Open a project

A project is a .framejob package: one item in the Finder that holds your edit. This page is about opening one you’ve saved. To turn a movie, sound file or picture into a new project, see Start a project.

Menu: File ▸ Open…File ▸ Open Recent ▸File ▸ Open Recent ▸ Clear Menu
Keys: ⌘O
Where: Double-click in the FinderWelcome window ▸ Open Video…Welcome window ▸ RecentA drop on the Dock icon or a window
Agent tools: open_projectrelink_media

Open a saved project

Choose File ▸ Open… (⌘O) and pick the package, or double-click it in the Finder. A double-click on a .framejob always opens it in Frame Job.

The open panel lists projects along with QuickTime, MPEG-4 and M4V files, other movies, and M4A, MP3, WAV, AIFF, PNG, JPEG and HEIC files. Everything but a project opens as a fresh untitled project.

A .fjgraphic isn’t a project, and File ▸ Open… doesn’t list one. See Share a graphic.

Projects from other video editors

Frame Job opens only its own .framejob projects. It can’t read a project file from another video editor, or an XML, EDL or AAF timeline, and it can’t write one. To carry on an edit here, add its media and cut it again. To take a finished edit the other way, export a ProRes master.

Open a recent project

File ▸ Open Recent ▸ lists what you’ve opened lately. Choose one to reopen it. macOS fills the list, and Clear Menu at the foot of it empties it.

The Welcome window shows the five most recent from the same list.

Drop files to open them

Drag from the Finder onto a project window, the Welcome window or the Dock icon. Each file opens as a document of its own:

A .framejob package opens that project.
A media file opens as a fresh untitled project built around it, so several files make several projects.

Only projects and the types File ▸ Open… lists are taken: MOV, MP4, M4V and other movies, M4A, MP3, WAV, AIFF, PNG, JPEG and HEIC. Anything else is ignored, with one exception: a .fjgraphic dropped on the Dock icon goes to the Import Graphic sheet.

Open a project that’s already open

Opening a saved project that’s already open brings its window forward. It doesn’t open a second copy.

That’s for saved projects. A movie opened as an untitled project has no file of its own yet, so opening the same movie again makes a second untitled project.

Open a project from another version

A project saved by any earlier version of Frame Job opens. It’s brought up to the current format as it opens, and the next save writes it in the current format.

A project saved by a newer Frame Job won’t open. The message gives both versions and asks you to update:

project format version N is newer than this build understands (version M); update Frame Job to open it

When a project won’t open

A damaged project, or one holding values out of range, fails to open with a message naming the problem. The package isn’t rewritten, so a failed open costs you nothing.

The message says	What it means
“name does not contain a readable project.json.”	The edit file inside the package is missing, is a folder or a broken link, or can’t be read as text.
“project json is not valid json: …”	The edit file is damaged.
“project json does not match the schema: …”	The edit file holds something Frame Job can’t read as a project.

Filmstrips, waveforms and the like inside the package are never needed to open it. A missing or damaged one is made again. See Troubleshooting.

Open a project with missing files

A project always opens, even if its files have moved. The clips keep their place on the timeline and show a slate until the files are found, and the Missing media sheet appears once, when the window first opens. You can close it and go on working, and use Relink… on the Media tab later.

A project with consolidated media finds the copies in its own package again after the package moves, with nothing for you to do.

See Relink missing media.

With an agent

open_project takes a path, absolute or starting with ~, to a project, movie, sound file or picture. When that file is already open it brings the window forward and returns already_open: true. Unlike a person’s open:

It recognises a movie already open as an untitled project, and brings that window forward instead of making a second one.
It never asks the ffmpeg question.

See Tools: projects and history.