Preparing the Project

For this project, you will save custom layouts and change user preferences. Before launching Final Cut Pro, let's see where these files will be saved.

1.	Open a Finder window on your Desktop and navigate this path: Macintosh HD > Users > [user name] > Library > Preferences > Final Cut Pro User Data. This is where all Final Cut Pro customized layouts, preferences, and even plug-ins for the current user are saved. If another user has been set up on this computer, that user's preferences and layouts would appear when they log in and launch the application.
2.	Launch Final Cut Pro, and choose File > Open, or press Cmd-O. Select the Lesson 8 Project file from the Lessons folder on your hard drive.
3.	Close any other projects that may be open from a previous session by Ctrl-clicking their name tabs in the Browser and choosing Close Tab from the shortcut menu. There are no open sequences in Lesson 8 Project, so the Timeline and Canvas windows do not appear when other projects are closed.