Can't export a project file

[spikey]

when I try to export a project file to MP3 format. I get the message "unable to open the target file for writing" I'm using Lion..the latest version

[kozikowski]

Did you put a date in the filename? Macs hate that. Today is 20120424, not 4/24/12.
Koz

[spikey]

No I just called the file name TEST
I recorded a short voice message
then hit "save project as"
then tried to export as MP3 file

I probably went wrong on the installation but don't know where
Audacity seems ok otherwise I couldn't record anything
I went through the steps of the Lame Library as described, but it's not finding the file I guess. Any suggestions?

[billw58]

You don't use "save project as" to export an MP3 file, you use File > Export. If you were trying to rename you Audacity project file from TEST.aup to TEST.mp3, that would probably fail.

See: http://manual.audacityteam.org/man/File_Export_Dialog

-- Bill

[spikey]

ok. I thought I had to save the file first before exporting as MP3. I record, then immediately export to MP§? I want the MP3 then in my iTunes folder

[steve]

You can Save the Audacity Project first, but that is not required.
For exporting to iTunes see here: http://manual.audacityteam.org/man/Samp ... _to_iTunes

[spikey]

Thanks. Got it. What#s the save project for then?

[steve]

That's for saving an "Audacity Project". See here for details: http://manual.audacityteam.org/man/Audacity_Projects

[billw58]

Thanks. Got it. What's the save project for then?

See: http://manual.audacityteam.org/man/Audacity_Projects

Many users will have multi-track projects or other arrangements of audio that are lost when exporting, and wish to keep the original around in case further edits/tweaks are needed.

-- Bill

[spikey]

Got everything working and recorded a song from YouTube but the quality was not as good as listening directly on YouTube. Any ideas why or is that normal?