What is this "C" folder?

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mixyguy2
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What is this "C" folder?

Post by mixyguy2 »

Mixcraft creates this on my desktop when I launch it. ? DIdn't see any ref to it in the user manual. Anyone?
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Mark Bliss
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Re: What is this "C" folder?

Post by Mark Bliss »

Not sure what you mean. Never seen anything that fits the description.
An image or further description might help figure it out.
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mixyguy2
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Re: What is this "C" folder?

Post by mixyguy2 »

Thanks, but there isn't anything else to really show or describe. An ordinary looking folder simply called "C." Of course now that I've made a post about it, it won't do it again, lol. Probably operator error, though I can't imagine how. I never said "save files on a desktop folder called C" or similar...maybe the PC demigods smiting me again. Disregard!
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Acoustica Greg
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Re: What is this "C" folder?

Post by Acoustica Greg »

Hi,

Just make sure you didn't change the Default Project Folder setting in Recording preferences. By default, it should be set to a Mixcraft Projects folder inside your Documents folder.

Greg
Mixcraft - The Musician's DAW
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mixyguy2
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Re: What is this "C" folder?

Post by mixyguy2 »

Thx Greg, no haven't changed a thing really, which is what made it odd. Oh well. Onward with eval. :)

Edit: argh! Happened again. It's related to opening/tweaking the project "The Easy Ones" that came with the eval copy (nice song btw). Very odd! The full path name is C:\Users\(myname)\Desktop\C\Program Files\!Mixcraft 8\Example Projects.
mixyguy2
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Re: What is this "C" folder?

Post by mixyguy2 »

Uninstalled, re-installed, still happening. Also creates a folder called "Mixcraft 8.1 Project 1." However I don't even have a project called "Project 1." It looks like the "C" is a shortcut to where on my C drive that I have projects saved (not the sub-folder though, it starts at C:\). The other one is God knows what, nothing's in it.

Also getting these .idx files (to the right). ?
mc.jpg
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Acoustica Greg
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Re: What is this "C" folder?

Post by Acoustica Greg »

Hi,

That's your problem. That pathname has a folder named C on your desktop. Go into Recording preferences and change the path to this:

C:\Users\YOUR_USERNAME\Documents\Mixcraft Projects\

That would put you back to the default setting, and then you'd find your projects in a Mixcraft Project folder inside your Documents folder. Or, you could just change your current pathname to something simpler, like this:

C:\Users\YOUR_USERNAME\Desktop\Mixcraft Projects\

That would give you a Mixcraft Project folder on your desktop with your individual project folders inside.

Also, each time you start a new project, Mixcraft creates a temporary folder called Mixcraft Project x, but when you save the project, the folder is renamed to the name you saved your project under. If you've got a Mixcraft Project 1 folder sitting around, that means you probably quit without saving that time.

Greg
Mixcraft - The Musician's DAW
Check out our tutorial videos on YouTube: Mixcraft 10 University 101
mixyguy2
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Re: What is this "C" folder?

Post by mixyguy2 »

Acoustica Greg wrote:Hi,

That's your problem. That pathname has a folder named C on your desktop. Go into Recording preferences and change the path to this:

C:\Users\YOUR_USERNAME\Documents\Mixcraft Projects\

That would put you back to the default setting, and then you'd find your projects in a Mixcraft Project folder inside your Documents folder. Or, you could just change your current pathname to something simpler, like this:

C:\Users\YOUR_USERNAME\Desktop\Mixcraft Projects\
Sorry Greg, simple guy here. :) I never use my "Users" folder or anything MS or anyone else forces on me if I can help it, like "Documents" etc. I'd like to save my songs to (for ex.) something like C:\songs. That's it. But when I changed it, it still creates those Mixcraft Project x and C folders. Now they're just buried more because I changed the save folder off of the desktop, but it's the same problem. Basically I don't want MC to create any folders of any kind (if it's a temp folder that's deleted when I exit, that's different). Worse, it also creates those "project folders" too with the MC-style icons for my projects. Argggh! Stop the folder madness. Please. If I want to look at my files, I don't want to have to click sub-folders all over the place...

Can't I just have everything in the folder I want? Just one folder?
Last edited by mixyguy2 on Sat Mar 17, 2018 3:41 pm, edited 2 times in total.
mixyguy2
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Re: What is this "C" folder?

Post by mixyguy2 »

Also why do some of my projects exist only as an .mx8 file, yet others have all the folders?
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Mark Bliss
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Re: What is this "C" folder?

Post by Mark Bliss »

Many users have been frustrated as a result of fighting with this due to a lack of understanding of several fundamentals.
Trust me, I get it. I've butchered a number of Windows installations trying to "do things my way"
Mixcraft is easy for me compared to the dance with the devil that is fighting Microsoft.
And that's coming from a guy who has used it since the time you had to know how to read and write lines of DOS code to install/remove programs, hardware, troubleshoot, virtually anything in Windows.

You can change where the projects are saved to. You can customize the filing system a number of ways if you really wish to. But its such a time suck......

Basics:
The .MX8 file is a Mixcraft project file. It contains no audio files. No sounds. It is merely a set of instructions for how your Mixcraft project is set up and where to find the files it needs and how exactly to use them. You really MUST have a project folder that contains all those other necessary files for the project to work as desired. Wherever you choose to locate them, this is necessary.
So, you need a location. A folder named Mixcraft Projects would be a useful thing to have there. Within that you want to have individual folders for each project. Within them you want to have a Mixcraft project file, and all the projects assets.
Also why do some of my projects exist only as an .mx8 file, yet others have all the folders?
Probably because some are very simple. IE: MIDI instructions and no recorded or mixed down data files etc.

And as far as the little MX8 icon file that is included, It kind of annoyed me when that was first included, but it turns out to be pretty handy as a way to quickly identify which files are project files in an active project folder.

It also turns out the "My Documents" works pretty well by default. Its where many Windows users keep their work, whatever that may be.
But if you prefer, create a folder on your desktop (or wherever) and project subfolders within. Whatever works for you.

I'd suggest the best first step to learning how to do that is to fully grasp how a DAW filing system is designed to work.
IE: Using the default system and examining it until it is understood.

Same goes for many other things some people wish to change before even learning how they work in the first place.

Just sayin' 8)
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mixyguy2
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Re: What is this "C" folder?

Post by mixyguy2 »

Mark Bliss wrote:You can change where the projects are saved to. You can customize the filing system a number of ways if you really wish to.
Yeah, I already changed where the projects are saved to. But that's not the issue at hand :)
You really MUST have a project folder that contains all those other necessary files for the project to work as desired. Wherever you choose to locate them, this is necessary.
No, it's really not. I proved this by opening an .mx8 file with MIDI only and adding an audio file. It created a .WAV file for that, but didn't create another folder for the project. (Well there's the "backup" folder, but I mean one specific to the project)

Also why do some of my projects exist only as an .mx8 file, yet others have all the folders?
Probably because some are very simple. IE: MIDI instructions and no recorded or mixed down data files etc.
Nope. I have a project which is MIDI only, nothing else, and it has its own folder. Others do not.
It also turns out the "My Documents" works pretty well by default. Its where many Windows users keep their work, whatever that may be.
No offense but disagree and I really don't care what other users think or do. To each their own...
But if you prefer, create a folder on your desktop (or wherever) and project subfolders within. Whatever works for you.
What works for me is no sub-folders. :) But if it's really necessary for some reason or other, it doesn't seem to work consistently. Some have their own folders, some don't, with no rhyme or reason offhand I can see.
I'd suggest the best first step to learning how to do that is to fully grasp how a DAW filing system is designed to work.
I'd suggest mitigating the condescending remarks.

"Just sayin" :)
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Re: What is this "C" folder?

Post by aj113 »

mixyguy2 wrote:What works for me is no sub-folders. :) But if it's really necessary for some reason or other, it doesn't seem to work consistently. Some have their own folders, some don't, with no rhyme or reason offhand I can see.
If you open a pre-existing MC project and 'save as' it will nor create a separate folder. For example if you have a template saved with certain settings, then 'save as' there will be no new MC folder. I've always been of the opinion that for any 'save as' the user should be given the option to create a new folder.
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Re: What is this "C" folder?

Post by Tana Edwards »

Hi mixyguy,
I do sympathise with you regarding this subject.
I find the filing stuff very confusing but if there's anyone on here that can help it has to be Mark and you'd do well to give him a listen. I'm guessing you are more computer savvy than me (almost everybody is) but even the most experienced can sometimes overlook the obvious.
I don't think anybody's being condescending at all.
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Mark Bliss
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Re: What is this "C" folder?

Post by Mark Bliss »

Thanks for the support Tana, glad to hear you found something I took the trouble to write was helpful somewhere along the way.

It certainly wasn't intended as "condescending" Even after re-reading it I think it was as intended- Good advise directly based on the nature of a string of questions.

My daddy would say "son, if you want to build yourself a car, it might be best to first thoroughly learn how a car works" or something like that. But in life's experiences, I have always found there are some who don't like the answers and struggle unnecessarily as a result.

I offered suggestions based on facts, you have the privilege of options. If the methods you are using aren't working, and you wish to disparage the solutions that have proven successful, its kind of a self imposed conundrum isn't it.

As you say- "to each their own"

Perhaps you would find it helpful to lobby Microsoft to change their filing conventions. :roll:
(Snark! LOL!)
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mixyguy2
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Re: What is this "C" folder?

Post by mixyguy2 »

aj113 wrote:If you open a pre-existing MC project and 'save as' it will nor create a separate folder. For example if you have a template saved with certain settings, then 'save as' there will be no new MC folder. I've always been of the opinion that for any 'save as' the user should be given the option to create a new folder.
Amen! Appreciate the info, but when I do "save as," it still creates a folder (interestingly, it didn't create the Mixcraft Project or C folders though, either during edit or when I closed). And if the answer is every project has to have a folder, OK, but that doesn't happen all the time, giving me (false? :) ) hope that you don't have to have them, just haven't figured out how. Just not seeing a pattern of why/why not. In fact, the example file that comes with MC, "The Easy Ones," doesn't have or need a folder (yes that includes if I modify it). So why do others? Nothing I'm freaking out about mind you, simply not seeing the criteria one way or the other.
Mark Bliss wrote:It certainly wasn't intended as "condescending" Even after re-reading it I think it was as intended- Good advise directly based on the nature of a string of questions.
I disagree; your advice was basically "figure it out yourself." Obviously I've tried and haven't or I wouldn't ask the question. I don't call that good advice.
My daddy would say "son, if you want to build yourself a car, it might be best to first thoroughly learn how a car works" or something like that. But in life's experiences, I have always found there are some who don't like the answers and struggle unnecessarily as a result.
And I have found there are some who don't have answers but reply anyway and pretend they do and make snide comments along with it.

Basically if you don't know, that's fine, just say so. To pretend otherwise or be dismissive isn't helpful. See how Greg addressed how the Mixcraft Project X folders work? He at least addressed that question. He didn't say "figure it out yourself" etc. See the diff?
I offered suggestions based on facts,
"Figure it out yourself" isn't much of a suggestion. Your other suggestion or possible answer was that "simpler" projects don't need folders, which would've been a great (and logical) answer...except I've already found that's untrue.
If the methods you are using aren't working, and you wish to disparage the solutions that have proven successful, its kind of a self imposed conundrum isn't it.
[/quote]Wrong again, it kind of isn't, because you've offered no solutions, let alone successful ones. You clearly don't have any answers to my questions, and again that's OK, this is more of a minor annoyance to me than some big show-stopper, but I see no point in pretending you do.
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