Hi
(Using Audacity 2.0.6 and OS 10.6.8)
I’ve just realized that Audacity seems to pop up the name ‘Audacity’ as the default folder option to save new DATA and AUP files for new, dnloaded songs (coming in from tapes my case). IF I remember, I change the ‘Audacity’ default to ‘Desktop’, so that I can see what I’ve got and then delete it or slide it into a new folder related to the chosen PLaylist.
But when I forget, these files end up cluttering up the AUDACITY.APP folder.
The strange thing is, when I go to this folder and try to DELETE these DATA and matching AUP files, they will NOT delete! … so now I’m stuck with 4 such files that I no longer need. So please, what’s the trick to getting these to TRASH? They certainly refuse to be dragged there and Right Click does not work either. I presume from this, that the Audacity.APP folder is ‘forever’ protected in order to not destroy or lose the program itself … but that surely should not apply to new Data files that are now inside that folder. It’s weird, to me at least, that Audacity choses this folder as the Save default.
Thanks!
It’s weird, to me at least, that Audacity choses this folder as the Save default.
Yes, I wasn’t too crazy about that myself. It’s loudly begging to get messed up.
However, it should let you fix it.
Apple (upper left) > System Preferences > Users and Groups > Select You > Allow User to Administer This Computer should be checked.
Lock the panel.
Desktop > Go (upper bar) > Utilities > Disk Utility: Select your system drive > Verify Disk and then Repair Permissions. Quit Disk Utilities
If you made it through all that, run Audacity again and it should allow you to change the default save location and let you delete wrong files from /Applications.
Let us know if you get stuck and where.
Koz
My system preferences are different from what you gave … but it does say my name under Administrator and I only have one Drive. But when one restarts Audacity … where might one find the place to change the default … I explored but found nothing.
Here’s my System Preferences screen below.
Perhaps this is not related …, but today, I’m having a miserable times with Audacity. I’ve dnloaded about 10 ‘songs’ and Exported each separately to a WAV file. Yet, only 5 of them play in iTunes. They ‘play’ (the indicator moves and the time given is correct), yet 50% of them are totally silent and others play fine. NO idea why! They all play fine in the AUP-DATA format. Could this be related or should I start another thread ?
My hard drive is 65% full by the way … in case you wondered … just checked 
tks
Sorry the screen shot is so big! … don’t know how to make it smaller …, other than using Paintshop on another (PC) computer.
m/
That’s OK. We’re good.
Last time we had advanced magic sound problems it turned out the poster had one or more bad sound systems and just wasn’t listening to the same things we were.
http://www.kozco.com/tech/LRMonoPhase4.wav
That’s a 40 second sound clip that tests your stereo sound system. Segment four, the phase test is not supposed to vanish, but it might sound like I’m suddenly talking from behind you. If any segment vanishes or changes very greatly in volume that’s not normal.
Koz
There is no default setting for the Save Project directory. Audacity remembers the last place you saved a project to, but if you open a project from another location, or import an audio file from another location, the Save Project directory switches to that location.
Has verifying and repairing permissions solved that?
Do you have the folder containing Audacity in /Applications? Audacity doesn’t lock its AUP files and _data folders even when they are in use, but you can’t modify /Applications unless you are logged in as admin or unless the Mac asks you for the admin password and you supply it.
Drag the problem WAV files back into Audacity. Are they a flat line or do they have blue waves?
Gale
Thanks guys
No problem with the audio system Koz … all checked out fine.
I temporarily solved the recording issue by Exporting to MP3 , rather than to WAV. That worked fine for all tracks.
And yes, my Audacity is in Applications. If there’s really no default, guess I’ll have to just watch out where I place the AUP files when they are first recorded … but right now, they seem to always come up in Folder ‘Audacity’ … and IF I remember, I switch that to Desktop just to see what I’ve got and then decide what folder I want it in.
Anyway …, I’m managing, thanks! And I am logged in as the Administrator - only user.
Not sure where to place this … but
I want to import just ONE track from a home recorded CD … to pass it through Audacity to boost it’s volume level while recording. All the other 10 tracks are the right level but this one is too low. But I cannot seem to get this track coming into Audacity in the same way as it does from my tapes through Line In. What’s the secret to playing a CD track into Audacity the same way ,… so that I can see ‘the blue waves’ etc as I import it ?
tks!
A new topic would have been better 
given it is not about deleting projects.
There is no need to play the CD and record it. If you want to do that you have to install Soundflower ( Audacity Manual ) or Sound Siphon ( Sound Siphon 3 – App Audio Capture for Mac – Static Z Software ).
All you need do is put the CD into the Mac. Look in Finder and click on the mounted CD on the left. The CD tracks are mounted as AIFF files. Drag the AIFF file you want into Audacity.
Gale
Thanks!
Sounds easy … and thats what I needed. If I have any issues, to correct my gaff, I will copy the original and your reply into a new thread, in case it helps others.
Tks again for addressing it though …
cheers
mike
Just to close this … I finally plugged in a separate CD player and output the audio signal to the Line-In on my Mac Mini. Then played the track I wanted into Audacity and voila, I was able to adjust the recording level, just like it was coming in from a tape machine.
“Where there’s a will there’s a way”, my mother always said
thanks!
Good. But for those who have a built-in or external CD drive, dragging in the AIFF file from Finder is the preferred solution.
Gale