Problem:
I often import multiple (20-200) files and even if I try to miminize the application on Kubuntu, the application pops up again and refocuses every time a new file has been imported, like every few seconds. Question: Is there any way to stop/disable this annoying behaviour? Audacity completely monopolizes the computer and makes any attempt at multitasking impossible while importing.
My platform:
I’m on: Kubuntu 22.10 (running on Wayland)
Audacity: Audacity 3.2.0
Installation: Normal “apt-get install” method from standard Kubuntu repo.
I would strongly discourage “multitasking” when working with audio or video. Multimedia work is very demanding on parts of the system, and running other apps at the same time can often cause unexpected problems. It is highly recommended to close unnecessary apps when working with audio or video.
Ahem, but this regards the import of the files. Not the subsequent processing of them…
How hard can it be to import a file?
I’m not trying to list all prime numbers in the universe at the same time, just browsing the web or light tasks like that.
So what’s the real problem here? If you’re not ready to start work on the file, why can’t you finish whatever you are doing first and then import the file?
Is the problem that importing a file takes a long time so you want the import to happen in the background while you are doing something else?
As stated previously, I want to import a large number of files, and I want to do other things on my computer while this boring process takes place.
Seeing them all import (sometimes as many as 100-200 files) is as fun as watching paint dry…
So, I want to mininize the Audacity window and…do other things while I wait for all the files are imported.
The application should only pop up from minimized state when all the files are imported, not after every file.
Doesn’t that make sense?
Yes, I understand your complaint, though I doubt that the issue will be “fixed” any time soon.
The new behaviour that you are suggesting would be a “feature request” (I’m not sure that it is even possible). You can submit feature requests direct to the development team here: Issues · audacity/audacity · GitHub
A (free) GitHub account is required to post on GitHub.
In the meantime, maybe it would be possible to organise your computer activity so that Audacity is importing while you are doing something else (not on the computer). Or perhaps you could modify your workflow so that you don’t need to import hundreds of files at the same time (such as batch processing with macros).
I doubt that many people are importing hundreds of files at a time. A more common workflow is to import one or two files and start working on them straight away. Another common workflow is not importing anything but launching Audacity and start recording.
Testing on W11 with 3.2.4 (and the beta test Ihave for 3.2.5) I find that I can have Audacity properly hidden behind other work that I am doing on my PC.
In fact I have a full screen window of Firefox with me writing this note while Audacity is hidden and busy importing 65 3-minute or so song files.
