Audacity Forum

After I export a project as an MP3 file, is there any reason to keep the Audacity data files and if so.........how big are those files. When I tried to save my last project Audacity told me that it was a 23 minute save...........and when I cancelled the program crashed.

Any help out there

Bob H

<<<Audacity told me that it was a 23 minute save.???

Audacity always does everything uncompressed. Figure 700MB per hour totaling the Audacity files and the attached clips. Sometimes more. Did you run out of drive space? People in love with MP3 and AAC files are shocked when they find out big a real sound file size is. You have the stunned look of someone trying to save a six hour show. Are you?

Do you need the project at all? I generally don't. I capture live voice performances and Export As WAV immediately to produce the Capture Master Files. If it's an important enough production, I make copies.

The captures are never repeatable, so providing good quality sound files and backups is a good thing.

Then I open them up and do whatever production and filtration is necessary and Export As WAV again to get the Client Deliverable sound files.

No Projects anywhere to be seen.

Should I need massive production with many filters and effects and multiple tracks over several days, then, yes, I'd be stuck using Projects.

There was a posting a while back about how to get rid of a Project. I'm believing you just trash the aup file and the _data folder and everything in it.

The attached sound files just are. You can delete them if you please. If you have Audacity set to copy music into itself, then the show will die with the _data folder plus the AUP file.

Koz