Export layered PSD for Final Cut Pro X?

Talk about Pixelmator Pro, share tips & tricks, tutorials, and other resources.
User avatar

2020-06-12 00:32:56

I just bought Pixelmator Pro, after trying it out and using it to create some titles that I imported into Final Cut X.

BUT I also thought it was going to be able to create layered Photoshop files for import into Final Cut X, but FCPX doesn't like the files PP creates - they get flattened into a single image instead of coming in as a layered Photoshop file!

I tried setting my image to various RGB formats (sRGB, Adobe RGB, and Apple RGB) and kept them at 8 bit (which is what Final Cut requires)... but none of my images work.

I have opened the exported PSD's into GIMP just to see how they look, and there's all the layers, just like they should be.

The alternative solution of exporting the layers individually from pixelmator and then importing those to FCP doesn't work, because I lose my layer settings, and the sizing of each element gets lost as well... so I have to redesign the whole image in FCPX again.

Anyone know how to solve this?
User avatar

2020-06-12 18:21:58

Aha! Got help from https://discussions.apple.com/profile/Tom+Wolsky at the Apple Support Community, who got me to delete an empty layer in the PXD project before exporting.

BTW I was able to export a PSD from Pixelmator Pro, open it in GIMP, export from there, and that second export would give me a usable file for FCPX.
User avatar

2020-06-16 10:12:34

Hey there, apologies for the slow reply (we're working on a few big pieces of news this week), but could you maybe share a sample PXD file with us? You can upload it to upload.pixelmator.com, then copy and paste the link in your reply here. Or, if you prefer, you can email it straight to me at andriusg@pixelmator.com. Thanks in advance!
User avatar

2020-06-16 16:08:43

Hey there! As I say it worked eventually (see my reply). But here’s one that didn’t work:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/eqe0oqnzn519q ... 8.psd?dl=0

And here that same file after opening in GIMP and exporting again as PSD with no deliberate changes:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/t7zcxxvoewzh4 ... p.psd?dl=0
User avatar

2020-06-17 08:54:00

Awesome, thanks for the files — reproduced! I can see this doesn't happen with all layered PSDs exported from Pixelmator Pro, though. Have other layered PSDs worked for you? Or is this the only one you've tried?
User avatar

2020-06-17 14:26:44

This is the only one that failed. Plenty of files have worked in the past.

As you can see above, I solved it by deleting the empty layer before export.
User avatar

2020-07-09 20:40:45

I had a similar issue. But mine arose when editing the layers. I staggered the "reveal" of the PSD lavers. Then tried to put transitions on each of the reveals. FCP instantly rendered and flattened the PSD and I could no longer get to the layers. Have any of you tried this? Have you had the same experience?

Vince
User avatar

2020-08-06 11:42:01

I just removed those layer "group folders" so that you have only elements left and then exported PSD file (you have to select all necessary layers and drag them upon 'folders', then select and delete folders).
Image
I did this to have compatible PSD file for use in Apple Motion and it works perfectly – Motion recognizes all layers and they are correctly imported as separate layers in Motion.

BTW for all the Apple users there is a nice workaround if you [typically] get *.eps file but don't have Adobe's software but need to use that file in Apple FCPX or Motion. 1) I use https://convertio.co to convert *.eps file to *.svg file. 2) Then I open *.svg file in Pixelmator Pro, and export it as PSD file.