Acoustica User Forums

Im having a hard time trying to find the best way to save a project and files in Mixcraft. If I open Mixcraft and drag in a backing track from my desktop and then I save that as a project it will save it in a Mixcraft folder. So far so good. If I want to clean up my desktop and throw that backing track into the trash I noticed that Mixcraft can't find it anymore. I thought that once I saved a project and Mixcraft saved a folder that all the info needed would be in that folder. If I add a guitar part that I record does the same thing happen? Im just trying to find the correct way to do this. Thanks.

Mixcraft doesn't seem to save audio files internally. It's probably best to keep the audio files you're using in the same folder as your project.

Slimy wrote:Mixcraft doesn't seem to save audio files internally.

Click on File menu and use copy project files to. This then copies all the external files you have used into your specified folder.

"The only time I ever saved a project, was when I kicked the guitar player out of it!"

Pete Stobbs wrote: Click on File menu and use copy project files to. This then copies all the external files you have used into your specified folder.

That doesn't sound as easy as putting the files wherever you want yourself.

Slimy wrote:

Pete Stobbs wrote: Click on File menu and use copy project files to. This then copies all the external files you have used into your specified folder.

That doesn't sound as easy as putting the files wherever you want yourself.

It's very easy once you get used to it. Remember that MC is 'pointed' to your track on the desktop until you use copy project files to a folder that you can create. You will then find the tracks in that folder.


Pete

'Copy project files to' is a dangerous feature that should be removed from MC IMO.

It will only copy the current project's files as it stands open in front of you. It will NOT copy over full versions of your project's backup folder. So if you use 'Copy project files to' and then later want to go to a backup, you are going to be disappointed.

The only foolproof way to copy projects and to manage your project's files is put everything into one folder. Then if you want to move the project somewhere else or onto a different computer you just copy (or cut) and paste the full folder over.

tsfrance wrote:...If I want to clean up my desktop and throw that backing track into the trash I noticed that Mixcraft can't find it anymore....

I may be stating the obvious here but if you've thrown the track into the trash, that's why MC can't find it.

The project file is not the same thing as the audio files it uses. They are two separate things. You may see the file's waveform in your MC project, and MC will play it, but it is only 'looking' at the audio file and playing it from the file's current location. If the file is important to the project, place it in the project's folder.

I understand that but my only point was that if Mixcraft was saving the project than it would save the entire project. Maybe in a future version they will do it. I know I have other programs that do this. I could swear though that I have put all the sound files in the same folder where project file is and still that box pops up where it can't find the files.

tsfrance wrote:I understand that but my only point was that if Mixcraft was saving the project than it would save the entire project. Maybe in a future version they will do it. I know I have other programs that do this. I could swear though that I have put all the sound files in the same folder where project file is and still that box pops up where it can't find the files.

You can get your wave files from anywhere on your system that you like and Mixcraft will keep a track of where those files are when you simply save your project. So if you want to create folders and sub folders with different types of sounds you can do that.

You CAN do it - whether it is good practice is another matter. It is up to you to decide on your own best workflow. I take the point made earlier that copy files to a folder doesn't maintain the integrity of any backup files - but IMHO it is by far and away the best way to keep everything together.

Whilst Mixcraft will remember where you got any files from in the first place what it cant do is automatically work out where they are if you (or the system) moves them outside of Mixcraft - hence the reason why if it cant find files it goes searching for them.

Just my 2 penneth.

Cheers

John

fredfish wrote:...I take the point made earlier that copy files to a folder doesn't maintain the integrity of any backup files - but IMHO it is by far and away the best way to keep everything together.

I disagree. I can't think of anything easier than placing files in a folder. It's the most basic of operations, a seven year old kid can do it. File management in all operating systems is based on this principle, it's as easy as placing your beer in the fridge.

Thanks everyone. I think what I will try and see how it works first is to put all sound files that are used in any project into one big main folder and let that folder be where Mixcraft does it's search. Even when I mix down to a wav file so I can send it on to someone else I will just save everything in there.

I will try the copy thing also and see how that works out for me. I think I have been spoiled as another program I use a lot for making song sheets and scrolling tab will save any jpg file that I import into it. When it's saved I always just delete the original from my desktop and the program seems to have it's own copy somewhere. Its not a big deal now that I know how to approach it better.

tsfrance wrote:Thanks everyone. I think what I will try and see how it works first is to put all sound files that are used in any project into one big main folder and let that folder be where Mixcraft does it's search. Even when I mix down to a wav file so I can send it on to someone else I will just save everything in there.

I will try the copy thing also and see how that works out for me. I think I have been spoiled as another program I use a lot for making song sheets and scrolling tab will save any jpg file that I import into it. When it's saved I always just delete the original from my desktop and the program seems to have it's own copy somewhere. Its not a big deal now that I know how to approach it better.

Using one big folder for all files is a big mistake that will come back to haunt you. There is no way of identifying which files belong to which project, so you have to keep all files that you have ever used even to open one single project.

So let's say I use a folder for each project. When I mix down the tracks and send them on, I should save them in that folder for that specific project, correct? Thanks.

tsfrance wrote:So let's say I use a folder for each project. When I mix down the tracks and send them on, I should save them in that folder for that specific project, correct? Thanks.

Mixing down is different, unless you're a genius you will probably mix down multiple times, so you may have multiple mixdown files. Or you may simply overwrite the same on each time. You just need to establish a way of storing them that works best for you - one that you stick to, consistency is the key.

I have tried quite a few ways, but it works best for me if I put my mixed wavs in the same folder as all the other files. Then I know for sure that everything to do with 'I Lost My Baby' is in the 'I Lost My Baby' folder, so that even after a year or two has passed, I still automatically know where everything is, and I don't have to worry about possible lost files.