Preferences, Directories - “The last directory used for that operation”

Audacity 3 Help Forum Windows
1

I seek feedback on my interpretation of “The last directory used for that [export] operation”,

I work in parallel on five books. Load-balancing between the Proof Listeners allows me to record one chapter of a different book each day, and so allows a PL an average of five days to PL and report back.
Because I flip between five book folders (not just on a daily basis, but as soon as any PL reports back, I turn my attention to that book to fix all known errors) I had set my folder preferences (Ctrl+P, Directories) to empty folder paths.

At this point I was thinking of a Windows applications “most recently used folder”, but Audacity 3.1.3’s “Preferences, Directories” doesn’t act on a folder basis; Audacity acts on specific operations.

I ran two little trials, pretending that I started the day working on one book and then had to switch to a second book for a half-hour, then resume working on the original project.

No matter from where I Open an aup3 project file, or Import a track, Export will always use the latest folder used for Export. Export will not use the latest folder used for Import or Open.

If I have got this right, while I am working on mutiple books (load-balancing), I will always have to specify the folder-path for the bulk of my I/O operations, regardless of the operation.
Is that close to correct?
Thanks
Chris

2

For someone as talented as you, you could setup a simple dos batch file. Or how about creating a new login and simply switching users? :smiley:

3

Yepper.

When James enhanced the Directories preferences he made it so that for each of Open, Save, Import, Export there was an individual last-used for that particular action (if you leave the entry blank- default setting).

So the Open is independent of the save and the Import is independent of the Export (and the Save is independent of the Export).

And that’s what the Manual says:
https://manual.audacityteam.org/man/directories_preferences.html
is that not clear enough?

You can complain to me if not - as I wrote that following James’ changes. :wink:

Peter.

4

Thank you for the compliment and smile, jademan.
As you have guessed, I am as dangerous (grin) as you think, and the thought of using text-processing within DOS batch files to mix-and-match versions of the CFG file has crossed my mind. That I have not done so means that I have read very carefully the label on Audacity about how “removing this sticker will void your warranty”.
The last thing this forum needs is for me to muddy the waters with my questions, with the chance that the CFG file has been violated.

I am, however, about to make a new topic on Batch processing, which you might enjoy.

Back to "I will always have to specify the folder-path for the bulk of my I/O operations, regardless of the operation."
Does this statement seem correct to you, from the point of view of someone (me) who works on multiple book/folder projects in parallel?

Cheers
Chris