Final Cut Pro is a processor-intensive application. Not only does rendering in real-time take a considerable amount of your CPU’s power, so does capturing video. You don’t want to drop any frames when capturing because your Mac was busy checking your appointments in the background.

It’s recommended that you quit any software applications that might take processor power away from Final Cut Pro which includes Mail, iCal, and even Safari. If you’re like me, your menu bar has other software running like Plaxo, Nokia Multimedia Transfer, iGTD, Mozy, and a few others.

Before loading FCP I’ll manually close those applications and re-open them when done but there’s a better way using AppleScript. I whipped up a script to automate the process and here’s how it works.

• Modify the list variable to include the names of your applications to stop/start
• Save, compile, and run the script
• Click Stop and any open apps are told to quit; if one of them is already closed the script moves to the next app
• Click Start and any closed apps are told to open; if one of them is already open the script moves to the next app

This script is written to ignore any errors that might manifest themselves. I can’t imagine anything serious would arise from an Open or Quit command but keep this in mind.

Visit the Downloads page to grab the AppleScript.

Related posts:

• Downloads
• Stop the squeal from your new disc brakes
• Final Cut Pro projects won’t open when files are inaccessible
• Reboot a Mac? Oh yeah.
• Using markers to create subclips in Final Cut Pro

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