I did some tests comparing 3.2.1 and 2.4.2 …
Test methodology
- Generate 2 hour stereo chirp
- Split into 24 5 minute clips
- select all and amplify
- select all and fade out
- Select all and Fade In
Between each of the Steps I noted the active size of the project closed Audacity and noted the inactive project size and then relaunched.
2.4.1
at Step 1-2 the active and closed size was 2.4GB
for steps 3-5 the active size was 4.8GB, the inactive closed size was 2.4GB
Size of project at the end 2.4GB
3.2.1
At Step 1 the active size was 5GB (AUP3 and WAL both 2.5GB)B - the closed size was 2.5GB
At Step 2 the active size was 2.5GB AUP3, WAL 1.7MB - the closed size was 2.5GB
At Step 3 the active size was 5GB (AUP3 and WAL both 2.5GB) - the closed size was 5GB
At Step 4 the active size was 10.1GB (AUP3 7.6GB and WAL 2.5GB) - the closed size was 5GB
At Step 5 the active size was 7.5GB (AUP3 5GB and WAL 2.5GB) - the closed size was 5GB
For both the processing time for the generate and the effects is broadly similar with both versions.
3.2.x carries the extra burden of Compaction on closure which took c. 1min 10secs (twice as long as the effects took)
My conclusions are:
i) yes the 3.2.x smart clips result in a larger project size the the 2.4.2 simple clips (in this use case double the size when closed
ii) The on-disk size of a 3.2.x project can be much larger due to the temporary WAL file
iii) performance appears to not be an issue
iv) compaction in 3.x cab be both time-consuming and tiresome - but necessary due to the use of the SQLite database
v) 3.2.1 step 2 WAL size seems unexpected
vi) 3.2.1 step 4 active size was surprisingly large
vii) I’m surprised that the inactive/closed size of the 3.2.1 project does not get above 5GB. given that it has 24 smart clips each with a full 2 hours of data (albeit mostly hidden). I suspect that if I edited each clip independently and differently then the project may have grow even larger.
Peter.