Why can't FC save the folder locations set for render files?

Question

I wrongly assumed that when you go to system settings to select the scratch disks (root folder where all the audio and video render folders and files go, capture files, etc.) that Final Cut would save the folder locations within the FC project you are working in. Makes total sense, but for reasons I don't understand, FC does NOT save these folder locations and the result is that I have render files scattered all over the place on my hard drive and it is quite a mess! Fortunately, the project file remembers where it put the render files, so as long as you don't remove or rename any project folders, everything shows up rendered on the time line as it should. The problem is, if I'm working on several projects at once, I have to reset the scratch disks every time I reopen a project, otherwise the program will save it to the last scratch location selected and put all of the render files in another project's folder. I often forget to reset the scratch disks when I'm busy and now I have render files mixed up in various project folders.
Why can't you just set the scratch disks one time when you first set up the project and have the project always remember that location, instead of always having to reset them every time you reopen a project. I love Final Cut, but this is a product defect that should be addressed and corrected. If the project file can remember where it is putting all the render files, it should also be capable of remembering the scratch disk locations you originally selected when you first set up the project or better yet, save it to the project's root folder by default. Am I missing something here?

Answer 1

As MtD describes, FCP sets file locations for ALL projects at the system level.  It may help to organize things this way so your files don't end up scattered across multiple locations.
Save the project files to your User folder on the boot drive.
For all the other files FCP creates, set them on a non-boot drive similar to this:
Media Drive
----->FCP Documents
---------->Autosave Vault
---------------->Acme Widgets Demo (sample project name)
---------------->Grass Valley Music Video (sample project name)
---------------->Jen's Wedding (sample project name)
---------->Audio Render Files
---------------->Acme Widgets Demo (sample project name)
---------------->Grass Valley Music Video (sample project name)
---------------->Jen's Wedding (sample project name)
---------->Capture Scratch
---------------->Acme Widgets Demo (sample project name)
---------------->Grass Valley Music Video (sample project name)
---------------->Jen's Wedding (sample project name)
----------->Render Files
---------------->Acme Widgets Demo (sample project name)
---------------->Grass Valley Music Video (sample project name)
---------------->Jen's Wedding (sample project name)
----------->Waveform Cache
Of course, you can choose to keep renders or the Autosave Vault folder on other drives ... just keep them off your boot drive.  It may not be the way you're use to working, but it's worked well for me the past 14 years.  When you finish with a project and ready to delete the associate files, just go to your media drive and delete folders bearing the project's name.
-DH