Problems saving aup file

[Julide]

Am using 1.3.6 on a Mac Powerbook OS 10.4.11, and for some reason I can't seem to save an Audacity Project without some of the sound bits missing when I re-open it. There are bits of certain segments that have been mysteriously silenced. Am new to Audacity, maybe it's something basic that I've overlooked? Any advice would be appreciated! Many thanks...

[kozikowski]

Maybe when I tell you how Audacity works it will ring a bell.

Audacity isn't a WAV or sound editor. It's an Editorial Production Environment Manager.

What.

Yeah, I know. The AUP file is a laundry list of all ingredients you need to make your show. It's almost in English and you can read it in TextEdit. Here's a simple one...

http://kozco.com/tech/audacity/aup1.jpg

Since there isn't any audio inside the AUP file, the sound must come from all the capture clips, AU files, effects snippets, and all the original songs you included in your show. Once you save a Project you can't move anything because the AUP file will not be able to find it.

That's why for final output, you must Export AS WAV. That will produce a single, stand-alone sound file that you can email to your mum.

Koz

[kozikowski]

You can Export As MP3 as well, but MP3 is a compressed format and causes sound damage. So it's good not to have your masters in MP3.

Koz

[Julide]

Thanks so much. Yeah, I think there might have been a bit of confusing file management involved. Sorry for the newbie question. I was treating it more like photoshop, where you can cut and paste. Interestingly when I bring in the different elements by using the import command, I would later get the menu prompt asking me whether I would like to save a copy of all the files it needs, but when I simply cut and paste it didn't. I assume it's always best to save a copy, especially with someone like me. Thanks for taking the time.

[kozikowski]

Interestingly, it's always the compulsive, neat people that get burned with this. It's universal. "I better clean up all these old clips and files before I go on." Blammo! there goes the show.

We slobs that never clean up anything never run into this.

Koz

[Julide]

That's exactly what happened! I've kind of organized myself into a mess. That's the first time I've been accused of being a neat freak... there's got to be a silver lining somewhere... thanks again.

[kozikowski]

<<<first time I've been accused of being a neat freak>>>

Obsessive-Compulsive will do it. Doesn't have to be classically neat. The difference is you both know precisely where your car keys are, but the OCs know they're not where they're supposed to be.

Koz