Placement of aup and _data files on a new PC

Hi folks,

A few months ago I moved most of my documents, videos, and music from a Windows 7 PC to a new Windows 10 PC. I have known for a long time it is not wise to move or rename aup and/or the _data files. In this case (a new PC) I had no choice. The file structure is also different on my new PC. Software and the OS are on the “C” drive. Documents, videos, and music are on the “D” drive.

As expected, I get an error on my new PC when I open an Audacity project file (the aup file). It can not find the “… _data” file. I have looked at a chapter in the manual about “safely handling Audacity projects”, but it doesn’t help me after the fact (after I moved my files).

Is there a way to get my Audacity project files to see the _data files? Do I need to put both the aup and the _data file in the same folder? Should that folder be in the “C:\Users[Username]\AppData\Roaming” or “C:\Users\Default\AppData\Roaming”, or some other sub directory?

I’m on version 3.1.3

Thanks.
David

Yes.
For example, if the “.aup” file is in "…\Documents\My Project" then the project’s “_data” folder must also be in "…\Documents\My Project".

No. They should be in a normal folder such as “Documents” or “Music” or a sub-folder of “Documents” or “Music”.

Thanks Steve. That helped me. The files load with no errors.

My “Tape 1a George.aup” file is now in the “D:[User]\Music\Audacity Projects” folder
and the “Tape 1a George_data” folder (which has an “e00” folder) is in “D:[User]\Music\Audacity Projects\Tape 1a George” folder.

I think the above is what you meant.

Even though the above works, one thing is puzzling me. My other “.aup” files and “_data” folders do NOT have a letter after “Tape #”. In other words, I have “Tape 2 something[.aup/_data]”, “Tape 3 something else[.aup/_data]”, etc. I decided to rename the “Tape 1a George_data” folder to Tape 1 George_data. My mouse was acting up when I went to rename the “.aup” file. Instead, the “Tape 1a George.aup” file opened without an error. I thought surely I’d get an error because I changed the filename of the “_data” folder.

Even though I’m puzzled why I did not get an error when I opened the “.aup” file when the corresponding “_data” folder’s filename was changed, maybe it is best if I put the “_data” file back to the original name; “Tape 1a George_data”.

David