Saved AUP is Blank when Opened

I’m an experienced Audacity user. LOVE the program, and have used it for years.

Usually I import my file, edit as needed, and export the file without a need to save AUPs.

Recently, I started saving projects. I’ve done about 20-25 so far. I was saving them to the default directory, which was Win user specific. I moved the saving location to Public Music.

The last few new projects “disappear.” I open the AUP, and it shows only a blue line.

As I make the project (a recording) I see the entire wave form before saving, I listen to it being made. I sample it after recording. I watch it save. When I open the file, nothing is there. At the directory level, I see the AUP file, and the AUP directory for the project. Inside, I see the sub-directories. Note: the save location is not the software’s default location.

If I have made an export, I can import it and save again. If I have not made an export…is everything gone? How do I see the waveform?

“Show Log” is below.

Win 10, Aud 2.1.2

Log.txt:
13:12:36: Audacity 2.1.2
13:12:36: Trying to load FFmpeg libraries...
13:12:36: Trying to load FFmpeg libraries from system paths. File name is 'avformat-55.dll'.
13:12:36: Looking up PATH environment variable...
13:12:36: PATH = 'C:\Program Files (x86)\Intel\iCLS Client\;C:\Program Files\Intel\iCLS Client\;C:\Windows\system32;C:\Windows;C:\Windows\System32\Wbem;C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\;C:\Program Files (x86)\NVIDIA Corporation\PhysX\Common;C:\Program Files (x86)\Intel\Intel(R) Management Engine Components\DAL;C:\Program Files\Intel\Intel(R) Management Engine Components\DAL;C:\Program Files (x86)\Intel\Intel(R) Management Engine Components\IPT;C:\Program Files\Intel\Intel(R) Management Engine Components\IPT;C:\WINDOWS\system32;C:\WINDOWS;C:\WINDOWS\System32\Wbem;C:\WINDOWS\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\;C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SQL Server\90\Tools\binn\;C:\Program Files\Intel\WiFi\bin\;C:\Program Files\Common Files\Intel\WirelessCommon\;C:\Users\Tom\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WindowsApps;'
13:12:36: Checking that '' is in PATH...
13:12:36: FFmpeg directory is in PATH.
13:12:36: Checking for monolithic avformat from 'avformat-55.dll'.
13:12:36: Error: Failed to load shared library 'avformat-55.dll' (error 126: the specified module could not be found.)
13:12:36: Loading avutil from ''.
13:12:36: Error: Failed to load shared library '.dll' (error 126: the specified module could not be found.)
13:12:36: Loading avcodec from ''.
13:12:36: Error: Failed to load shared library '.dll' (error 126: the specified module could not be found.)
13:12:36: Loading avformat from 'avformat-55.dll'.
13:12:36: Error: Failed to load shared library 'avformat-55.dll' (error 126: the specified module could not be found.)
13:12:36: Error: Failed to load FFmpeg libraries.
13:12:36: Error: Failed to find compatible FFmpeg libraries.
13:13:01: Error: can't open file 'C:\Users\Public\Music\Audacity Projects\20170429 Tracks #58 hr 1 & 2 _data\e00\d0a\e000ad1c.au' (error 5: access is denied.)
13:13:01: Error: can't open file 'C:\Users\Public\Music\Audacity Projects\20170429 Tracks #58 hr 1 & 2 _data\e00\d0a\e000a9b8.au' (error 5: access is denied.)
13:13:01: Error: can't open file 'C:\Users\Public\Music\Audacity Projects\20170429 Tracks #58 hr 1 & 2 _data\e00\d0a\e000a167.au' (error 5: access is denied.)
13:13:01: Error: can't open file 'C:\Users\Public\Music\Audacity Projects\20170429 Tracks #58 hr 1 & 2 _data\e00\d0a\e000afb3.au' (error 5: access is denied.)
13:13:40: Error: Directory 'C:\Users\Public\Music\Audacity Projects\20170429 Tracks #58 hr 1 & 2 _data\e00\d00' couldn't be deleted (error 145: the directory is not empty.)
13:13:40: Error: Directory 'C:\Users\Public\Music\Audacity Projects\20170429 Tracks #58 hr 1 & 2 _data\e00\d01' couldn't be deleted (error 145: the directory is not empty.)
13:13:40: Error: Directory 'C:\Users\Public\Music\Audacity Projects\20170429 Tracks #58 hr 1 & 2 _data\e00\d02' couldn't be deleted (error 145: the directory is not empty.)
13:13:40: Error: Directory 'C:\Users\Public\Music\Audacity Projects\20170429 Tracks #58 hr 1 & 2 _data\e00\d03' couldn't be deleted (error 145: the directory is not empty.)
13:13:40: Error: Directory 'C:\Users\Public\Music\Audacity Projects\20170429 Tracks #58 hr 1 & 2 _data\e00\d04' couldn't be deleted (error 145: the directory is not empty.)
13:13:40: Error: Directory 'C:\Users\Public\Music\Audacity Projects\20170429 Tracks #58 hr 1 & 2 _data\e00\d05' couldn't be deleted (error 145: the directory is not empty.)
13:13:40: Error: Directory 'C:\Users\Public\Music\Audacity Projects\20170429 Tracks #58 hr 1 & 2 _data\e00\d06' couldn't be deleted (error 145: the directory is not empty.)
13:13:40: Error: Directory 'C:\Users\Public\Music\Audacity Projects\20170429 Tracks #58 hr 1 & 2 _data\e00\d07' couldn't be deleted (error 145: the directory is not empty.)
13:13:40: Error: Directory 'C:\Users\Public\Music\Audacity Projects\20170429 Tracks #58 hr 1 & 2 _data\e00\d08' couldn't be deleted (error 145: the directory is not empty.)
13:13:40: Error: Directory 'C:\Users\Public\Music\Audacity Projects\20170429 Tracks #58 hr 1 & 2 _data\e00\d09' couldn't be deleted (error 145: the directory is not empty.)
13:13:40: Error: Directory 'C:\Users\Public\Music\Audacity Projects\20170429 Tracks #58 hr 1 & 2 _data\e00\d0a' couldn't be deleted (error 145: the directory is not empty.)
13:13:40: Error: Directory 'C:\Users\Public\Music\Audacity Projects\20170429 Tracks #58 hr 1 & 2 _data\e00' couldn't be deleted (error 145: the directory is not empty.)
13:13:52: Error: can't open file 'C:\Users\Public\Music\Audacity Projects\20170513 Tracks hr 1& 2_data\e00\d00\e0000c79.au' (error 5: access is denied.)
13:13:52: Error: can't open file 'C:\Users\Public\Music\Audacity Projects\20170513 Tracks hr 1& 2_data\e00\d00\e0000ff2.au' (error 5: access is denied.)
13:13:52: Error: can't open file 'C:\Users\Public\Music\Audacity Projects\20170513 Tracks hr 1& 2_data\e00\d00\e0000d7f.au' (error 5: access is denied.)
13:13:52: Error: can't open file 'C:\Users\Public\Music\Audacity Projects\20170513 Tracks hr 1& 2_data\e00\d00\e0000ffe.au' (error 5: access is denied.)
13:14:36: Error: Directory 'C:\Users\Public\Music\Audacity Projects\20170513 Tracks hr 1& 2_data\e00\d00' couldn't be deleted (error 145: the directory is not empty.)
13:14:36: Error: Directory 'C:\Users\Public\Music\Audacity Projects\20170513 Tracks hr 1& 2_data\e00\d01' couldn't be deleted (error 145: the directory is not empty.)
13:14:36: Error: Directory 'C:\Users\Public\Music\Audacity Projects\20170513 Tracks hr 1& 2_data\e00\d02' couldn't be deleted (error 145: the directory is not empty.)
13:14:36: Error: Directory 'C:\Users\Public\Music\Audacity Projects\20170513 Tracks hr 1& 2_data\e00\d03' couldn't be deleted (error 145: the directory is not empty.)
13:14:36: Error: Directory 'C:\Users\Public\Music\Audacity Projects\20170513 Tracks hr 1& 2_data\e00\d04' couldn't be deleted (error 145: the directory is not empty.)
13:14:36: Error: Directory 'C:\Users\Public\Music\Audacity Projects\20170513 Tracks hr 1& 2_data\e00\d05' couldn't be deleted (error 145: the directory is not empty.)
13:14:36: Error: Directory 'C:\Users\Public\Music\Audacity Projects\20170513 Tracks hr 1& 2_data\e00\d06' couldn't be deleted (error 145: the directory is not empty.)
13:14:36: Error: Directory 'C:\Users\Public\Music\Audacity Projects\20170513 Tracks hr 1& 2_data\e00\d07' couldn't be deleted (error 145: the directory is not empty.)
13:14:36: Error: Directory 'C:\Users\Public\Music\Audacity Projects\20170513 Tracks hr 1& 2_data\e00\d08' couldn't be deleted (error 145: the directory is not empty.)
13:14:36: Error: Directory 'C:\Users\Public\Music\Audacity Projects\20170513 Tracks hr 1& 2_data\e00\d09' couldn't be deleted (error 145: the directory is not empty.)
13:14:36: Error: Directory 'C:\Users\Public\Music\Audacity Projects\20170513 Tracks hr 1& 2_data\e00\d0a' couldn't be deleted (error 145: the directory is not empty.)
13:14:36: Error: Directory 'C:\Users\Public\Music\Audacity Projects\20170513 Tracks hr 1& 2_data\e00' couldn't be deleted (error 145: the directory is not empty.)

Recently, I started saving projects.

Exclusively?

I moved the saving location to Public Music.

Is that still on your machine? Is it a shared drive or directory?

Your show looks like this, right?

Open the AUP file in a text editor (don’t save anything). Is it blank?

Koz

One more. Is the show length correct? You recorded 43 minutes and the flat blue line is 43 minutes long?

Koz

Usually, I export to WAV or MP3. Yesterday I did not.

“Audacity Projects” is on the hard drive. It is a subdirectory of Public Music, as the log indicates.
'C:\Users\Public\Music\Audacity Projects\20170429…"

If I was using tiles, it would look like that. :smiley:

Yes, as the subject and post indicate.

Where are you getting 43 minutes?

The log in the OP shows two different files being opened:
“20170429 #58…” is 1.57.15.240 (almost 2 hours), and all of it shows as a flat blue line.
“20170513…” is 1.58.08.190 (almost 2 hours), and all of it shows as a flat blue line.

The log shows there are files there. I do not know why they are not connecting. I saved the project and closed Audacity after it was done. I have not renamed or moved the files since they were created.

TIA

I opened the *.aup file in notepad, as directed.

It has all the details in it, the associated file names.

Is there something you are looking for?



Which of the above? :confused:

Saved AUP is Blank when Opened

Most people posting say that when they mean “in Audacity,” not in a text editor.
The show time and graphic are illustrations/examples only and don’t reflect your actual times and filenames. Many posters in trouble think the AUP file is the whole world and have no idea that Audacity uses a file system and not just a single file. Another common problem is AUP files and _DATA folders whose names don’t match or are not in close proximity to each other. The AUP file will not go searching for the _DATA folder even if it has the right name.

20170429 Tracks #58 hr 1 & 2

Is that a common show name for you? Win10 may have changed the character acceptance, but historically it could create problems if you put characters such as & and # in a filename.

Audacity uses the AUP file to reconstruct the show from the contents of the _DATA folder. With no or blank AUP file, sometimes we can reconstruct a simple, raw mono recording with just the _DATA folder, but if you have an edited show, either mono or stereo, I think that’s the end of the world.

The log seems to think Windows had a terrible time reaching and managing the directory. “Can’t Open…” “Can’t Delete…” Is there a permissions issue or security difference between that directory and the one you normally use?

Projects are the easiest way to save multi-track, highly processed shows, but you are warned Audacity Projects do not save UNDO. It may look complete when you open one (normally), but you can’t back up.

Recently, I started saving projects.

You never said why you did that.

It is recommended to export WAV sound files of critical work.

Koz

Apologies for the confusion, Steve.

When opened in Notepad, it shows all the details.

Here’s a sample:

<?xml version="1.0" standalone="no" ?>

By the way, someone trimmed the log, so it only shows opening one project.

As I said on feedback@. don’t save projects to network locations unless you are prepared to deal with permissions and congestion issues.


Gale

Hi Koz,

Above, where I said “opened” I meant within Audacity. Instead of seeing a waveform, I see a flat blue line for the entire project.
The first time I saved a project, I saw it created a source file and a directory of the same name (albeit a different ending), the directory holding many subdirectories that contained all the data of the AUP. Too many years programming to even consider separating them!

Good to know.
More sadness about Win10.
Once I selected the AUP file & DATA directory, and changed the name, for several pairs. When I opened the AUP file (by double clicking it), I saw all manner of craziness, like orphaned file warnings, and missing segments in the waveform. I undid my changes (Cntl Z at directory level) and everything returned to normal.

No editing in either show.
When I have an edit, I use different Audacity windows for the parts, then cut and paste to make the splice. If I have to save the parts as AUP to edit later, I do. Then I save the completed project with a new name.

Yes, I saw that and don’t know where to look for the fix. I also don’t know if that is problem.
The files are in PUBLIC and every user can access it (which means “me” regardless of whose logon is up). The default directory was in Roaming for the user, and that was too confining if I was in a different user’s logon. Hense…moved to Public Music.

Audacity prompts AUP for save. Export is several lines lower. Therefore I thought AUP would be better. This machine has a massive HD, and I figured “why not” have the AUP.
Saturday is the first time I did not do an export (which I considered the backup) of the project before I closed the software.

Lesson learned.

Gale, what is a congestion issue?
Not being on a network, I don’t consider “Public” a network location. Do you?

Which log? In the OP? I think Koz did that, as you can see in the footer.
:slight_smile:

Here it is again, with line breaks inserted between open software, open first file, open second file.

13:12:36: Audacity 2.1.2
13:12:36: Trying to load FFmpeg libraries...
13:12:36: Trying to load FFmpeg libraries from system paths. File name is 'avformat-55.dll'.
13:12:36: Looking up PATH environment variable...
13:12:36: PATH = 'C:\Program Files (x86)\Intel\iCLS Client\;C:\Program Files\Intel\iCLS Client\;C:\Windows\system32;C:\Windows;C:\Windows\System32\Wbem;C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\;C:\Program Files (x86)\NVIDIA Corporation\PhysX\Common;C:\Program Files (x86)\Intel\Intel(R) Management Engine Components\DAL;C:\Program Files\Intel\Intel(R) Management Engine Components\DAL;C:\Program Files (x86)\Intel\Intel(R) Management Engine Components\IPT;C:\Program Files\Intel\Intel(R) Management Engine Components\IPT;C:\WINDOWS\system32;C:\WINDOWS;C:\WINDOWS\System32\Wbem;C:\WINDOWS\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\;C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SQL Server\90\Tools\binn\;C:\Program Files\Intel\WiFi\bin\;C:\Program Files\Common Files\Intel\WirelessCommon\;C:\Users\Tom\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WindowsApps;'
13:12:36: Checking that '' is in PATH...
13:12:36: FFmpeg directory is in PATH.
13:12:36: Checking for monolithic avformat from 'avformat-55.dll'.
**13:12:36: Error: Failed to load shared library 'avformat-55.dll' (error 126: the specified module could not be found.)
13:12:36: Loading avutil from ''.
13:12:36: Error: Failed to load shared library '.dll' (error 126: the specified module could not be found.)
13:12:36: Loading avcodec from ''.
13:12:36: Error: Failed to load shared library '.dll' (error 126: the specified module could not be found.)
13:12:36: Loading avformat from 'avformat-55.dll'.
13:12:36: Error: Failed to load shared library 'avformat-55.dll' (error 126: the specified module could not be found.)
13:12:36: Error: Failed to load FFmpeg libraries.
13:12:36: Error: Failed to find compatible FFmpeg libraries.

13:13:01: Error: can't open file 'C:\Users\Public\Music\Audacity Projects\20170429 Tracks #58 hr 1 & 2 _data\e00\d0a\e000ad1c.au' (error 5: access is denied.)
13:13:01: Error: can't open file 'C:\Users\Public\Music\Audacity Projects\20170429 Tracks #58 hr 1 & 2 _data\e00\d0a\e000a9b8.au' (error 5: access is denied.)
13:13:01: Error: can't open file 'C:\Users\Public\Music\Audacity Projects\20170429 Tracks #58 hr 1 & 2 _data\e00\d0a\e000a167.au' (error 5: access is denied.)
13:13:01: Error: can't open file 'C:\Users\Public\Music\Audacity Projects\20170429 Tracks #58 hr 1 & 2 _data\e00\d0a\e000afb3.au' (error 5: access is denied.)
13:13:40: Error: Directory 'C:\Users\Public\Music\Audacity Projects\20170429 Tracks #58 hr 1 & 2 _data\e00\d00' couldn't be deleted (error 145: the directory is not empty.)
13:13:40: Error: Directory 'C:\Users\Public\Music\Audacity Projects\20170429 Tracks #58 hr 1 & 2 _data\e00\d01' couldn't be deleted (error 145: the directory is not empty.)
13:13:40: Error: Directory 'C:\Users\Public\Music\Audacity Projects\20170429 Tracks #58 hr 1 & 2 _data\e00\d02' couldn't be deleted (error 145: the directory is not empty.)
13:13:40: Error: Directory 'C:\Users\Public\Music\Audacity Projects\20170429 Tracks #58 hr 1 & 2 _data\e00\d03' couldn't be deleted (error 145: the directory is not empty.)
13:13:40: Error: Directory 'C:\Users\Public\Music\Audacity Projects\20170429 Tracks #58 hr 1 & 2 _data\e00\d04' couldn't be deleted (error 145: the directory is not empty.)
13:13:40: Error: Directory 'C:\Users\Public\Music\Audacity Projects\20170429 Tracks #58 hr 1 & 2 _data\e00\d05' couldn't be deleted (error 145: the directory is not empty.)
13:13:40: Error: Directory 'C:\Users\Public\Music\Audacity Projects\20170429 Tracks #58 hr 1 & 2 _data\e00\d06' couldn't be deleted (error 145: the directory is not empty.)
13:13:40: Error: Directory 'C:\Users\Public\Music\Audacity Projects\20170429 Tracks #58 hr 1 & 2 _data\e00\d07' couldn't be deleted (error 145: the directory is not empty.)
13:13:40: Error: Directory 'C:\Users\Public\Music\Audacity Projects\20170429 Tracks #58 hr 1 & 2 _data\e00\d08' couldn't be deleted (error 145: the directory is not empty.)
13:13:40: Error: Directory 'C:\Users\Public\Music\Audacity Projects\20170429 Tracks #58 hr 1 & 2 _data\e00\d09' couldn't be deleted (error 145: the directory is not empty.)
13:13:40: Error: Directory 'C:\Users\Public\Music\Audacity Projects\20170429 Tracks #58 hr 1 & 2 _data\e00\d0a' couldn't be deleted (error 145: the directory is not empty.)
13:13:40: Error: Directory 'C:\Users\Public\Music\Audacity Projects\20170429 Tracks #58 hr 1 & 2 _data\e00' couldn't be deleted (error 145: the directory is not empty.)

13:13:52: Error: can't open file 'C:\Users\Public\Music\Audacity Projects\20170513 Tracks hr 1& 2_data\e00\d00\e0000c79.au' (error 5: access is denied.)
13:13:52: Error: can't open file 'C:\Users\Public\Music\Audacity Projects\20170513 Tracks hr 1& 2_data\e00\d00\e0000ff2.au' (error 5: access is denied.)
13:13:52: Error: can't open file 'C:\Users\Public\Music\Audacity Projects\20170513 Tracks hr 1& 2_data\e00\d00\e0000d7f.au' (error 5: access is denied.)
13:13:52: Error: can't open file 'C:\Users\Public\Music\Audacity Projects\20170513 Tracks hr 1& 2_data\e00\d00\e0000ffe.au' (error 5: access is denied.)
13:14:36: Error: Directory 'C:\Users\Public\Music\Audacity Projects\20170513 Tracks hr 1& 2_data\e00\d00' couldn't be deleted (error 145: the directory is not empty.)
13:14:36: Error: Directory 'C:\Users\Public\Music\Audacity Projects\20170513 Tracks hr 1& 2_data\e00\d01' couldn't be deleted (error 145: the directory is not empty.)
13:14:36: Error: Directory 'C:\Users\Public\Music\Audacity Projects\20170513 Tracks hr 1& 2_data\e00\d02' couldn't be deleted (error 145: the directory is not empty.)
13:14:36: Error: Directory 'C:\Users\Public\Music\Audacity Projects\20170513 Tracks hr 1& 2_data\e00\d03' couldn't be deleted (error 145: the directory is not empty.)
13:14:36: Error: Directory 'C:\Users\Public\Music\Audacity Projects\20170513 Tracks hr 1& 2_data\e00\d04' couldn't be deleted (error 145: the directory is not empty.)
13:14:36: Error: Directory 'C:\Users\Public\Music\Audacity Projects\20170513 Tracks hr 1& 2_data\e00\d05' couldn't be deleted (error 145: the directory is not empty.)
13:14:36: Error: Directory 'C:\Users\Public\Music\Audacity Projects\20170513 Tracks hr 1& 2_data\e00\d06' couldn't be deleted (error 145: the directory is not empty.)
13:14:36: Error: Directory 'C:\Users\Public\Music\Audacity Projects\20170513 Tracks hr 1& 2_data\e00\d07' couldn't be deleted (error 145: the directory is not empty.)
13:14:36: Error: Directory 'C:\Users\Public\Music\Audacity Projects\20170513 Tracks hr 1& 2_data\e00\d08' couldn't be deleted (error 145: the directory is not empty.)
13:14:36: Error: Directory 'C:\Users\Public\Music\Audacity Projects\20170513 Tracks hr 1& 2_data\e00\d09' couldn't be deleted (error 145: the directory is not empty.)
13:14:36: Error: Directory 'C:\Users\Public\Music\Audacity Projects\20170513 Tracks hr 1& 2_data\e00\d0a' couldn't be deleted (error 145: the directory is not empty.)
13:14:36: Error: Directory 'C:\Users\Public\Music\Audacity Projects\20170513 Tracks hr 1& 2_data\e00' couldn't be deleted (error 145: the directory is not empty.)

Koz has a thing about using punctuation in file names but it is totally unwarranted if these files are for your own usage and not for sharing with other users or putting on the internet. Audacity has full Unicode support. The only characters that you cannot use in file names on any version of Windows are these:

\ / : * ? " < > |

This has not changed in Windows 10. Koz is on Mac. In itself, # in the file name of the AUP file is not a problem.

The “can’t delete” is a minor Audacity bug. The problem is “can’t open” the files in the _data folder.

That is definitely the theory. But you appear to be sharing the Public folder on a network or the internet, which is a risk of using the Public folder . Or if you are not sharing with other computers, what do you mean by:

Those “1”… sequences look like IP addresses to me.

If you don’t have a partition just for media, why not use a subfolder in C:\ ? You should be able to save there as non-admin, just not in root of C:/.


Gale

See Saved AUP is Blank when Opened - #12 by Gale_Andrews for why I think your Public folder might be shared with other computers.

Networks slow down if multiple users are using them at the same time. If Audacity cannot access your .AU data files quickly enough it will return that it can’t open them.

If there are simple (non-network) permissions problems on the Public Folder or subfolders then you can fix these by right-click over the folder > Properties > Security tab. You need to be logged in with an admin account to make those changes.


Gale

Basically true, but valid file names on Windows are a bit more restrictive than that, and there can be problems with Unicode characters on some external drives.

There’s no harm in making “safe everywhere” names a habit, so I’d recommend getting into the habit of using lower case “a to z”, “0 to 9” and underscore “_”

Pity. :wink:

Is there a solution?

I was identifying the file names in the log. That sequence is the the date and how I begin the name of every important file (YYYYMMDD). Written this way, files fall in chronological order in the directory.
The IP looking numbers are the project time as identified by Audacity. 1 hr 58 min 08.190 sec. The original location said “almost 2 hours.” Sorry if that confused you.
The only thing on a “network” would be the router and the printer. Not sharing files across a network. Son has a gaming computer on Win 10. No files on his.

I could. I try to stay with the Win directory hierarchy.
What is the advantage of having a partition for audio?

I think the “harm” is the implication that it is way more restrictive than it is. A lot of the audio files on my system have Swedish names, so the above advice is just useless to me. :wink: We do need to be clear that Audacity and Windows support Unicode, generally speaking.

Looking at restrictions beyond the nine standard Windows reserved characters, I think then it could be summarised as don’t use control characters, and on FAT32 (which is often used on external drives because it is readable on all major operating systems), you also can’t (or may not be able to) use

+ , . ; = [ ] ! @

My source for that FAT32 information is Filename - Wikipedia.

So I stand by saying that # is not a general problem in a file name.

Are the reserved control characters identical with ASCII characters 000 to 031? I don’t think the MSDN article is very clear for an end user.


Gale

Fix the permissions problems as I described, or copy the AUP files and _data folders to another folder. “Access is denied” in the log is very clear.


OK. People usually separate time units with colons when writing times. So it seems we can rule out a network problem.

I find it convenient. The files are separate from the system drive, in case a Windows Update or Reset doesn’t preserve your files as intended.


Gale

There really isn’t anything in the previous post (your link) that indicates information about the Public Folder. You thought my time data was an IP address.
I’ve looked at the security for the Directory, and that person has “special permissions” which is not identified.
In this logon I’ve opened several AUPs and had not problems. It is only these two AUPs.

Can we bring this around to an actual failure? “Audacity doesn’t like it when…[?]”

Can we put this down to ratty permissions or access to a directory? It would be good to know the failure.


I come from a mixed environment including clients with unknown equipment. Safe filenames everywhere is prudent and I don’t have to memorize the rules.

Koz

I copied the AUP and DATA. Within the directory from where they started, they opened, but only with a flat line, just like the original. (During the copy, at least one file required me to enter my admin ID to complete the task.)

I moved them to another directory, and Audacity “could not find” either the AUP file or the DATA directory (even though I double clicked the *.aup file). I then tried to Open from within Audacity, and received the same message.

In the log, some errors are Audacity can’t find a file. Others are “access denied.” What can be done about the former?