Where to save

[jmak]

I'm primarily PC, only use my G4 for Final Cut Pro editing, and cannot quite figure out the logic of saving on Macs. It seems there's a lot of places to save and only advice I get is "you can save anywhere".

I wondered if some of you can give me specifics, I have several FCP projects and some seem to be saved in my Movies folder, others in other areas. I partition one HD into OS and Projects, the 2nd HD is strictly media.

Also I have several icons on Desktop of programs I've downloaded or added and if I trash them I find I remove the program as well and have to reinstall.

This is all pretty basic maybe, but a few tips from the converted will help me lots...

 

[Unspeaked]

Usually, icons on your desktop aren't aliases, they're the actual program.

Try and keep these in your Applications folder, so they're all together and not cluttering your desktop.

As far as saving goes, it's true, you really can save anywhere. But Apple tries to organize your home folde rinto catagories (like Music, Movies, Pictures, Documents, etc), so try and keep them organized the way Apple's setup, especially if you're new to the OS.

 

[decksnap]

It seems there's a lot of places to save and only advice I get is "you can save anywhere".

That's all the advice you need. Create your own folders and organization scheme and organize it how you want. Typically people keep their stuff within their own user, but you don't even have to do that.

 

[jmak]

thanks, figured that putting them in apps would be best, but I notice that the icon stays on the desk after it's moved, assuming I can drag it to Trash?

 

[ieani]

thanks, figured that putting them in apps would be best, but I notice that the icon stays on the desk after it's moved, assuming I can drag it to Trash?

as long as its also in the apps folder you can put the desktop icons in the trash.

 

[d wade]

i dont really understand the purpose of this thread.

it's like asking, "where should i put my clothes?"

well, you can put them in a drawer, hang them in a closet, or throw them on the floor.

it's up to you. save your stuff wherever you will remember you put it.

same thing as windows, you don't have to make this a complicated thing. macs are SIMPLE

 

[killmoms]

Sounds like you just need organization help in general, and a little pointer on what you're doing when you download apps.

First, FCP. I suggest keeping Final Cut projects on a separate disk (internal or otherwise), each project in its own folder.

Personally, when I'm setting up for a new project, I:

1. Create a new folder with the name of the project on my external HD where I keep video editing work.
2. Open FCP and go to System Setup to change my Capture Scratch and other scratch disk locations to that new folder.
3. Save the FCP project file to that same directory.

This keeps ALL files (capture, render, waveform, and thumbnails) related to that project organized within ONE folder. If I create other elements in other apps (like effects or audio replacement) I create new folders in the project's folder so that, again, ALL ASSETS are stored in one place. You don't HAVE to do this the same way I do, but I encourage it as a good general practice, since it keeps everything together and easy to find if you have to go back to the project later. It's especially beneficial if anyone other than yourself will ever have to collaborate on a project with you.

As far as apps go, when you download an app, you usually download a disk image, or .dmg file. This is an image that can be mounted and browsed as if it were its own disk. These are not intended to be kept. You "install" the application by copying it from this temporary disk image to your Applications folder (either the one in /Applications, if you want the app to be accessible to all users, or the one in your user's Applications folder, if you only want to use it with that user). Then you can eject the disk image and delete the .dmg file.

If the app comes in a ZIP, StuffIt, or tarball (.tar.gz) archive, usually you'll double-click it to un-compress/archive it. This will create a folder with the archive's contents on the Desktop (or might just spit out an app bundle). You can then move this folder (or app, or any of the folder's contents individually) to the Applications folder of your choice.