Three easy steps

Open the project into Final Cut Pro 7. Choose the File menu and from the Export submenu, select XML... Choose Apple XML Interchange Format, version 5, then name and save the XML file. If you have Final Cut Pro X and Final Cut Pro 7 installed on different Macs or partitions, save the XML file to an external storage device.
Run Final Cut Pro X and select the external storage device in the Event Library where you want the new Event to be created.
To translate the project either:
- run 7toX and use the open dialog to locate your exported XML file;
- drag-and-drop the XML file onto the 7toX application icon; or
- right-click on the XML file in Finder and choose Open With > 7toX for Final Cut Pro from the contextual menu.

7toX displays a progress bar during translation and, when completed, adds the new Event to the selected Event Library. It may take some time for a large project to translate and import into Final Cut Pro X.

The new Event contains clips for each media file and compound clips representing each original sequence. Importing media using XML obeys the Import preference setting. If you don’t want media files added to the new Event, turn off the Copy files to Final Cut Events folder checkbox in the Import panel of Final Cut Pro X’s Preferences.

For clips, keywords are added to the entire clip or a range (for subclips) representing the bins the clip or subclip was inside. Log notes and comments for a clip or subclip are added to the keyword's Notes field. If the clip or subclip was marked Good then the clip or range is rated as Favorite.

Each compound clip is added to the Keyword Collection called “FCP7 Sequences” in the event. Compound clips can be opened in a timeline or added to a Project’s timeline. To create a new project from the compound clip, add it to the project, select the compound clip and choose Clip > Break Apart Clip Items to “unnest” the compound clip.

In the compound clip’s timeline, video clips are always connected above the Primary Storyline and audio clips are always below it. Each clip is assigned a Role representing its original track position. The easiest way to find clips that were in a particular track is to open the Timeline Index (Window > Show Timeline Index) and click the Roles button. Then click on the track name to have those clips highlighted in the timeline.

So that you are fully aware of what may be different between your Final Cut Pro sequence and your Final Cut Pro X timeline, 7toX adds red to-do markers to items that draw your attention to what has changed or been substituted. The easiest way to view these markers is to open the Timeline Index and click the Tags button. As you review these substitutions you can change each marker to completed by clicking on the red checkbox in the Timeline Index.

IMPORTANT: 7toX translates Final Cut Pro XML from one version to another. It does not work with project files, so you will need access to an application that exports Final Cut Pro XML (such as Final Cut Pro 7 or 6, Premiere Pro CS6, etc.) to export the XML representation of your project.

Before exporting XML for 7toX

If necessary, consolidate media to an external drive and reconnect any unconnected media before exporting XML.

If you have Motion Projects (either from Motion Templates, or custom Motion Projects) in any sequences, render a video from Motion (or Final Cut Pro 7) and replace the Motion Project with the rendered file. See note under Enhancing the Translation for bringing an updated Motion Project into your new Final Cut Pro X Project.

If you have Livetype Projects, render a video from Livetype (or Final Cut Pro 7) and replace the Livetype Project with the rendered file. Livetype projects cannot be updated or imported to Final Cut Pro X.

Export Freeze Frames as still images and replace the Freeze Frame with the still by importing and replacing the Freeze Frame in a Sequence or Bin. Freeze Frames will be converted to a placeholder clip with references to the original media under the playhead displayed in the To Do Marker notes.

Exporting XML from Final Cut Pro 6 or Premiere Pro

Open the project into Final Cut Pro 6. Choose the File menu and from the Export submenu, select XML... Choose Apple XML Interchange Format, version 4, then name and save the XML file.

Open the project into Premiere Pro. Choose the File menu and from the Export submenu, select Final Cut Pro XML..., then name and save the XML file. (Premiere Pro exports XML Interchange Format version 4.)

Workflow Options

Translating a Final Cut Pro Project

To translate a full Final Cut Pro project:

Make sure there is nothing selected in the Browser;
Choose the File menu and from the Export submenu select XML…

When imported into Final Cut Pro X after translation, the bins will be translated to keyword collections, based on the bin name. Log notes and other metadata will be in the Notes field for each clip. There will be a keyword collection for “FCP 7 Sequences” where all sequences from the Final Cut Pro Project will have been translated to Compound Clips. (See note on converting Compound Clips to Projects under the Enhancing the Translation heading.)

Translating a Sequence

If you only need a single sequence translated:

Select the Sequence in the Bin or Browser;
Choose the File menu and from the Export submenu select XML…

The sequence will be translated to a Compound Clip and the Event will contain references to the media files used in the sequence. Clip names and metadata in the Browser are not translated into the Event. Export the full project to retain original clip names and metadata.

Translating Browser Clips and Bins

If you wish to translate clips without sequences:

Select the Bins and Clips in the Browser
Choose the File menu and from the Export submenu select XML…

When imported to Final Cut Pro X after translation, the bins will be translated to keyword collections, based on the bin name. Log notes and other metadata will be in the Notes field for each clip.

What translates?

Essentially, all standard features translate perfectly. Here’s a list of what happens during translation.

Projects

Each clip becomes a clip in the Event Browser. Bin structure is translated by adding Keywords to the clip or range (for subclips) representing the bins each clip or subclip was inside. Clips and subclips marked as Good become rated as Favorite.
Final Cut Pro Sequences are converted to Compound Clips and added to the Event. In the Event they have the keyword “FCP 7 Sequences” so they can be easily found. (See note on converting Compound Clips to Projects under the Enhancing the Translation heading.)
Reel, Scene and Shot/Take are added to the clip’s Reel, Scene and Take fields, while other log notes and comments are added to the clip’s Notes field.

Sequences

The starting timecode and sequence settings are maintained.
Clips on track V1 are added to the primary storyline.
Clips on other tracks become connected to primary storyline clips as connected clips or in secondary storylines. Video clips are connected above the primary storyline and audio-only clips are connected below the primary storyline.
Roles are applied representing the original track layout.
Nested Sequences are translated to Compound Clips.
Multiclips are translated to Final Cut Pro X Multiclips.
Timecode format for individual clips is maintained.
Reel, Scene and Shot/Take are added to the clip’s Reel, Scene and Take fields, while other log notes and comments are added to the clip’s Notes field.
The active/inactive state of each clip and track is maintained.
Mixed format sequences are translated.
Split edits (J/L cuts) are maintained.
Audio levels, audio level keyframes, audio pan and audio pan keyframes are maintained.
Video clips linked to a different audio clip (such as Merged clips) are converted to compound clips.
Motion tab settings (Scale, Rotation, Center), Crop, Distort, Opacity, Drop Shadow and Composite Modes are translated to Transform (Scale, Rotation, Position), Crop, Distort, Compositing Opacity, Drop Shadow effect and Compositing Blend Modes.
- Motion tab settings keyframes are preserved for all properties.
- Motion tab Anchor and Motion Blur adjustments are ignored.
- Add, Subtract, Difference, Multiply, Screen, Overlay, Hard Light, Soft Light, Darken and Lighten composite modes become their equivalents in Final Cut Pro X.
Constant speed changes are maintained.
Clip markers become blue markers and the marker comment is added to the Notes field (which is available in the Timeline Index).
Layered Photoshop files are maintained, including the visibility and position of the original layers.
PICT files are not supported in Final Cut Pro X so these are automatically converted to high resolution TIFF files. The Final Cut Pro X Event will be linked to the TIFF files. The TIFF files are saved in the same folder as the original PICT files.
31 Transitions are substituted with matching transitions:
- Cross Dissolve, Band Wipe, Center Wipe, Checkerboard Wipe, Clock Wipe, Cross Iris, Cross Zoom, Cube Spin, Dip to Color Dissolve, Edge Wipe, Fade In Fade Out Dissolve, Gradient Wipe, Implode, Inset Wipe, Iris, Matrix Wipe, Multi Spin Slide, Oval Iris, Page Peel, Point Iris, Push Slide, Radial, Random Edge Wipe, Rectangle Iris, Ripple Dissolve, Slide, Spin Slide, Spinback3D, Swap Slide and Swing transitions are substituted with equivalents; other transitions become Cross Dissolve; audio transitions become Cross Fades.
Each Slug becomes a solid black custom generator called “Slug”.
The Gradient generator is translated to the Gradient effect.
72 video FxPlug and FXScript filters are substituted with matching effects; the filter's enabled state is maintained; and to-do markers report the substitution and the enabled state, e.g. “Gaussian Blur → Gaussian (enabled)”:
- Circle Blur, Defocus, Soft Focus, Directional Blur, Gaussian Blur, Prism, Radial Blur, Zoom Blur, Basic Border, Eight-Point Garbage Matte, Four-Point Garbage Matte, Simple Border, Droplet, Whirlpool, Earthquake, Fisheye, Fun House, Insect Eye, Scrape, Slit Scan, Wave, Outer Glow, Overdrive, Desaturate, HSV Adjust, Sepia, Tint, Broadcast Safe, Blue/Green Screen, Chroma Keyer, Color Key, Luma Key, Image Mask, Mask Feather, Mask Shape, Widescreen, Flop, Mirror, Sharpen, Unsharp Mask, Add Noise, Bad Film, Bad TV, Circles, Crystallize, Edge Work, Hatched Screen, Posterize, Replicate, Vignette, Kaleidoscope, Kaleidotile, Trails, WideTime, Strobe and Viewfinder filters are replaced with equivalent or similar Final Cut Pro X effects.
32 audio filters are substituted with matching effects; the filter's enabled state is maintained; and to-do markers report the substitution:
- AUBandpass, Band Pass Filter, AUDelay, AUDistortion, AUDynamicsProcessor, AUFilter, AUGraphicEQ, AUHighShelfFilter, High Shelf Filter, AUHipass, High Pass Filter, AULowpass, Low Pass Filter, AULowShelfFilter, Low Shelf Filter, AUMultibandCompressor, AUNetSend, AUParametricEQ, DC Notch, Notch Filter, Parametric Equalizer, AUPeakLimiter, AUPitch, AURogerBeep, AUSampleDelay, 3 Band Equalizer, Echo, Expander/Noise Gate, Gain, Reverberation, Vocal DeEsser and Compressor/Limiter filters are replaced with equivalent or similar Final Cut Pro X effects.

What loses something in translation?

The translation from Final Cut Pro sequence to Final Cut Pro X timeline isn’t perfect. Here’s a list of what gets “lost in translation.”

Custom sequence frame sizes are changed to a nearest equivalent supported size (and a to-do marker is added to the first video clip).
Text and Outline Text titles becomes Custom; Lower Third becomes Middle; Scrolling Text becomes Scrolling; Crawl becomes Ticker; and Typewriter becomes Typewriter. Font, size and color information does not transfer.
Sequence markers become markers on a clip in the primary storyline at the same point in the timeline. Sequence chapter markers become chapter markers on a clip in the primary storyline at the same point in the timeline.
Surround sound clips will import with multiple mono audio tracks. (See note on converting Multiple Mono to Surround Sound under the Enhancing the Translation heading.)
Keyframed speed changes are converted to a constant speed change that maintains the duration of the original clip and uses the average speed of the clip.
Generators (other than Color, Color Solid, Gradient, Circle, Oval, Rectangle and Square generators) become a solid black custom generator named after the Final Cut Pro generator.

What doesn’t get translated?

Merged clips from dual system workflows without matching timecode. (The work-around is to unlink the video from the audio, and the translation will happen correctly as connected audio clips.)
Motion Project clips become a solid black custom generator named after the Motion clip. See the note under Enhancing the Translation on bringing Motion Projects forward.
If Media is offline the clip is replaced with a black custom generator and marked with a "Media Offline" to-do marker and the clip is not added to the Event. The to-do marker has the file path to the offline media added to the marker's name.
Sequence markers are ignored as there is no equivalent in Final Cut Pro X.
Freeze frames (see Before exporting XML for 7toX).
Boris Calligraphy titles become a solid black custom generator named after its original item name.
Transition settings — transitions have their default settings in Final Cut Pro X.
Color Corrector and Color Corrector 3-way filters.
Filter settings — effects have their default settings in Final Cut Pro X.
Motion Blur adjustments are ignored because there is no equivalent in Final Cut Pro X.
Travel Matte — Alpha and Travel Matte — Luma composite modes.

Enhancing the translation

Updating Motion Projects

As mentioned above, before exporting XML from Final Cut Pro for translation, you will have exported Motion Projects as self contained movies, and replaced those in Final Cut Pro before the translation to Final Cut Pro X. This creates flattened, uneditable versions of the originals. Motion 4 projects can be updated and incorporated into the new Final Cut Pro X Project.

To update:

Open the Motion 4 Project in Motion 5.
Decide what parameters you want to edit in Final Cut Pro X, and “Publish” those parameters, by selecting Publish from the small pulldown menu to the right of each parameter in the Inspector.
Publish the Project as a Final Cut Pro Generator. Create a new category to make it easier to find among Final Cut Pro X’s Generators.
Inside Final Cut Pro X replace the old Motion 4 Project’s placeholder clip with the new Generator, and customize the settings you published.

Using Compound Clips in Final Cut Pro X

7toX converts every Final Cut Pro Sequence to a Compound Clip within the Event representing the Final Cut Pro Project. There are three ways you can use the Compound Clip within Final Cut Pro X:

Create a Project from the Compound Clip. This is the most like a Final Cut Pro 7 Sequence.
- Add the Compound to a New Project, and choose Clip > Break Apart Clip Items (or Shift-Command-G) to “unnest” the compound clip. This creates the equivalent of a Final Cut Pro 7 Sequence as a Final Cut Pro X Project.
- The link to the Compound Clip in the Event is broken. The Project is completely independent of the Compound Clip in the Event.
Use the Compound Clip in one or more Projects. This is most like working with a Nested Sequence in Final Cut Pro 7.
- Select the Compound Clip and edit into one or more Projects. Do not break apart clip items.
- Every instance of the Compound Clip updates with any changes. Changes made to the Compound Clip in the Event or Project are also made to every instance of that Compound Clip in any Projects. It live updates.
Open the Compound Clip in its own Timeline — great if you just want to copy out a section to paste into a new Project.
- Changes made to the Compound Clip in the Event are also made to every instance of that Compound Clip in any Projects. It live updates.

Changing the connection point

While reviewing the timeline you may want to change the Primary Storyline clip that a connected clip or Secondary Storyline is connected to. See “Adjust the connection point of a connected clip” at http://help.apple.com/finalcutpro for details.

Convert Multi-mono to Surround Sound.

To convert the multiple mono imports that are translated from surround sound in Final Cut Pro back to surround sound:

Select the clip in the Event or Project;
In the Inspector select the audio pane;
From the Channel Configuration pop-up menu, select Surround Sound.

Known issues

Clips in the Event use the original media files. If the clips show the “missing proxy file” warning icon then your Playback preferences are set to “Use proxy media”. Change the Playback preference to Use original or optimized media instead.
Photoshop files aren't added to the Event browser.
Formats that aren’t supported by Final Cut Pro X (such as AVI and MXF) won’t import into Final Cut Pro X.
Multiple mono audio clips, where some tracks have been removed, will translate without those tracks and show only the active audio tracks.
Video crossfade also adds audio crossfade to A/V clips.
Audio-only transitions on A/V clips are not applied.
Audio files with an odd number of tracks display an incorrect Channel Configuration.
Speed changed clips may have their in/out points slipped by a frame or two.
On Snow Leopard, Final Cut Pro X should be running before importing the translation into Final Cut Pro X or double-clicking a .fcpxml file. If not you may get an error message that the “Event is already open with the same identifier as Event, so the second document cannot be opened.”
If Final Cut Pro displays an error message containing Final Cut Pro cannot open files in the “XML text” format then you need to upgrade your version of Final Cut Pro X.

Requirements:

Final Cut Pro version 10.0.6 or later
An application that exports Final Cut Pro XML (such as Final Cut Pro 7 or 6, Premiere Pro CS6 etc.)
OS X 10.8 “Mountain Lion” or OS X 10.7 “Lion” or OS X 10.6 “Snow Leopard”