Audacity Forum

I have twice now not been able to do a multiple export of a longer piece of audio divided using labels without having the middle section of the audio in the exported file silenced. I get about 15 seconds of audio and then silence and the song will end with about 15 seconds of sound. When I look at the exported file the center section is flat. What is odd as well is that the original long file plays the same way ever though the display shows audio wave forms. I've looked for some check box but have been unable to figure out what is going on. Thanks for your help.

carmine rocci wrote:What is odd as well is that the original long file plays the same way even though the display shows audio wave forms.

Here's what I think has happened:
1) You imported a sound file with the "Read directly from the original (faster)" option (in Preferences | File Formats) checked.
2) You did a lot of editing on that file, but those 15-second portions did not get changed in any way.
3) You moved/deleted/renamed the original file.

To get your audio back you need to put that original file back in exactly the same location it was in when you first imported it into Audacity.

-- Bill

Yes I realized that I had to re enter the whole long file again, but the same thing happens even if I do a minimum amount of editing, ie only set markers and export. I loaded Audacity on my computer at work and have been able to successfully do the editing and multiple exports w/o any problem. Is there a setting for making an export that would have only the first 15 seconds or so of music sound for song demo purposes or something like that.

carmine rocci wrote:Yes I realized that I had to re enter the whole long file again, but the same thing happens even if I do a minimum amount of editing, ie only set markers and export. I loaded Audacity on my computer at work and have been able to successfully do the editing and multiple exports w/o any problem. Is there a setting for making an export that would have only the first 15 seconds or so of music sound for song demo purposes or something like that.

Are you sure you're using 1.2? Please check the "About Audacity" item to make sure. Instructions will be different for 1.2 versus 1.3.

OK, you don't have to "re enter the whole long file again". Audacity is probably looking for the original file in its original location on your hard disk. The problem of having a waveform but no audio always means that Audacity can't find that external file. Change your option in Preferences | File Formats to "Make a copy of file before editing (safer)".

To export just a 15-second portion of a track, select the portion you want to export then choose "File > Export Selection As WAV" or "Export Selection as MP3", etc.

-- Bill