I was getting tired of typing the artist name and title in each file when using “export multiple” and thought, gee, a template would probably repeat all that in each file, right?
Wrong, it also captures the TRACK and TRACK TITLE which I don’t want to pull from a master template.
So I tried clearing it all out and saving a blank as a template. No joy, that wipes out everything. And I tried deleting the default template file, the only one I had tried to use. Nope, can’t get rid of a template with either the wrong information or all blanks.
Tried a shutdown and restart of the program, still no joy.
What do I push to just get rid of the template when exporting multiples?
And is there any way to just have the ARTIST and ALBUM fields fill from a template?
Tried that, Steve. If I make the default blank–it overwrites the current data (i.e. track number and title) with BLANKS.
I don’t want a blank default, I want to get rid of any default, so the information in the label track is picked up, instead of being wiped out by blanks.
Even if I delete the tag.xml file, the information is still being pulled from somewhere.
Steve, I’m done for the day but I think the reason that didn’t work for me was that (hehe) some elf opened two copies of Audacity here, one hidden behind the other, and I suspect THAT kept the template active in both sessions.
Vous parlez “oopsie” ?
But I should be able to use the template to JUST add in title and artist information, without it wiping out any other populated fields, yes?
Steve, I’m pretty sure I’ve confirmed a bug in the metadata editor.
I can open a fresh Audacity session, select the metadata editor, select CLEAR to clear all fields.
Then if I try to quit, close, or exit Audacity, I can’t save the change (clearing the fields) UNLESS I save a project. And when I reopen Audacity, if I’m not in that project? Yeah, the fields aren’t cleared either.
Somehow if data has been entered, even once, with no template or default saved or loaded, it gets stuck in the metadata editor. And then can’t be cleared.
Am I missing some hidden default template, or some other “touchable” setting that can be cleared? I would have thought that simply selecting CLEAR would clear it out, not just in a project, but for the program defaults as well.
The Autosave and Presets folders are empty, since there’s no TAGS.XML file, shouldn’t the editor be LOSING those fields, instead of stubbornly keeping them?
Can’t close Audacity without first closing the "non"project that opens with a new Auacity session.
If I select CLOSE I’m challenged to save changes, yes/no/cancel.
If I select “YES” I have to enter a filename for the project.
If I select “NO” I’m dropped back to the main program window again.
From there–from what looks just like the place where I just was–I can select EXIT. (Not “close” per se but yes, closing the program.)
That appears to clear it out–there’s just that little loop in Step7, it isn’t apparent that I’m closing a “project” when all I’ve opened in the program–not a project. Try it, you’ll see why that’s rather confusing and unobvious.
7a) Click on the “File” menu
7b) Click on “Exit” (bottom of the menu)
A message will pop up - “Save Changes Before Closing…”
7c) Click on the “No” button.
Audacity should close.
Reminds me of the time I ran to catch a bus in Soviet Bulgaria, and couldn’t figure out how to pay. Everyone knows, you get on a bus, you pay up front, no?
No, in Bulgaria you bought a fare card at the terminal and honor-system self-punched out the fares each time you rode the bus. And if the militia boarded to check fare cards and yours wasn’t punched…oopsie.
Of course from their point of view, their system seemed perfectly normal.
Just to clarify, there are never two instances of Audacity (unless you are running 1.0. or 1.1 with the current version). There can be multiple project windows. Each project has its own metadata. The metadata in one project should not interfere with that in the other project.
I don’t think it unreasonable that a template overwrites existing content - what should it do if the tag field already has some other value?
If you want to request that templates preserve existing fields, I can add your vote, but the real problem is that Metadata Editor should be passing the metadata that is the same for each song to the next window in the sequence. I am hoping we’ll address this within the next few releases, but meantime take the advice from Audacity Manual :
When using Export Multiple, it’s often easier to uncheck “Show Metadata Editor before export step” in Import / Export Preferences, then enter any tags common to all tracks at File > Open Metadata Editor… before exporting. Audacity will then add the automatically generated Track Title and Track Number tags for each exported file without the Editor appearing.
I cannot reproduce anything like that. Pressing “Clear” should clear the metadata. If you load a blank Template while exporting multiple, the next metadata window in the sequence will still have the track title and track number filled.
If you can reproduce steps for what you are describing, please give them like Steve did - 1, 2, 3, 4…
I agree that clicking OK on Metadata Editor makes the project “dirty”, even if you made no metadata changes, so you will be asked to save changes on quit. It would be more complex if Metadata Editor had to examine if there actually had been metadata changes before rewriting the project. It’s hardly a major issue.
i am having the same problem after repeating the following steps i am stuck on 7 - i don’t know whether to close, no, or save project. if i close ill lost all the work! website development
Steve used the term “instance”. But if he meant two instances of the audacity.exe for 2.0.x, this is deliberately blocked by Audacity.
On Linux you get an error if you launch Audacity when it’s running, and in some cases you do on Mac. If you launch Audacity on Windows when Audacity is already running, you create a new project window in the running version ; even if you launch 2.0.1 while 2.0.0 is running, you open a new window in 2.0.0.
What you (Peter) pictured is one instance of Audacity running two project windows. Windows Task Manager will show two Audacity icons under “Applications”, but you can click the “Processes” tab to confirm there is only one “audacity.exe”.
Then launch Audacity 1.0 and you will now see two “audacity.exe” instances under “Processes”.
