Since recent versions of Audacity will not open very early project file/folders from the pre-aup3 days but version 3.3.3 will, is it possible to create a utility to convert the aup file + folder combo to an aup3 project file in the same way that opening and saving in 3.3.3 does? This would prevent very old projects being lost due to changing project formats. Not being able to open old projects is a barrier to the adoption of newer versions of the program. My ideal Audacity would be 3.3.3 with the streamlined Export added in. We can but dream.
Mark B
Hi Mark,
I’m puzzled that you write this as following these instructions in the manual *which I wrote some years ago after extensive testing_:
So I just did some re-testing and I found that 3.7.4 will successfully open AUP files created with
a) any version of 2.x.x
b) and surprisingly any version from the Beta series 1.3.x (so the manual is actually more conservative in its statement - I may change that for the next beta manual)
This also works if the project references external aliased audio files (provided those files exist and are in the location that the project expects).
It won’t open a project made in 1.2.6 as indeed the manual suggests - but following the manual’s instructions I:
- opened my 1.2.6 project in 2.4.2
- saved it as a differently named AUP project
- launched 3.7.4
- successfully opened the project created at step 2
Peter
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Peter,
Then puzzle no more.
- I wasn’t aware of that bit of the manual. (RTFM then, Mr B)
- The project file that I was looking at must have been 1.2.x because it sure as hell wouldn’t open in my version of 3.7.4. Well, it would open but there was nowt in it bar the label track.
I would also say that those less technically-inclined will be rather lost by following those bits of the manual. Also, unless people have the luxury of more than one PC or indeed a dual-boot setup, having various versions of Audacity installed would be a royal PITA.
Mark B
haha
not really - I have most versions of Audacity stored on both my PCs (W10 in Manchester, W11 in Zurich).
I use them extensively for regression testing (and exercises like this thread).
Sadly I have lost the 1.2.4 version of Audacity - the one i started out with that came the the ION deck that I started out with when digitizing my LPs many years ago.
Peter.
For you, yes but I mean normal people. 
Mark B
I suspect that the “less technically-inclined” will be puzzled and rather lost by many parts of the manual. Audio recording and editing is indeed technically complex and challenging.
Not to worry, as with the advent of Audacity 4.x there will no longer be a Manual - just the Muse Support site.
Peter
Totally agree!
x Infinity
Mark B
PS - thank you for doing that testing. I appreciate it and I’ve saved your post into a LibreOffice doc.