Tracks don't come into ProTools properly from compound clips

Thank you for the explanation James. Reconfiguring mono to stereo in ProTools does not take too long since we usually have only a dozen-ish music tracks. So when deciding on where to spend developer time, I'd prefer it be on fixing AAFs not being created properly if there are compounds.

Thanks,
-Terry

Dear Terryb

We use Apple's AV Foundation to extract the audio data from the source media referenced in the XML/MLD, and it pulls each out separately, and we therefore write them into the AAF as separate channels (mono).

Hope that answers your question.

Yours Sincerely

James

Hi Daniel,

Thank you for your quick response. To recap, the two fcpxmls are from essentially the same project, one with compounds and a duplicate where the compounds have been broken apart. The project without compounds correctly lays out all the tracks in ProTools. The one with compounds does not. So based on this and what you're saying, it appears compounds cause X2Pro to become confused about the number of ProTools tracks needed.

Moving forward I will add the extra steps of duplicating the project and breaking apart all compounds for X2Pro. I think this limitation should be included in the FAQ and docs.

Just curious, is the inability to carry stereo files a limitation of the AAF spec?

Hi Terry,

After looking at the xmls it looks to be how X2Pro works. We put the audio in the AAF file in a specific way to try and minimise the number of tracks that are created in Pro Tools. As for the stereo issue. There currently isn't a way to keep it as stereo, we always split the tracks into two separate mono tracks.

Hi Daniel. I just sent you a zip of the fcpxmls via Filemail.

Thanks,
-Terry

Hi Terry,

It doesn't look like the fcpxmls uploaded, they might be too large to be uploaded to the forum. I will send you an email so you can forward them that way.

We create a compound clip of each segment of our 2 hour programs. All audio has been assigned music, effects or one of a dozen dialog subroles--one for each interviewee and actor. When ProTools imports the X2Pro AAF, the tracks are jumbled and overlapping.

From my ProTools guy:
"The talking heads, all on one track" See attachment All interviews on one track.png

"Here the dialog between the two in the office jumps between tracks. They also occupy the same track as the previous talking heads (A11)" See attachment Office scenario.png

"The classroom Q&A occupies the same tracks (A11 & A12) as earlier dialog. Also, the attendees are often on the same track as the moderator." See attachment Classroom.png

"Music files (that are set as stereo in FCP) come across as center-panned, split mono."

X2Pro Roles are set to "Keep sub-roles separate"

Pro Tools 2021.6.0.101, Mac OS 10.15.7
FCP 10.5.4, MacOS 10.15.7
X2Pro 4.5.7

Interestingly, when I created a shorter, test version of the project, broke apart the compound clips, exported an XML and created an AAF with X2Pro, all tracks came across into ProTools properly. The only exception was the music was still split mono.

Is there an X2Pro workflow that will allow us to maintain our video edit workflow using compound clips? I realize I can duplicate the project, break apart all the compounds, and use that to create the AAF, but I'd rather not have to duplicate projects. They're large.

Finally, is there a way to force the music tracks to come across to ProTools as stereo?

I attached a zip of the two fcpxml files totaling 158MB, but I'm not sure it's being uploaded.