Recorder timer

[PaulDF]

I have just used the timer to end a recording. Just before the timer expired I needed to extend the time so I hit cancel on the timer. What it did was to cancel the whole recording without saving it. Surely this should not happen. I also noticed that if I press stop, it stops the recording not just the timer.

[waxcylinder]

I have just used the timer to end a recording. Just before the timer expired I needed to extend the time so I hit cancel on the timer. What it did was to cancel the whole recording without saving it. Surely this should not happen. I also noticed that if I press stop, it stops the recording not just the timer.

I think it is supposed to do that with the Cancel - Audacity understands that you want to cancel the whole process

Workaround: I found by experimenting that it was retrievable by clicking on the Redo button (icon is the forward-rolling arrow) the audio was restored and I could save or export the project.

I have always use Stop to intervene and stop recordings once I get into the overrun buffer time that i normally provide at the end of timed recordings. For me this just stops the recording and leaves the recorded track there intact.

My understanding is that both of these are correct intended Audacity behaviour in timer record:
Stop - intervenes and stops the recording at that point, ignoring remaining time that was on timer
Cancel - intervenes by cancelling the timed recording and abandoning the recorded track

I do not believe that it is possible, and indeed the developers did not allow for, modification of the timer once it has been set up and/or is running. You may regard this as an oversight - in which case you may wish to add a request in the "Adding Features to Audacity" section in the forum. If you do I will probably vote for it - as I can see the usefulness of such a feature extension

The Timer Record is poorly documented in the manual that is in development for the upcoming 2.0 release - so unless you can read the code (I can't) then it's a case of feeling your way and experimenting with this particular feature.

WC

[steve]

Tested this on Linux with Audacity 1.3.11
Interrupting Timer Record with the Cancel button shows a message "Nothing to undo" and the recording is still present on the track.

Has anyone tried this with Audacity 1.3.11 on Windows or Mac?

[Irish]

Tested with 1.3.11 (Release date Jan 7, 2010) on Windows XP.

Clicking Cancel during timer recording stopped recording and deleted the track.
Clicking Edit > Redo restored the track.

Clicking Stop during timer recording stopped recording and preserved the track.

PO'L

[PaulDF]

Thanks for the replies. This confirms what I found. Problem is if you set the timer and then decide you don't want the timer, or want to override it, you have to interrupt and spoil the recording. Surely not the best implementation. By the way, where is 1.3.11? I can only see 1.3.10

Paul

[Irish]

1.3.11 is still Alpha software, but it is almost ready for release as the next beta (within days or weeks).
It is available here:
http://wiki.audacityteam.org/index.php? ... tly_Builds

There is a known bug in 1.3.10 with the 'Export Multiple' and 'Export Selection' commands, which is why 1.3.11 is being recommended.

PO'L

[steve]

1.3.11 beta has just come out http://code.google.com/p/audacity/downloads/list?can=3

[waxcylinder]

Problem is if you set the timer and then decide you don't want the timer, or want to override it, you have to interrupt and spoil the recording. Surely not the best implementation.

Which is why I suggested that you may want to start a feature request on the forum

WC

[PaulDF]

Thanks, I have just posted that suggestion.

Paul

[waxcylinder]

And I've just voted for it.

WC