Avid Media Composer Is So F#$*-Up! - Snapping Command/Control + Click Buttons Not Working

 This has been a problem with Avid Media Composer for YEARS.

 For whatever reason, Avid MC (8.9.3 in my case) just ignores Command + Click and DOES NOT SNAP to anywhere in the Timeline. Granted one could turn on snapping in Timeline preferences, but that's cumbersome and not a good way to work, it's much more efficient to turn on snapping on the fly, when and only when you need it, by simply pressing Command.

 Only... It often does not work because some random app is opened at the same time and is interfering with Avid. What?? And according to innumerable users that have been suffering from this flabbergasting misbehavior, any app could trigger it: GMail, Anti-viruses, etc. It's not even well documented. People have spent hours re-installing macOS and MC app from scratch, to no avail! 

 By the way it's not the only thing that gets ignored... Holding Option and dragging a item from one Bin to another DOES NOT COPY the item. Avid ignores the Option key being pressed and instead moving the item.

 What random app causes this? In my case it is Bitwarden! Can you believe it? After I close Bitwarden, Avid behave normally. Control and Option keys do what they are supposed to do. What a wreck.

 Can you just for a moment fathom the antediluvian code that's still at the core of Media Composer? Come on Avid! You can do better!!

Apple ProVideo Formats 2.2.1 Removes Avid Media Composer ProRes Options in Quicktime Export

It looks like the update of Apple ProVideo Formats version 2.2.1 removes Avid MC ProRes codec options in Quicktime Export.

That's not good. There are only a few options left for Quicktime export codecs in AMC now, and ProRes is nowhere to be seen:

Many more options were available in the previous iteration of ProVideo Formats 2.1.1.

It is still available as a stand alone installer on Apple: https://support.apple.com/kb/DL2020?locale=en_US

But after downloading, when I try to downgrade/install to version 2.1.1, I get this message:

Of course, no way to downgrade... Then I found this thread on the Avid Forums.

It did point to this workaround for pepps who don't have FCP/Motion/Compressor installed, I do though. I went and downloaded Pacifist anyway.

I opened Apple ProVideoFormats.pkg installer (v 2.1.1.) with Pacifist and saw the five Quicktime components that are missing in my computer's Library:

I then selected only these, drag-and-dropped them into my computer's Library/Quicktime folder. Since AMC is accessing the Quicktime components for its own export settings, I thought no need to mess with the rest.

Pacifist installed them. Now I have the missing v2.1.1. Components into the Quicktime folder with the v 2.2.1. ones, and Avid's own:

I flagged them in RED just in case they start causing some problems and I need to remove them at some point. Again all the rest I left untouched, Apple ProVideo Formats v 2.2.1 is complete on my computer, I only manually added the old, missing, v 2.1.1. QT components.

Now when I Export to Quicktime from Avid, I have again all the variety of codecs, including ProRes:

Yay! Hopefully this workaround doesn't cause any conflicts down the line. I will report here if it does. In the meantime, back to exporting!

Final Cut Pro Error: RequestFrameAt returned: 3 for absolute frame: 312

 Final Cut Pro is flashing an Error on Share via a custom h264 Compressor Setting:

The footage consists of Multicam clips comprised of one HEVC image + stereo audio file, and one multitrack separate audio file comprised of one stereo and two mono tracks.

The Share exports just fine if I do not change anything in the audio panning mode - at the multi clip level, or at the individual tracks level, does not make a difference.

As soon as I change the default "None" panning mode to "Dialog" Amount 100%, which is what I want, I get this error on Share and the export fails.

This audio panning mode "None" exports just fine every time.

This audio panning mode "Dialogue" 100% fails every time.

This error message is not helpful in tracking the problem. Nothing remarkable happens at frame 312 in my case. It's clearly linked to audio.

Now if I export as ProRes (proxy in my case) it goes through the Sharing with no Error massage, but the export is fucked-up. The image is OK, the audio is thrown out of sync from the beginning and stays out of sync until the end. Damn it!

Final Cut Pro 10.4.10 All Clips Turned Grey In The Timeline

 Final Cut Pro 10.4.10 All Clips Turned Grey In The Timeline, I'm freaking out!!!

It's not Roles that have been disabled (Index, Roles, Checkboxes Off) and it's not the clips that are disabled ("V".)

I'm freaking out for a second. It's the SOLO function!!! Option +"S". I've clicked too fast on the keyboard and activated it by mistake. Option +"S" again and I'm out of solo.

Hufff! Always when you need to go through something fast...

mac os mojave sharing error "The operation can't be completed because the original item for "###.public folder" can't be found"

After a Mojave security upgrade I get this error message trying to connect to a remote Mac:

"The operation can't be completed because the original item for "###.public folder" can't be found"

Deeply annoying since it was working just fine before the update.

I was able to fix it with a few operations:

1) In System Prefs/Network/Advanced/TCP/IP, switch Configure IPv6 from Automatically to Link-local only. (Do that for all connected networks.)

2) Create a new Sharing Test Folder in your user folder, and under System Prefs/Sharing add the test folder to the list of shared folders.

3) Test to remotely connect to the Test Folder. In my case it worked just fine, only the previously created and shared folders didn't work.

4) OK, so now go to the Public folder and whatever folders you used to share but now refused to work and change the permissions. Select the folder, Command+I, in the Sharing and permissions, ADD administrator / read and write, and Apply to enclosed items.

5) Log out and relaunch each computer and voilà! Back in business and able to connect to all my shared folders remotely.

How To Install HP Drivers (on macOS 10.14 Mojave) Without Using HP Smart App

HP is sneaky and pushy. It wants users to install the HP Smart app (terrible app) and forces them to register through it. - Not a good move HP!

I just want to install HP Drivers on my computer, without having to use Smart app (bad name, bad app) and without registering.

HP tries to force you into this, but there is a better option.

1) Download HP Easy Start app

2) Run HP Easy Start

3) Click Accept Conditions and Continue

4) Prepare, Continue

5) Connect, Select Printer, Continue

6) Connect via Wireless or USB, Choose, Continue

7) At which point HP sneakily will tell you to "Install the latest HP Smart software"

DO NOT DO IT! DO NOT click "Get Software"! No thank you HP. 

8) Instead go to Menu / HP Easy Start / and QUIT

All by miracle a small window Appears: Setup Not Complete...

9) Click on "Skip to Software Download"

A new Install window pops up

10) Choose the software to install: Essential Software, Easy Scan, Product Help. Click Continue

Off it goes. You will have to allow the installer to add extensions in the System Preferences/Security

Success! Done deal!!

11) Click Continue, Finally Add and Verify Your Device, Select Switch to HP Drivers, Continue

There, you're all set. No need for the terrible HP Smart app. You are welcome. HP please stop bullying your customers

Final Cut Pro "Incompatible Audio Units Found" Message - Waves Plug-ins

The message: "Incompatible Audio Units Found" with a list of Waves Plug-ins appears at Final Cut Pro launch.

This happened after I installed Waves Plug-ins using Waves Central app, but forgot to license the computer to use these specific plug-ins.

To get rid of the pesky message and validate the plug-ins, first license the plug-ins using Waves Central.

Go to Applications / Waves / Waveshells V11 and run “Waves AU Reg Utility Y 11.app”.

You might have a different version (11, 12 whatever) of Waves plug-ins, and in my case I had 4 of these utilities in the folder (Y = 1,3,6,9), I ran them all.

Go To User / Library / Preferences, and trash "com.apple.audio.infoHelper.plist". Empty The Trash. This will force FCPX to rescan and validate all plug-ins at launch.

But first, Restart the computer.

Re-Launch Final Cut X and be patient while FCPX validates Audio Units.