikes.aif

Quill_5344.jpg

If you upload a Final Cut Studio project and its media files as a bundle asset, the media and project files are not available to be viewed from within Final Cut Server. To access the media assets, you must check out the bundle asset and access the media files from inside the folder.

Important: If a Final Cut Studio project and its media files are uploaded as a bundle

asset to a device that has been automated by your Final Cut Server administrator to scan for new assets, the files in the bundle asset will be analyzed and new assets will be created for each file in the bundle. If you upload a Final Cut Studio project and its media files as a bundle asset and then notice new assets have been created for the files in the bundle, contact your Final Cut Server administrator.

42 Chapter 2 Uploading Files to Final Cut Server

To upload a Final Cut Studio project file and its media files as a bundle asset:

1 In the Final Cut Studio application, save the project and choose to collect the media. In

Motion and Soundtrack Pro, you can do this by choosing File > Save As and choosing to collect the media in the Save As window. In DVD Studio Pro, you need to manually place the project and media files in a folder.

Note: For specific information on using these applications, see the application’s User Manual.

Important: When uploading a DVD Studio Pro project file and its linked media files,

there is no need to upload .par files. When you check out and open the project in DVD Studio Pro, the .par files will be automatically recreated.

The project file and its media files are saved in a folder at the location you specified.

The Motion project’s media files

A Motion project

2 In Final Cut Server, create a new production for the project and its assets by following

these steps:

a Open the Productions pane by clicking Productions in the column at the left of the

main Final Cut Server window.

b Click the New Production button in the Toolbar.

c Choose a metadata set for the new production from the Metadata Set pop-up menu.

d Depending on the production type you chose, a number of production metadata

fields appear. Enter a title and other unique metadata for the project in these fields. Fields marked with an asterisk (*) must be filled in.

e Click Save Changes to save the new production.

3 Drag the folder that contains the project file and its linked media from the Finder to

the new production in the Final Cut Server Productions pane.

Chapter 2 Uploading Files to Final Cut Server 43

4 A dialog appears, asking you if you want to upload the folder as a bundle asset or as

individual assets. Click Create Bundle Asset.

The Link Upload window appears. Note that the Associate with Production field shows the production that you dragged the folder to.

The name of the production that you dragged the folder to appears here.

Add metadata to define the type of project being uploaded.

5 Choose a metadata set for the asset from the Metadata Set pop-up menu, and add

metadata to one or more fields, defining this as a bundle asset.

6 If necessary, choose a new destination device from the Destination pop-up menu.

This specifies the device on which the file will be stored. If you have questions about which device to choose, contact your Final Cut Server administrator.

Note: Media and Library are the primary Final Cut Server devices. Talk with your Final Cut Server administrator about which other configured devices are appropriate for media file storage.

7 Click the Upload button to create the asset.

The file is uploaded and the bundle asset is created.

44 Chapter 2 Uploading Files to Final Cut Server

8 After the bundle asset is created, select the Productions pane, click the production you

created, and click the Search button to view the new asset in Final Cut Server.

The bundle asset has a generic document icon.

If you need to identify the bundle asset later, you can open the asset’s info window and view the metadata you added at upload.

Use the metadata you added at upload to identify the bundle asset.

Uploading a Final Cut Studio Project and Its Media Files as Individual Assets

Choosing to upload a Motion, Soundtrack Pro, or DVD Studio Pro project and its media files as individual assets creates an asset for each of the files in the folder. The project file uploads in a manner similar to the Final Cut Pro project file; the big difference is that unlike a Final Cut Pro project asset, the project’s media files are not referenced to the project file.

To keep the project and its media together, you can add unique metadata to the assets, perhaps adding the project name or other useful labels. To conveniently store your project and media assets together, you can upload the files to a new or existing production.

Chapter 2 Uploading Files to Final Cut Server 45

The illustration below shows a Final Cut Studio project and its media being uploaded as individual assets within a Final Cut Server production.

Upload Final Cut Studio project to Final Cut Server

Folder

Project

BikeBlur.motn

Music_3225.aif

Motorbikes.aif

Final Cut Server production

.mov

.jpeg

Road_3232.mov

Rider_322.jpg

Quill_5344.jpg

Note: Each item in the production

is an individual asset.

.aif

Clip Proxy

Important: It is recommended that you upload a Final Cut Studio project file and its

media files into a common production. It is also recommended that you add unique metadata to the project asset and each of its media assets. This metadata should be used only on the project asset, media assets, and the production. Adding unique metadata and creating a production gives you two ways to connect the project asset and its media assets.

To upload a Final Cut Studio or other project file and its media files as individual assets:

1 In the Final Cut Studio application, save the project and choose to collect the media. In

Note: For specific information on using these applications, see the application’s User Manual.

Important: When uploading a DVD Studio Pro project file and its linked media files,

there is no need to upload .par files. When you check out and open the project in DVD Studio Pro, the .par files will be automatically recreated.

The project file and its media are saved in a folder at the location you specified.

46 Chapter 2 Uploading Files to Final Cut Server

2 In Final Cut Server, create a new production for the project and its assets by following

these steps:

a Open the Productions pane by clicking Productions in the column at the left of the

main Final Cut Server window.

b Click the New Production button in the Toolbar.

c Choose a metadata set for the new production from the Metadata Set pop-up menu.

d Depending on the production type you chose, a number of production metadata

fields appear. Enter a title and other unique metadata for the project in these fields. Fields marked with an asterisk (*) must be filled in.

e Click Save Changes to save the new production.

3 Drag the folder that contains the project file and its linked media from the Finder to

the new production in the Final Cut Server Productions pane.

4 A dialog appears, asking you if you want to upload the folder as a bundle asset or as

individual assets. Click Create Individual Assets.

5 A dialog appears, advising you that Final Cut Server is unable to manage references

that may exist in the project file you are uploading. Click Continue.

The Multiple Link Upload window appears. Note that the Associate with Production field shows the production that you dragged the folder to.

The name of the production that you dragged the folder to appears here.

Add metadata to differentiate the files being uploaded.

6 Choose a metadata set for the assets from the Metadata Set pop-up menu.

Add unique metadata to the files being uploaded. Adding project-related metadata will help you keep track of the assets that are linked to the project asset.

Chapter 2 Uploading Files to Final Cut Server 47

7 If necessary, choose a new destination device from the Destination pop-up menu.

This specifies the device on which the file will be stored. If you have questions about which device to choose, contact your Final Cut Server administrator.

Note: Media and Library are the primary Final Cut Server devices. Talk with your Final Cut Server administrator about which other configured devices are appropriate for media file storage.

8 Click the Begin Upload button to create assets for the project file and its linked media files.

The files are uploaded. The upload progress is displayed above the Information pane in the bottom-left corner of the Final Cut Server main window. If you want to monitor the progress of the file upload, click the Downloads and Uploads button to display the Downloads & Uploads window.

9 After the files are uploaded, select the Productions pane, click the Search button, and

double-click the production to view the new assets.

Each of the individual assets appears in the production.

The Final Cut Studio project file and each of its media files have been uploaded as assets. The assets also appear in the Assets pane of the Final Cut Server main window.

48 Chapter 2 Uploading Files to Final Cut Server

3 Organizing and Searching

the Final Cut Server Catalog

This chapter covers:

Â An Overview of the Final Cut Server Asset Catalog (p. 49)

Â Organizing Assets with Productions (p. 54)

Â Using Metadata to Organize and Search Assets (p. 58)

Â Searching in Final Cut Server (p. 60)

Â Displaying Search Results (p. 68)

Â Tracking the Status of an Asset or Production with Metadata (p. 69)

Â Adding and Changing Asset Metadata (p. 71)

Â Searching Devices and Jobs (p. 72)

When you upload assets, they are added to your Final Cut Server catalog, which is a collection of assets that are uploaded by you and other Final Cut Server users. As the number of assets in your catalog increases, creating and managing searches becomes more important. This chapter covers ways you can use Final Cut Server to organize and search for your assets.

An Overview of the Final Cut Server Asset Catalog

Before you can organize or search for assets in the Final Cut Server catalog, you must understand how to view the Assets and Productions panes.

The Assets pane displays all of the assets uploaded to Final Cut Server. You can view all the assets in your Final Cut Server system by clicking Search in the Final Cut Server main window.

Similarly, the Productions pane displays all of the productions that have been created in your Final Cut Server system. Productions are used to organize assets; for example, if you upload a Soundtrack Pro project file and all the audio files used in that project, you can create a production to hold that project asset and its media assets. Productions are also used to group related projects, like all the projects in progress for a particular client. You can view all of the productions in your Final Cut Server catalog by clicking Productions in the column on the left of the Final Cut Server main window.

Productions to choose the

Click Assets or

type of items to display.

Clicking a Smart Search

also chooses the type of

items to display.

You can narrow the number of assets or productions that appear by searching. The simplest search you can perform is to enter a search term in the search field and click the Search button. You can also perform an advanced search, which allows you to search for a term in a particular metadata field. For more information on searching, see “Searching in Final Cut Server” on page 60.

If you want to keep a search, you can save it. Saved searches are called Smart Searches. Smart Searches are stored in the column at the left of the main Final Cut Server window. For more information on Smart Searches, see “Creating a Smart Search” on page 66.

Your Final Cut Server administrator can customize the advanced search metadata fields in your Final Cut Server system. For more information, contact your Final Cut Server administrator.

50 Chapter 3 Organizing and Searching the Final Cut Server Catalog

Asset Icons

Assets can be marked with identifying icons. The icons you’ll see on assets include icons that show that an asset is checked out, locked, and archived, as well as icons that identify the asset’s type (audio file and video file are two examples) and if a project asset’s media is unlinked. These icons are useful for getting information about the asset without having to open the asset’s info window. For a complete list of icons that can mark an asset, see the table of asset icons in “Views for Assets and Productions Panes” on page 17.

Types of Assets

Assets can be divided into three general categories: media assets, Final Cut Pro project assets, and Final Cut Studio or other project assets.

Media assets are created when audio, video, graphic, or other media files are uploaded to Final Cut Server. Final Cut Pro project assets are created when Final Cut Pro projects are uploaded to Final Cut Server. The Final Cut Pro project asset info window contains an Elements pane that lists the media assets that are used by the Final Cut Pro project file. Final Cut Studio project assets are created when Motion, Soundtrack Pro, and DVD Studio Pro project files are uploaded to Final Cut Server. Unlike Final Cut Pro project assets, these project files require you to manually organize the project’s linked media assets. (Note that a Final Cut Studio project and its media can be uploaded as either a bundle asset or as individual assets.) For more information about the assets you can upload to Final Cut Server, see Chapter 2, “Uploading Files to Final Cut Server,” on page 29.

An image asset

Many assets display an icon (video, audio, and graphic icons, for example) or an application symbol on their thumbnails (Final Cut Studio project files, for example).

A video asset

Chapter 3 Organizing and Searching the Final Cut Server Catalog 51

A Final Cut Pro asset

A Motion project asset

An audio asset

The mime type for

this image asset

is shown here.

The mime type for this

Final Cut Pro project

asset is shown here.

You can also get information about an asset by looking at its mime type. The mime type describes either the type of information contained in the primary representation file or the application in which the primary representation file was created.

You can search for a specific mime type; if you use that search often, you can save it as a Smart Search. For more information, see “Searching in Final Cut Server” on page 60.

52 Chapter 3 Organizing and Searching the Final Cut Server Catalog

A video asset

info window

The Action pop-up menu

About the Asset Info Window

Every asset in the Final Cut Server catalog has an expanded window view that provides detailed information about the asset.

The information shown in an asset info window is determined by the asset’s type. Every asset info window contains panes of information for the asset.

You can also perform many commands from the asset info window’s Action pop-up menu.

To open an asset’s info window, do one of the following:

m Double-click the asset in the Asset pane or in a production.

m Control-click the asset, then choose Get Info from the shortcut menu.

Click these buttons to view more information about the asset.

A Final Cut Pro project

asset info window

In addition to the information displayed in other asset info windows, a Final Cut Pro project asset info window displays all the elements used in the Final Cut Pro project.

The Elements pane shows all the project’s linked media.

Chapter 3 Organizing and Searching the Final Cut Server Catalog 53

Organizing Assets with Productions

Productions are used to group related Final Cut Pro projects and assets. You can create productions to hold any combination of assets and projects that makes sense in your workflow.

Note: An asset can be associated with one or more productions.

Click a button to display more information about the production.

Each of these assets is contained in the production.

To create a production:

1 Do one of the following:

Â In the Productions pane, click the New Production button in the Toolbar.

Click the New Production button to create a new production.

A new, empty production is created.

Â In the Assets pane, select one or more assets and click the New Production from

Selection button in the Toolbar.

The New Production from Selection button is available once you select one or more assets.

A new production is created that contains the assets you selected.

54 Chapter 3 Organizing and Searching the Final Cut Server Catalog

The Production window appears.

2 Choose a metadata set for the production from the Metadata Set pop-up menu.

Choose a metadata set.

3 Depending on the metadata set you chose, a number of metadata fields appear. Enter

information for the production, including a title and priority status, in these fields.

Note: Fields marked with an asterisk (*) must be filled in.

A metadata set

can contain several

metadata groups.

4 Click Save Changes.

The Production window closes.

After you create a production, it appears in the Productions pane.

Chapter 3 Organizing and Searching the Final Cut Server Catalog 55

Click the “Productions

created by me”

Smart Search to view

the new production.

To view the production you just created:

1 Click the “Productions created by me” Smart Search to reveal the production you

just created.

The new production

2 Double-click the production to see its details.

Click Metadata to view the production’s metadata.

You can drag assets here to add them to the new production.

You can add an asset to the production, either from within Final Cut Server or when uploading new files to Final Cut Server.

56 Chapter 3 Organizing and Searching the Final Cut Server Catalog

To add an asset to an existing production window:

m Drag the asset from the Assets pane into the open production window.

To add a media or project asset to an existing production at upload, do one of the following:

m Drag the media or project asset from the Finder directly to a production.

m Choose Upload File from the Server pop-up menu (the pop-up menu in the

Final Cut Server main window that appears when you click the Server button) and specify a production to associate the assets with in the Upload or Multiple Upload window.

When the upload is complete, the assets appear in the production that you specified.

Make sure you click the Search button after adding the asset to the production to refresh the Productions pane.

After you add an asset to a production, Final Cut Server tracks the asset as a linked asset. You can find out what productions an asset is linked to by opening the asset’s info window and clicking Resources. A list of productions that the asset is linked to is displayed in the bottom right of the asset info window.

Click Resources in the asset info window.

This asset is linked to two productions.

Chapter 3 Organizing and Searching the Final Cut Server Catalog 57

To remove an asset from a production:

1 Open the production’s info window.

2 Select the asset that you want to remove from the production.

3 Control-click the asset, then choose Remove from Production from the shortcut menu.

Choose Remove from Production from the shortcut menu.

The asset is removed from the production.

To delete a production:

m In the Productions pane, Control-click the production that you want to delete, then

choose Delete from the shortcut menu.

The production is deleted.

Note: Only the production is deleted. If the production contained assets, none of the assets are deleted from the Assets pane.

Make sure you click the Search button after deleting the production to refresh the Productions pane.

Using Metadata to Organize and Search Assets

You can use any of the file metadata that Final Cut Server recognizes to organize and search for an asset. You can also add metadata about the asset to the asset’s metadata set. For example, you can create a keyword and then create a saved search in Final Cut Server for all assets that contain that keyword.

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About File and Asset Metadata

When you import an asset, it comes in with a variety of metadata. The specific metadata that a file brings with it into Final Cut Server varies depending on the type of file that the asset is and the application or applications with which the asset was created and edited. Some asset types include standard metadata, such as XMP or EXIF metadata.

After upload, metadata can be added to an existing asset. For example, keywords can be added to identify the project or production that an asset is part of.

All of an asset’s metadata for the file and the asset is shown in an asset’s info window. This includes the metadata that was imported with the file at upload and the metadata added in Final Cut Server.

To view the metadata for an asset:

1 Do one of the following:

Â Double-click the asset.

Â Control-click an asset, then choose Get Info from the shortcut menu.

2 Click the Metadata button.

A combination of file

and asset metadata

is shown here.

This asset has three

metadata groups.

In the asset info window, click Metadata.

Asset metadata

File metadata (use the scroll bar to see more)

Chapter 3 Organizing and Searching the Final Cut Server Catalog 59

About Metadata Sets

Final Cut Server comes with several metadata sets. Metadata sets sort the many metadata fields an asset can contain, including asset project and status metadata. You can use the various metadata within a metadata set to search, sort, and identify assets in Final Cut Server.

Each of the metadata sets in Final Cut Server contains specific metadata fields. At upload, file metadata that is readable by Final Cut Server is copied and entered in any matching metadata fields in the metadata set that you chose for the asset.

It’s important to understand that metadata sets do not include all of the metadata that a media file might include. The metadata set picked for the asset at upload and the method by which the metadata was added to the file are two factors that influence what metadata is shown in the asset. Thus, an asset can contain metadata that is not shown in the metadata set, or not shown in Final Cut Server.

If you need to add metadata to Final Cut Server that is not currently being imported with a file at upload, contact your Final Cut Server administrator.

Note: If you’ve added metadata to a QuickTime file using the default QuickTime annotation fields, that metadata appears in the QuickTime metadata group of the Media metadata set. You must assign the asset’s metadata set to Media to view the QuickTime annotation information; if you apply any other metadata set, the QuickTime metadata is not visible in the Final Cut Server asset.

Searching in Final Cut Server

You can search the Assets and Productions panes in Final Cut Server. You can also search available devices and search for jobs performed by Final Cut Server.

After configuring a search, you can save the search, making it available to you with one click of your mouse.

Note: After entering a search term, the search field remembers the term you last entered. This makes it simple for you to repeat the search you entered previously.

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Doing a Simple Search

To perform a simple search of the Assets or Productions pane in Final Cut Server, you choose a search type and enter a term. Final Cut Server searches for that term in every metadata field on every asset or production. Searching is not case sensitive.

In the Simple Search field, you can choose between two simple search types:

Â Choosing Contains finds the term you enter within a single metadata field. If, for

example, you enter the term se, Final Cut Server searches for all terms that include se, including serenade, sunset, and dense, in a single metadata field.

Â Choosing Matches Word searches for a particular word or words in every available

metadata field. Matches Word searches are based on stemming, a process that identifies the root of the word, which gets modified by the grammatical requirements of the English language. For example, the stem of work, works, worked, and working is work. Therefore, if you enter the search term working, Final Cut Server stems the term to work and then returns all assets with a stemmed term of work in any of the asset’s metadata fields.

Note: In stemming a phrase, common words such as the, a, and, and but are ignored.

You can make simple searches more specific by using a search delimiter.

Search Limiter Example Returns

Multiple search terms hurricane wind water Assets with the terms hurricane,

wind, and water

Search terms in quotation marks “Hurricane Alma” Assets with the entire search

phrase Hurricane Alma

Negative (-) search term “Hurricane -Alma” Assets with the term Hurricane,

(and without the term Alma)

Chapter 3 Organizing and Searching the Final Cut Server Catalog 61

To perform a simple search:

1 In the Assets or Productions pane, choose a search type (Contains or Matches Word)

from the Search pop-up menu.

2 Enter one or more terms in the search field.

For example, if you want to search for a specific mime type, enter the complete mime type in the search field.

3 Click the Search button.

Choose a search type

from the pop-up menu.

Enter a search term.

Then click Search.

Every asset that contains the term you entered in its metadata is returned.

Use the View buttons, Sort pop-up menus, and page navigation buttons to further sort the search results.

The search results are displayed here.

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Doing an Advanced Search

When you click to open the search disclosure triangle, you’ll see the advanced search fields. These fields let you search specific metadata fields for the term or terms you enter.

The Assets and Productions panes have different advanced search fields.

The Assets pane’s advanced search fields

The Productions pane’s advanced search fields

The pop-up menu next to each metadata field provides an appropriate search filter. A search filter sorts the search returns by the filter criteria.

Chapter 3 Organizing and Searching the Final Cut Server Catalog 63

To perform an advanced search:

1 In the Assets or Productions pane, click the search disclosure triangle to reveal the

advanced search terms.

Open the disclosure triangle to show the advanced search settings.

2 Enter one or more search values or terms in the metadata field or fields that you want

to search.

3 Click the Search button.

The results of your search are displayed in the main part of the window.

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Text Filtering Criteria

Text filtering criteria are used to search Title, Filename, Location, Stored On, and other metadata fields. You can use the following filters to search these metadata fields:

Filter Definition

All Returns all terms.

Equals Returns only the text entered.

Not Equals Returns assets that do not contain the text entered.

Contains Returns all assets that include the text entered.

Begins with Returns assets that begin with the text entered.

Ends with Returns assets that end with the text entered.

Matches Word Returns the entire word.

Any Of Returns at least one of the words entered in the field.

Date Filtering Criteria

Date filtering criteria is used to search Creation Date, File Creation Date, Deadline, and other date-related metadata fields. Note that date filtering is relative to the time you used it; if you create a Smart Search using a date filter, it retains the date on which you created the Smart Search.

You can use the following filters to search these metadata fields:

Filter Definition

All Returns all numbers.

Last 2 hours Returns all assets that were uploaded or modified within the last

two hours of the last search.

Last 24 hours Returns all assets that were uploaded or modified within the last

24 hours of the last search.

Last 7 days Returns all assets that were uploaded or modified within the last

seven days of the last search.

Last 31 days Returns all assets that were uploaded or modified within the last

31 days of the last search.

Before Returns all assets that were modified before the date you enter.

After Returns all assets that were modified after the date you enter.

Chapter 3 Organizing and Searching the Final Cut Server Catalog 65

Creating a Smart Search

If you want to save a simple or advanced search that you have configured, you can create a Smart Search. Smart Searches are useful because you can use them again and again.

Note: A Smart Search is only saved for the user who created it. The Smart Search is not saved to other users’ or the administrator’s Final Cut Server clients.

To create a Smart Search:

1 After configuring a search, click the Save as Smart Search button in the bottom-right

corner of the Final Cut Server main window.

The Smart Search appears in the Smart Searches list in the column on the left of the window. It is titled “Untitled” and is selected.

After clicking Save as

Smart Search, a new

Smart Search appears.

The new Smart Search is

added to the Smart

Searches list in

alphabetical order.

2 Enter a name for the Smart Search, then press Return.

The search name is saved in Final Cut Server.

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Assets Smart Searches

To search the Assets or Productions pane using a Smart Search:

m Click a Smart Search in the list in the column on the left of the main

Final Cut Server window.

Productions Smart

Searches

The search results appear in the main part of the window.

Once you have created a Smart Search, you cannot modify it. You can, however, delete a Smart Search at any time.

To delete a Smart Search:

m Control-click the Smart Search, then choose Delete from the shortcut menu.

The Smart Search is deleted.

Chapter 3 Organizing and Searching the Final Cut Server Catalog 67

Displaying Search Results

In the Assets and Productions pane, you can view your search results in Thumbnail or List view and change the display order of items using the Toolbar buttons and controls.

Choose a sorting option from this pop-up menu.

Choose Thumbnail or List view.

Choose the order to sort by (ascending or descending).

Choose a specific page of search results.

Move through the pages of search results.

To change the view of your Assets or Productions pane (filtered or otherwise):

m Click the Thumbnail View or List View button.

To change the order in which the items are displayed in the Assets or Productions pane:

m Choose a sorting option from the Sort By pop-up menu.

To move between pages of search results:

m Use the page navigation buttons to move to the previous or next page or to choose a

different page to display.

Note: The number of items shown per page is set to 25 by default. You can change the number of items shown per page in the Preferences window.

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Tracking the Status of an Asset or Production with Metadata

Final Cut Server comes with several default Smart Searches and metadata sets that you can use to determine the status of an asset. The Status metadata set, for example, was designed to help you track the status of assets and productions in Final Cut Server. Assets and productions have a slightly different set of Status metadata fields.

For more information about tracking the status of assets and productions, see “Using

Status Metadata to Track Assets and Productions” on page 141.

Important: Your Final Cut Server administrator may have modified the Status or other

metadata available for assets or productions to meet the needs of your organization’s workflow. If you have questions about the metadata available on an asset, contact your Final Cut Server administrator.

As your work progresses, you can search for assets that are in a particular phase of your workflow by searching for their status or other metadata. Final Cut Server comes with several pre-configured Smart Searches that make it easy for you to find recently-modified assets or assets marked with the Status metadata field set to Ready for Review.

Click this Smart Search to

see all assets with Status

set to Ready for Review.

Chapter 3 Organizing and Searching the Final Cut Server Catalog 69

The assets area

highlights to indicate

that the search

configuration does

a Smart Search.

You can configure your own search using the advanced search options. For example, you can search for all assets that have a Status metadata field set to In Progress. After setting up a search, you can save it as a Smart Search.

Set the Status field to In Progress to search for those assets.

not match

Click this button

to save the current

search setting as

a Smart Search.

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Adding and Changing Asset Metadata

As an asset moves through your organization’s workflow, you may want to add or change the metadata associated with the asset. For example, when an asset has been edited and is ready to be reviewed by a client, you can set the asset’s Status metadata field to Ready for Review.

To add or change the metadata associated with an asset:

1 Double-click the asset in the Assets pane or in a production.

2 In the asset info window, click Metadata.

3 Choose a metadata group to view.

Click a metadata group

to view.

Click Metadata to view the asset’s or production’s metadata.

When you’ve made the necessary changes, click Save Changes.

4 Enter new details in any of the metadata fields or make choices from the pop-up menus.

5 When you’ve finished modifying the metadata, click Save Changes.

The changes you made are saved.

Make sure you click the Search button after updating asset metadata to refresh the Assets pane.

Chapter 3 Organizing and Searching the Final Cut Server Catalog 71

Searching Devices and Jobs

Two advanced user searches, Search Devices and Search All Jobs, are available in the Final Cut Server client. Depending on your permissions, these searches may or may not be available for your use. If you have questions about when it is appropriate for you to use these searches, contact your Final Cut Server administrator.

Searching Devices

If your Final Cut Server administrator has given you permission, you can search for a file on any device connected to Final Cut Server. This allows you to examine the contents of a device, including items that have not been added to the Final Cut Server catalog.

The devices that you, as a client user, have access to are determined by your Final Cut Server administrator. Consider speaking to your Final Cut Server administrator before searching for or working with a file on a device.

Warning: Use the Search Devices window with caution. When you search a device,

you are searching for files, not Final Cut Server assets. Devices can contain files that both have and have not been added to the Final Cut Server catalog. From the Search Devices window, you can add a media file to your Final Cut Server catalog, and copy, delete, and download the file to your local system; taking some of these actions could result in making duplicate copies of an asset in your Final Cut Server server system or deleting all copies of a file from a device.

To search a device:

1 Choose Search Devices from the Server pop-up menu.

Click the Server button.

Choose Search Devices from the pop-up menu.

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2 In the Search Devices window that appears, choose the device to search from the

Device pop-up menu.

3 Click the Search button to search from the device’s root level. You can also click the

Choose button to open a dialog that allows you to specify a folder to search.

4 If you want to limit the search, enter a term in the search field or click the search

disclosure triangle to reveal advanced searching options.

Important: Be sure to enter entire words in the search field. Unlike the search field in

the Final Cut Server main window, the Search Devices search field does not return full words if you search for a partial word. For example, if you want to find all assets that contain the word frame, you must search for the entire word. Searching for fra only finds assets with the characters fra and the word frame is not found.

5 Click the Search button.

Once you select one or more items, you can choose to do the following actions by Control-clicking the filename in the list of search results and choosing one of these options from the shortcut menu:

Â Catalog asset: Adds the file to the Final Cut Server catalog.

Â Get Info: Displays an info window that summarizes information and metadata for

the file.

Â View: Displays the file in the appropriate application (often the location in which the

file was created).

Â Export: Exports the file.

Â Duplicate: Duplicates the file.

Â Delete: Deletes the file from the device.

Chapter 3 Organizing and Searching the Final Cut Server Catalog 73

Searching for a Job

Final Cut Server uses jobs to perform actions like uploading, downloading, and transcoding files. You can search for a specific job that is running or has been run on Final Cut Server using the Search All Jobs window.

About Jobs

Final Cut Server performs tasks using jobs. The number of jobs that run depends on the type of action being performed. Some examples of jobs include:

Â Copying a file from one location to another runs one job.

Â Creating a new asset runs jobs to perform the initial copy and then creates the asset.

Â Analyzing an asset uses multiple jobs to create the asset’s proxy files.

Each job creates multiple log entries for each step of the operation.

If you want to monitor the Final Cut Server jobs that are being performed, you can open the Jobs window. In it, you can search for specific jobs and then see the job’s details.

To search for a specific job or jobs:

1 Choose Search All Jobs from the Server pop-up menu (the pop-up menu in the

Final Cut Server main window that appears when you click the Server button).

Click the Server button.

Choose Search All Jobs from the pop-up menu.

The Search All Jobs window appears.

74 Chapter 3 Organizing and Searching the Final Cut Server Catalog

2 Enter your search criteria by doing one of the following:

Â Enter a word or value in the search field.

Â Click the search disclosure triangle to reveal the advanced search options. Choose a

limiter from the pop-up menu and enter a value in one or more search fields.

3 When you’ve entered the criteria by which you would like to search the jobs, click the

Search button.

The jobs that match your search criteria appear in the main part of the window. Remember that your search results may span several pages; you can navigate through the search results using the page controls at the right of the window.

Chapter 3 Organizing and Searching the Final Cut Server Catalog 75

4 Working in Final Cut Server

This chapter covers the following:

Â Final Cut Server Client Actions (p. 78)

Â About the Asset Info Window (p. 79)

Â Viewing an Asset (p. 83)

Â Adding Versions for a Media or Project Asset (p. 85)

Â Locking and Unlocking an Asset (p. 87)

Â Writing Annotations on a Video Asset (p. 92)

Â Duplicating an Asset (p. 96)

Â Using the Edit-in-Place Feature (p. 97)

Â Monitoring Jobs (p. 97)

Â Setting Final Cut Server Client Preferences (p. 100)

This chapter explains how to work with all types of assets in the Final Cut Server client. It explains how to interpret the information that is contained in a project or media asset info window. It also includes descriptions of all the actions available in Final Cut Server.

Final Cut Server Client Actions

This section gives an overview of the actions you can perform from the Toolbar, shortcut menus, and other locations in the Final Cut Server client.

This table describes the various actions you can perform in Final Cut Server:

Action Description

Get Info Provides information and metadata for the selected asset.

For more information, see “About the Asset Info Window” on page 79.

View Provides a view of the asset in an appropriate media viewer; the

viewing application could be QuickTime Player, Preview, or another media application.

For more information on viewing an asset, see “Viewing an Asset” on page 83.

Add to Cache Adds a copy of the asset to the local computer’s cache. This is the

first step in performing many operations in Final Cut Server. For more information, see “About Caching” on page 103.

Check In/Check Out/Cancel Check Out

Prepare for Disconnected Use Creates alias copies of media assets. You can use this action to

Checking out the asset allows you to edit the primary representation being tracked by the asset and prevents the asset from being modified by all other users.

For more information about checking out a media asset, see “Checking Out, Editing, and Checking In a Media Asset” on page 105.

For more information about checking out a Final Cut Pro project, see “Checking Out a Final Cut Pro Project” on page 118.

For more information about checking out a Final Cut Studio project asset or checking out a bundle asset, see Chapter 7, “Working with

Final Cut Studio Projects,” on page 129.

create copies of video assets, and then use those assets to create a new Final Cut Pro project while you are disconnected from the Final Cut Server network.

For information on working with an existing Final Cut Pro project when not connected to the Final Cut Server network, see “Working

on Final Cut Pro Projects While Away from the Final Cut Server Network” on page 124.

78 Chapter 4 Working in Final Cut Server

Action Description

Lock/Unlock Prevents other users from editing the file contained in the asset.

For more information on locking, see “Locking and Unlocking an

Asset” on page 87.

Archive To/Restore Archiving an asset creates a restorable copy of an asset.

For more information on archiving, see “Archiving and Restoring

Media Assets” on page 156.

New Production from Selection Creates a new production for the selected asset or assets.

For more information, see “Organizing Assets with Productions” on page 54.

Duplicate Creates a copy of an asset.

For more information, see “Duplicating an Asset” on page 96.

Export Creates a copy of the asset to the local file system or a

external volume. For more information, see “Outputting a Final Project” on page 153.

Delete Deletes the asset, its primary representation file, and all of its proxy

files from the Final Cut Server catalog. For more information, see “Deleting Assets from Final Cut Server”

on page 158.

The icons displayed in

the Assets pane also

appear in the individual

asset info window.

About the Asset Info Window

When you double-click an asset in the Assets pane or from inside a production, the asset’s info window appears. Final Cut Server uses the information in the info window to track and manage the asset.

Clicking any of these buttons displays specific information about the asset.

Chapter 4 Working in Final Cut Server 79

About Media Asset Info Windows

Media asset info windows contain panes for information about metadata, resources, versions, locks, and the Review and Approve feature.

Â Metadata pane: This pane shows the metadata for both the asset and its primary

representation file. You can update any field in this pane by typing text or a value and then clicking the Save Changes button.

Â Resources pane: This pane shows information about the primary representation and

proxy files created for the asset. It also shows other places the asset is used and other assets that this asset is linked to.

80 Chapter 4 Working in Final Cut Server

Â Versions pane: This pane shows different versions that have been created for the

asset. For more information about creating versions, see “Adding Versions for a Media

or Project Asset” on page 85.

Â Locks pane: This pane shows information about any locks on the asset. For more

information about locks, see “Locking and Unlocking an Asset” on page 87.

Chapter 4 Working in Final Cut Server 81

Â Review and Approve pane: If your Final Cut Server administrator has set up the

Review and Approve feature, the Review & Approve pane is used for sending out review notification emails. Your Final Cut Server administrator must set up this feature for it to work properly. For more information about the Review and Approve feature, see “About the Review and Approve Feature” on page 146.

The info window for a media asset also contains a Refresh button that you can use to update the asset info window, and an Action pop-up menu that contains commonly used actions. The info window for a video asset also contains an Annotations button that opens the Annotations window.

The Actions

pop-up menu

The Refresh button

82 Chapter 4 Working in Final Cut Server

Video assets have an Annotations button.

A Final Cut Pro project

asset info window

About Final Cut Pro Project Info Windows

An info window for Final Cut Pro projects is slightly different than the windows for other types of assets. Its Action pop-up menu does not have all of the items in the Action pop-up menu for other types of assets because certain actions cannot be performed on a Final Cut Pro asset. It also contains an additional pane, the Elements pane.

The Elements pane shows the items that are part of the Final Cut Pro project.

Final Cut Pro project elements are representations of the clips that are used in the Final Cut Pro project. Final Cut Server creates the elements from the media assets that are created when the Final Cut Pro project is uploaded to Final Cut Server. For more information about elements, see “Uploading Final Cut Pro Projects” on page 37.

Viewing an Asset

You can view many video, audio, and image assets. For video and image assets, you can choose to view the file’s original media, or one of several proxy files. After you choose a type of file to view, it opens in QuickTime Player or in another appropriate application (this could be the application in which the file was created).

Note: Keep in mind that Final Cut Server cannot preview any bundle assets or Final Cut Pro or other project files.

Chapter 4 Working in Final Cut Server 83

Click an asset’s icon to

view the asset.

To view an asset, do one of the following:

m Click the media icon in the asset thumbnail.

m Control-click the asset, then choose View and a viewing format from the shortcut menu.

The asset you selected appears in an appropriate viewing application. The video clip shown in this example appears in QuickTime Player.

When you view an image, the full-sized image appears.

All of the information and metadata for a media file and its asset are displayed in the asset info window.

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The version checkbox is selected, indicating that

version control is turned

on for this asset.

Adding Versions for a Media or Project Asset

Final Cut Server can track an asset as you edit it, providing a version for each change made to the primary representation of each file. If your Final Cut Server administrator turned on asset version control during the installation process, your system may already be making versions for assets as you check them out and then back in.

You can see if version control is turned on for an asset by viewing the Versions pane in the asset’s info window. When the version control feature is turned on, you can view an asset’s versions in an asset’s info window.

Three versions exist for this asset.

When you check in an updated version of the asset, the previous version appears in the version list. Final Cut Server numbers the versions in the order they are created; therefore, the version with the highest number is the most recent version of the asset.

Note: The current version of the asset does not appear in the list. Only the previous versions appear.

Select the versions

checkbox to be able to

create versions for

this asset.

Important: When the version control feature is turned on for an asset, Final Cut Server

creates a copy of every version that is checked in. Before enabling Final Cut Server to track versions of an asset, check that you have sufficient disk capacity. If you have questions about whether you should turn on the version control feature for a particular asset, contact your Final Cut Server administrator.

To verify that version control is turned on for an asset:

1 Double-click the asset.

2 Click the Versions button.

3 If the “Store and track versions of this asset” checkbox is not selected, select it.

Click Versions to enable versions for this asset.

Chapter 4 Working in Final Cut Server 85

To check out and edit the asset:

1 Select the asset, then do one of the following:

Â Click the Check Out button in the Toolbar.

Â Control-click the asset, then choose Check Out from the shortcut menu.

2 In the Check Out window that appears, enter a check out location and click Check Out.

3 Edit the asset.

4 When you’re finished editing, save the asset.

To check in the edited asset as a new version:

1 Select the asset, then do one of the following:

Â Click the Check In button in the Toolbar.

Â Control-click the asset, then choose Check In from the shortcut menu.

2 If you want, you can add a comment in the Version Comment field in the Check In

window that appears.

3 Click the Check In button.

When you check in an updated version of the asset, the previous version appears in the version list.

Important: You will not see the comment you just added to the version you checked in

since it is the current version and the Versions pane only shows older versions.

Control-click a version to

open a shortcut menu.

When you Control-click a version in the Versions pane, the shortcut menu that appears includes:

Â Get Info: Select this option to view information about the version.

Â View: Select this option to view the version in an appropriate viewer.

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Â New Asset from Version: Click this option to create a new asset from the version or to

copy the selected version of an asset to another device.

Â Revert to this Version: Click this option to delete the assets that were created after the

selected version. When you revert to a previous version, the current version is replaced with the selected version.

Your Final Cut Server administrator has configured the version control feature to meet your organization’s needs. To get more information on other ways to configure version control, contact your Final Cut Server administrator.

Locking and Unlocking an Asset

In Final Cut Server, locks function to protect the primary representation file, proxy files, and metadata in the asset.

There are several types of locks. The User lock is the most obvious lock because it is the only lock that you apply manually. The User lock is applied to an asset from the Toolbar or from the asset’s shortcut menu. You can tell an asset is locked when you see the “locked by me” or “locked by other” icon on an asset’s thumbnail.

Select an asset, then click

the Lock button to lock

or unlock an asset.

The yellow lock icon indicates that you have locked the asset.

A white lock icon indicates that someone else has locked an asset.

Checkout and Reference locks are not applied manually. They are applied when you check out a Final Cut Pro project asset.

The following sections describe the types of locks you will find in Final Cut Server.

Chapter 4 Working in Final Cut Server 87

User Lock

You or another user can put a User lock on an asset by clicking the Lock button in the Toolbar or by choosing Lock from the asset’s shortcut menu. After a User lock has been applied to an asset, a lock icon (either “locked by me” or “locked by other”) appears on the asset’s thumbnail. Also, the lock that was applied is noted as a User lock in the Locks pane of the asset info window.

The Locks pane shows the lock details.

When you lock the asset, the primary representation of the file cannot be edited, checked out, deleted, or archived by another user.

Important: A User lock does not prevent the asset’s metadata and proxy files from

being edited by you or another user.

Note: When you lock an asset, only you can successfully check it out. If an asset is both locked manually and checked out, the asset is locked with both a Checkout and User lock. If someone other than the person who locked the asset attempts to check out the asset, the checkout will fail.

Checkout Lock

A Checkout lock is applied when an asset is checked out by you or another user.

When an asset is checked out, no part of the asset, including the primary representation of the file, proxy files, or metadata, can be edited, and the asset cannot be edited, checked out, deleted, or archived.

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The Lock Type shows that this is a Checkout lock.

For more information about checking out a media asset, see “Checking Out, Editing,

and Checking In a Media Asset” on page 105. For more information about checking out

a Final Cut Pro project, see “Checking Out a Final Cut Pro Project” on page 118. Also see “Reference Lock,” next. For more information about checking out a Final Cut Studio project asset, see Chapter 7, “Working with Final Cut Studio Projects,” on page 129.

Reference Lock

When a Final Cut Pro project asset is checked out, the project asset is locked with a Checkout lock. In addition to the Checkout lock, each of the media assets linked to the project are locked with a Reference lock. Reference locks are not indicated on the media asset’s thumbnail; you can only find evidence of a Reference lock in the Locks pane in the asset’s info window.

Note that there is no indication that this asset is locked.

The Lock Type shows that this is a Reference lock.

Important: A Reference lock does not prevent the Final Cut Pro project or a media

asset’s metadata from being edited by you or another user, or prevent a media asset from being used in another Final Cut Pro project.

Locking and Unlocking Assets with a User Lock

This section explains how to lock and unlock an asset using the User lock.

Only the person who locked the asset and your Final Cut Server administrator can unlock a locked asset. If you need access to a locked asset, talk to the person who locked it or your Final Cut Server administrator.

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Select the asset and click

the Lock button.

To apply a User lock to an asset, do one of the following:

m Select the asset in the Assets pane, then click the Lock button in the Toolbar.

m Control-click the asset, then choose Lock from the shortcut menu.

Alternatively, you can Control-click the asset, then choose Lock from the shortcut menu.

After locking an asset, a lock icon appears on the asset, indicating that the asset is locked. In other Final Cut Server clients, the lock icon looks different, indicating that another user has locked the asset.

The yellow lock indicates that you have locked the asset.

The white lock indicates that another user has locked the asset.

To unlock an asset that you locked, do one of the following:

m Select the asset in the Assets pane, then click the Unlock button in the Toolbar.

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m Control-click the asset, then choose Unlock from the shortcut menu.

Select the asset and click the Unlock button.

Alternatively, you can Control-click the asset, then choose Unlock from the shortcut menu.

The icon disappears, and the asset is unlocked.

If an asset is locked by another user, you can open that asset’s info window and view the Locks pane to find out which user has locked the asset.

This icon indicates this asset is locked by someone else.

The Locked By field shows who locked the asset.

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The Viewer window

Add annotations here.

Writing Annotations on a Video Asset

You can add annotations to a video asset. In the Annotations window, you can view a video clip and then add text at different points in the video clip. Because the annotations stay with the clip asset in Final Cut Server, annotations are useful for making notes for yourself or others in your workgroup. You can easily view these annotations in Final Cut Server. They stay with the asset until you manually clear the annotation.

Annotations that have been entered

To annotate a video asset:

1 Locate the video asset you want to annotate in the Assets pane, in a production, or in a

Final Cut Pro project asset’s Elements pane.

2 Double-click the clip asset to display the asset’s info window.

3 Click the Annotate button in the asset info window.

Click the Annotate button in a video asset’s asset info window.

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The Annotations window appears.

You must mark an In point or an Out point for each annotation.

4 Position the playhead at the In point, either by dragging the playhead or using the

navigation controls. Then click the Mark In button or press I on your keyboard.

You can set an Out point using the same process.

Drag this slider to locate

frames of video.

Click this button to open

the asset’s info window.

Click the Mark In and Mark Out buttons (or press your keyboard’s I or O key) to mark In and Out points.

Use these controls to play and navigate through the video.

Important: The keyboard commands are not available when the Annotation field is

active. This allows you to type annotations in the field.

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5 Type a comment in the Annotation field below the viewer window.

The annotation

The In and Out points

associated with the

annotation

Click the Add Annotation button to save the annotation.

6 To add the annotation to the Annotation list at the right, click the Add Annotation button.

The annotation is added to the list.

The annotation you added appears in this list.

To replace the text of an existing annotation:

1 Click the In or Out Point button in the Annotation list.

The In Point button The Out Point button

2 In the Annotation text field, enter new text for the annotation.

3 Click Add Annotation.

4 A dialog appears, asking if you want to replace the annotation. Click Yes.

The annotation is replaced.

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To delete one or more selected annotations from the Annotation list:

1 Select one or more annotations you wish to delete.

2 Control-click the annotation and choose Delete Selected from the shortcut menu.

You can also click the delete button to delete a single annotation.

Control-click an annotation to open this shortcut menu.

The selected annotation or annotations are deleted.

To delete all the annotations on an asset:

1 Select any annotation you wish to delete.

2 Control-click the annotation, then choose Delete All from the shortcut menu.

3 A dialog appears, asking you to confirm that you want to delete the annotations. Click Yes.

All of the annotations are deleted.

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Duplicating an Asset

Choosing to duplicate an asset creates a copy of the asset in Final Cut Server. If you want to create two distinct iterations of a media or project asset, you can easily do so by duplicating the asset.

To duplicate an asset:

1 Control-click the asset, then choose Duplicate from the shortcut menu.

The Duplicate window appears.

2 Select a destination device from the Destination pop-up menu.

If you want to place the duplicate file within the file structure of the device, click the Choose button and navigate to the appropriate location in the file browser.

The destination file path appears in the Destination field.

3 If you want to associate the new asset with a production, click the Choose button to

the right of Production, select a production, and click Open.

The production you selected appears in the Associate with Production field.

4 If you want to transcode the asset, change the metadata set, or add metadata to the

asset, click the Advanced Options disclosure triangle and make the necessary changes.

5 Click the Duplicate button to duplicate the file and create a new asset.

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Using the Edit-in-Place Feature

Your Final Cut Server administrator can configure the edit-in-place feature and create copies of assets for editing directly on an Xsan server or other shared storage locations. When the edit-in-place feature is set up, you no longer need to download, cache, or check out the asset; instead, you can drag your asset directly from the asset catalog to an application for editing.

Important: Edit-in-place must be set up by your Final Cut Server administrator.

Contact your administrator to find out if edit-in-place is configured before you try to use the feature.

Monitoring Jobs

Files are constantly being uploaded and downloaded by Final Cut Server. The job progress indicator, Downloads & Uploads window, and Search All Jobs window all display information about the progress of files being uploaded to and downloaded from Final Cut Server.

The Jobs in Progress Indicator

The Jobs in Progress indicator appears in the bottom-left corner of the Final Cut Server main window when files are being uploaded or downloaded. It looks like a spinning gear and indicates that a certain number of jobs are being performed.

The Jobs in Progress indicator

Click this button to display the Downloads & Uploads window.

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Open the disclosure

triangle to view the files

that are part of a job.

The Downloads & Uploads Window

For more information about files being uploaded or downloaded, you can open the Downloads & Uploads window, which shows the specific files being downloaded and information about the status of each.

Note: The Downloads & Uploads window does not show details about files being transcoded to create proxy files. You can see the details about the transcoding of these files in the Search All Jobs window.

To open the Downloads & Uploads window:

m Click the Downloads and Uploads button in the bottom-left corner of the

Final Cut Server main window.

Note: If an upload or download fails, an error icon appears in the Downloads & Uploads window. You must clear the jobs listed in the Downloads & Uploads window to make this icon disappear.

To clear the jobs listed in the Downloads & Uploads window:

m Click Clear in the bottom-left corner of the Downloads & Uploads window.

The Search All Jobs Window

You can get detailed information about each of the files being uploaded or downloaded in the Search All Jobs window. Unlike the Downloads & Uploads window, the Search All Jobs window contains a detailed history of the jobs Final Cut Server has performed. Jobs are shown for copying a file from one location to another, uploading files, creating the new asset’s proxy files, and more. Each job also creates multiple log entries for each step of the operation.

To narrow the jobs shown in the Jobs window, you can search the Jobs window.

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Click the Server button.

Click this button to see

advanced search options.

To search for a specific job or jobs:

1 Choose Search All Jobs from the Server pop-up menu.

Choose Search All Jobs from the pop-up menu.

The Search All Jobs window appears.

Enter a search term.

2 Enter your search criteria by doing one of the following:

Â Enter a word or value in the search field and limit the search to find files that contain

the search term as part of the title using the “Contains (more results)” option or that match the search term exactly using the “Matches Word (faster)” option.

Â Click the search disclosure triangle to reveal the advanced search options. Choose a

limiter from the pop-up menu and enter a value in one or more search fields.

3 When you’ve entered the criteria by which you would like to search the jobs, click the

Search button.

The jobs that match your search criteria are listed in the Search All Jobs window. Remember that your search results may span several pages; you can navigate through the search results using the page controls at the far right.

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Setting Final Cut Server Client Preferences

You can change how the search results in your client are displayed.

You can define the location and size of your cache memory.

To configure user preferences settings, do one of the following:

m Choose Final Cut Server > Preferences.

m Choose Preferences from the Server pop-up menu (the pop-up menu in the

Final Cut Server main window that appears when you click the Server button).

To make changes in the Preferences window:

m Enter a number or enter a file path (by clicking the Choose button and then specifying

a file path) in the field you want to change, then click the Apply Changes button.

About Search Preferences

The search preferences control the number of results Final Cut Server finds and how many items are displayed per page. This can be useful if you have a large or small display.

Searching preferences include:

Â Maximum # of Search Results: Enter a value that is the maximum number of items

that appear after a search.

Â Items Per Page: Search results are divided into pages to make viewing more efficient.

You can enter a value that defines how many items appear on each page.

Â Remember the last search: Select this checkbox to have Final Cut Server remember

and run the last search that you performed the next time you log in.

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Apple FINAL CUT SERVER User Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual

Contents

Apple Websites

Contacting AppleCare Support

Assets Pane

Productions Pane

Views for Assets and Productions Panes

List View

Search Options and Saved Searches

Asset Info Window

Production Info Window

Annotations Window

Downloads & Uploads Window

Search All Jobs Window

Search Devices Window

Preferences Window

About Metadata and Metadata Sets

Strategies for Uploading Media and Project Files

Uploading Media Files

Asset Icons

Types of Assets

About the Asset Info Window

Organizing Assets with Productions

Using Metadata to Organize and Search Assets

About File and Asset Metadata

About Metadata Sets

Doing a Simple Search

Doing an Advanced Search

Creating a Smart Search

Displaying Search Results

Tracking the Status of an Asset or Production with Metadata

Adding and Changing Asset Metadata

Searching Devices and Jobs

Searching Devices

Searching for a Job

About the Asset Info Window

About Media Asset Info Windows

Viewing an Asset

Adding Versions for a Media or Project Asset

Locking and Unlocking an Asset

User Lock

Checkout Lock

Reference Lock

Locking and Unlocking Assets with a User Lock

Writing Annotations on a Video Asset

Duplicating an Asset

Using the Edit-in-Place Feature

Monitoring Jobs

The Jobs in Progress Indicator

The Downloads & Uploads Window

The Search All Jobs Window

About Search Preferences