very basic question about opening a file

[Saxman]

I'm brand new to audacity, and I'm trying to something very simple and struggling. I'm recording sounds from a mic. I can listen right away, but if I save the file and come back the next day, I can't get the file to open. It says it's there, it says it's open, but nothing shows up in the main screen window to play back. If I try again, it says it's already open in another window. I'm clueless...anyone have an answer for me? Thanks in advance.

[alatham]

You may be confused about the difference between Saving in Audacity and Exporting.

When you click Save Project, you're telling Audacity to store all the audio data currently open in Audacity, and store info about the gain levels and the panning position. Audacity Projects cannot be opened or used by any other programs.

If you were to Save a project and then remove all of those tracks from Audacity and then Save the project again as you close Audacity you would see exactly what you're seeing. This would erase all the audio in the project and then save an empty project. I suspect this is what you have done.

When you click Export, you're telling Audacity to create an audio file such as WAV or MP3 or AIFF. If you export a file and then remove all the tracks and save as you're leaving your audio will still be there in all of those exported files, but you will again be left with an empty project.

[Saxman]

I will try saving it as a wav. file. Thanks for your help.

[steve]

I will try saving it as a wav. file. Thanks for your help.

I think you mean you will try Exporting it as a wav file