I am running Windows 7. I just upgraded to Audacity 2.1.2 but the file about which I have a question was created in 1.3. I saved a project using “Save as” but when I went to open it later it had disappeared from the recent files and would not open via “open” Both the named AUP file and _data file are in my documents directory and the AUP opens but with no sound track, just blank. The two files seem to have separated and no longer work as a team. Is there a fix for this? I have scoured the forum pages but not found a solution to this specific problem.
Bob
There is an AUP file and _data folder. They must both be in the same folder as each other. The AUP file must not be in the _data folder. See http://manual.audacityteam.org/o/man/audacity_projects.html.
If you cannot fix it please attach the AUP file and the log file from Help > Show Log… after opening the project. See How to attach files to forum posts.
Gale
Thanks for your prompt response. The “log” is empty!
It should not be empty. Even if you pressed “Clear” in it by mistake, the Log would have the time and Audacity version number.
Have you fixed the problem? If not, open the AUP file again, and if there are error messages, please tell us exactly what they say. Look in the Log again after opening the AUP file.
Attach the AUP file so we can see it.
Gale
Good morning - depending on where you are. When I went to open the file this morning, I received two messages:
"Couldn’t find the project data folder: “RC Skivvy and Cuttle (base)_data”
Could not load file: “C\users\user\documents\stories\RC Skivvy and Cuttle (base).aup”
File attached.
Thanks
Bob
RC Skivvy and Cuttle (base).aup (25.4 KB)
PS
Yesterday I reported that the log was empty. I may have been inadvertently using my old 1.3 program. Today - opening the file from recent files - the file was still devoid of the soundtrack but the log was populated with:
09:30:09: Audacity 2.1.2
09:30:09: Trying to load FFmpeg libraries…
09:30:09: Trying to load FFmpeg libraries from system paths. File name is ‘avformat-55.dll’.
09:30:09: Looking up PATH environment variable…
09:30:09: 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:\PROGRA~2\COMMON~1\Odbc\FILEMA~1;C:\Program Files\Intel\Intel(R) Management Engine Components\DAL;C:\Program Files\Intel\Intel(R) Management Engine Components\IPT;C:\Program Files (x86)\Intel\Intel(R) Management Engine Components\DAL;C:\Program Files (x86)\Intel\Intel(R) Management Engine Components\IPT’
09:30:09: Checking that ‘’ is in PATH…
09:30:09: FFmpeg directory is in PATH.
09:30:09: Checking for monolithic avformat from ‘avformat-55.dll’.
09:30:09: Error: Failed to load shared library ‘avformat-55.dll’ (error 126: the specified module could not be found.)
09:30:09: Loading avutil from ‘’.
09:30:09: Error: Failed to load shared library ‘.dll’ (error 126: the specified module could not be found.)
09:30:09: Loading avcodec from ‘’.
09:30:09: Error: Failed to load shared library ‘.dll’ (error 126: the specified module could not be found.)
09:30:09: Loading avformat from ‘avformat-55.dll’.
09:30:09: Error: Failed to load shared library ‘avformat-55.dll’ (error 126: the specified module could not be found.)
09:30:09: Error: Failed to load FFmpeg libraries.
09:30:09: Error: Failed to find compatible FFmpeg libraries.
09:30:32: Error: Could not parse file “C:\Users\User\Documents\Stories\RC Skivvy and Cuttle (base).aup”.
Error: Could not load file: “C:\Users\User\Documents\Stories\RC Skivvy and Cuttle (base).aup”
Thanks Bob. Did you check out this:
If you put the folder “RC Skivvy and Cuttle (base)_data” in the folder "C\users\user\documents\stories", so that when you open "C\users\user\documents\stories" in Explorer you can see both the AUP file and that _data folder, then the project should open.
Thanks for the log. That looks normal for the project error you state and normal assuming you have not installed FFmpeg.
Gale
Hi Gale,
I cut and pasted a copy of the aup file into the “stories” directory. I looked and the properties of both the aup and _data file. To the extent that I know what I am looking at, they both looked similar to other recordings that do open. I double checked to make sure that both files existed in the “stories” directory but when I opened Audacity, went to open and chose the aup file (the one with the little headphone), it opened but once again with no sound track. I realize that you are a volunteer and I really don’t want to waste too much of your time. I have already spent more time trying to recover the file than I did recording the story. So, unless you can think of anything I am missing, I just have to assume that somewhere along the line, I inadvertently screwed something up. I have a free Easter afternoon and can easily re-record the stories - my hobby for 20 years has been reading aloud in the public schools and I am know trying to get some of the stories recorded.
Here is the last view of the log:
11:25:23: Audacity 2.1.2
11:25:23: Trying to load FFmpeg libraries…
11:25:23: Trying to load FFmpeg libraries from system paths. File name is ‘avformat-55.dll’.
11:25:23: Looking up PATH environment variable…
11:25:23: 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:\PROGRA~2\COMMON~1\Odbc\FILEMA~1;C:\Program Files\Intel\Intel(R) Management Engine Components\DAL;C:\Program Files\Intel\Intel(R) Management Engine Components\IPT;C:\Program Files (x86)\Intel\Intel(R) Management Engine Components\DAL;C:\Program Files (x86)\Intel\Intel(R) Management Engine Components\IPT’
11:25:23: Checking that ‘’ is in PATH…
11:25:23: FFmpeg directory is in PATH.
11:25:23: Checking for monolithic avformat from ‘avformat-55.dll’.
11:25:23: Error: Failed to load shared library ‘avformat-55.dll’ (error 126: the specified module could not be found.)
11:25:23: Loading avutil from ‘’.
11:25:23: Error: Failed to load shared library ‘.dll’ (error 126: the specified module could not be found.)
11:25:23: Loading avcodec from ‘’.
11:25:23: Error: Failed to load shared library ‘.dll’ (error 126: the specified module could not be found.)
11:25:23: Loading avformat from ‘avformat-55.dll’.
11:25:23: Error: Failed to load shared library ‘avformat-55.dll’ (error 126: the specified module could not be found.)
11:25:23: Error: Failed to load FFmpeg libraries.
11:25:23: Error: Failed to find compatible FFmpeg libraries.
PS The _data folder is around 69.1mb. Does that sound about right for a 10 minute story. It seems to be in line with the _data files for other stories I have recorded.
Happy Easter
Audacity opened and didn’t complain, but the show display was a straight, flat line? Or it’s a wavy blue line and you just can’t hear it?
This is a typical Audacity Project:
You can put them almost anywhere, but they have to be together. The usual complaint is “I can’t find the _data folder!!”
You can click into the _DATA folder and see what’s there. Attached is a super simple show I recorded. That little AU at the end is an actual, six-second sound file. I think all the latest Audacity versions use a similar format.
Koz
Hi. When I open the aup file it is a straight blue line. The _data file contains a folder e00. If I double click on that the three files included in that folder are d00, d01, d02. Each of these contain numerous files all starting e0000.
Is the attachment that you sent supposed to open. When I double click on it, nothing happens.
Thanks
Bob
Each of these contain numerous files all starting e0000.
Are they .AU files? Do any of them play in Audacity? That should be your show in tiny snippets.
So does it now open without error message boxes or error in the log, but you see a track with a flat line?
69 MB is not enough, according to the AUP file. It has references to 154 AU files which is about 154 MB.
According the AUP file, all the AU files should be in subfolder “RC Skivvy and Cuttle (base)_data\e00\d00”, “RC Skivvy and Cuttle (base)_data\e00\d01” and “RC Skivvy and Cuttle (base)_data\e00\d02”.
The files in the d00 folder should start with e0000.
The files in the d01 folder should start with e0001.
The files in the d02 folder should start with e0002.
If you drag some of those files into Audacity and they are all flat lines then for whatever reason you should just re-record.
Gale