Prefixing Audio in a Project with the Project Name

[Jikky]

Is this possible? I just had a hell of a time trying to relink audio from a pretty old project. The audio came from an SX3 project, but the files that were linked had the same file name, but came from different projects. I record my own material so my audio files are always named Jikk verse 1, Jikk verse2, Jikk Adlibs, etc. Is there a way to make cubase prefix the name of the project to the audio takes so it won't confuse Jikk verse 1 from different songs? I looked in the preferences and didn't see an option for this. Or is this something I have to manually do?

[kdm]

There isn't a simple way in Cubase that I know of. Nuendo 4 has an option to rename audio files with new prefixes, suffixes, numbered, etc. Great for doing just what you want to do.

A third party general file naming/management app might do this though.

[HowlingUlf]

Here's a good start:
Use the Project Logical Editor

Media type is equal to audio
Name prepend <type project Name here>

///

Used to be preference settings for audio file names in VST32?
Are they still there in C4
if not, what happened to them?

[HowlingUlf]

There isn't a simple way in Cubase that I know of. Nuendo 4 has an option to rename audio files with new prefixes, suffixes, numbered, etc. Great for doing just what you want to do.

A third party general file naming/management app might do this though.

they actually included the Project Logical Editor in Cubase ;)

[Jikky]

Thanks guys!!! I have never used the PLE, but will this now be set to prefix the audio in my projects from now on? Or will I need to implement that into a project template where it can be recalled?


Here's a pic of what it looks like for me in the audio prefs.
6

[Ade]

A third party general file naming/management app might do this though.

I would not advise that.
The project will be clueless as to what files are being used.
Use the PLE. There are presets that can get you started. Remember that once you rename audio you cannot go back to an earlier version of the project without major headaches - so SAVE IMMEDIATELY. :)

[Jikky]

What about the process project logical editor> naming> rename and renumber audio tracks? Would that work for me? I'm scared to try. I don't want to mess up anything. This experience has definately made me want to get more organized with my recordings. I need to setup a good template to get started and stay organized.

[Jikky]

I would not advise that.
The project will be clueless as to what files are being used.
Use the PLE. There are presets that can get you started. Remember that once you rename audio you cannot go back to an earlier version of the project without major headaches - so SAVE IMMEDIATELY. :)

Lol you got in right before me. Yes I notices this. I renamed files in my audio pool and deleted the unused, but I had a duplicate of the project under a different filename. Cubase couldn't find them with the new file names. Third party is out of the question.

[kdm]

Well, the problem as it sounded to me was that the files couldn't be resolved anyway and renaming them was an alternative to using the original filenames - i.e. relinking, rebuilding.

Yes, for an existing project, just rename within PLE, or in Nuendo, the pool.

[HowlingUlf]

Thanks guys!!! I have never used the PLE, but will this now be set to prefix the audio in my projects from now on? Or will I need to implement that into a project template where it can be recalled?


Here's a pic of what it looks like for me in the audio prefs.
6



Nope ... it is to the project what the Logical Editor is to MIDI. It's a tool to change a lot of stuff in the project all at once. You set up some search criteria and then the editor executes this at all targets that matches the criteria. Move stuff, renam stuff, delete stuff ... a real time saver!

[Jikky]

Well, the problem as it sounded to me was that the files couldn't be resolved anyway and renaming them was an alternative to using the original filenames - i.e. relinking, rebuilding.

Yes, for an existing project, just rename within PLE, or in Nuendo, the pool.

Basically I opened the old project in nightmare at the results. So I opened more recent projects with duplicate file names and prefixed them with the song name. The thing is I have a sh1tload of projects to repeat this with before I can try to relink the audio from that old project. It was a project I did for free for a friend so he may just have to come rerecord it, but since I ran into this issue I figured it's best to clean house now to avoid those isses.


So using the PLE command would I record all the tracks without naming them the after all the recording is done use the PLE command to rename those tracks, or would I name the tracks and then use the PLE to prefix them? In other words can the PLE prefix the existing audio name or does it completely change the name?

[HowlingUlf]

What about the process project logical editor> naming> rename and renumber audio tracks? Would that work for me? I'm scared to try. I don't want to mess up anything. This experience has definately made me want to get more organized with my recordings. I need to setup a good template to get started and stay organized.

Well ... of course, you do NOT start to experiment with this stuff on your real projects. You can seriously7 mess up, as you've already understood!!!

Start a test project in its own folder, read the manual and try to figure out what's going on. It's not THAT hard even if it's a little counter intuitive to start with. Read the manual and try to make it work. If things go bad ... so what? It's only a test project.

Then when you know what you do it's not that hard. On the contrary, it's suff like this that keep me from even looking at other DAWs!!! :cool:

[Jikky]

Well ... of course, you do NOT start to experiment with this stuff on your real projects. You can seriously7 mess up, as you've already understood!!!

Start a test project in its own folder, read the manual and try to figure out what's going on. It's not THAT hard even if it's a little counter intuitive to start with. Read the manual and try to make it work. If things go bad ... so what? It's only a test project.

Then when you know what you do it's not that hard. On the contrary, it's suff like this that keep me from even looking at other DAWs!!! :cool:

Lol I have the manual cracked open as we speak, but seriously this forum is so fast. 2 pages in like 20 minutes. I love this place already. I'm trying to wrap my head around this PLE. I have a test project going as we speak, it's just that, at the same time I'm going back and renaming all the audio files from my old projects with a prefix of the project name.

[HowlingUlf]

But ...
You don't have the project files from SX3?
Did you record all the audio files to the same folder back then and now it's one big mess?
Don't delete anything unless you are sure that it is not used anywhere in any project!

If you have the old projects still avaliable, open them and use the "save to new folder" command ... then all the used audio files will be copied along with a version of your *.cpr file to the new folder and put in a folder named Audio just like a regular project. Then do that with all projects.

[Jikky]

But ...
You don't have the project files from SX3?
Did you record all the audio files to the same folder back then and now it's one big mess?
Don't delete anything unless you are sure that it is not used anywhere in any project!

If you have the old projects still avaliable, open them and use the "save to new folder" command ... then all the used audio files will be copied along with a version of your *.cpr file to the new folder and put in a folder named Audio just like a regular project. Then do that with all projects.

I am deleting from current projects. Yes Since SX3 I have had several drive changes, reinstalls of Cubase 4 when I switched from XP to Vista64, drive letter changes, etc. Thanx I will do it that way now.

[Jikky]

I was wondering what the organizational structure you like for your files?

i.e. a file structure something like:

1. Cubase Projects>Individual Song Folder>Cubase icons here with audio folder, edit folder, video folder


2. Cubase Projects>Artist Folder>Name of Album>Cubase icons here with audio folder, edit folder, video folder

I'm really trying to get better at this organization.


Also, when I tried the save project in new folder, I came across a mistake that I'm sure I caused. On the project at hand, the audio was saved in a folder named Jikky Beats, which is supposed to be my production folder and no audio from song recordings, but sure enough there was an audio folder with the audio files from one of the song recording projects. When I saved to new folder it created that same file name in the new folder, so it was a folder named iHustle iGrind (name of the song) and in that folder an audio, video, edits, and Jikky Beats folder(this folder had the song audio instead of the audio folder). I'm working on fixing that and then going thru all of the projects and cleaning up everything. I know this will take a day or 2. Ugh. Any help would be very welcome. :confused:

[HowlingUlf]

What works for me is to have one 320 GB hard drive for projects partitioned into two so I have a 30GB partition where I record things and the rest is used for storing and temporary backing up idle projects. I'd set up one folder in the backup partition and call it "projects" and in that folder there are subfolders with "band name + date" (for returning clients) like "Hot Rats 071112", "Hot Rats 081002" and in those there are folders per song.

It's easier to describe it from that point but naturally you would start by creating a project in a song folder with its subfolders like "Audio", "Edits" etc so when you work on the song they are in the root of the 30GB partition so you don't need to look too hard to find stuff. When a song is either ready for that session or finished you just put it in the big partition where it belongs.

Now you can format the 30GB partition again if you need and all is nice and tidy

If you need to edit stuff later you just dump the songs in the roor of the small partition again and Cubendo will find the paths because to the program it looks like nothing ever happened :cool:

[HowlingUlf]

BTW in windows use the [WinKey+E] to open the Windows Explorer and do all FOLDER managing from there. I've recently seen people trying to navigate around from inside other programs in the most horrible of ways!!! :D Not only does it take much longer, give you worse overview but it relly increase the posibility to screw up! I guess 90% already do this but :)

That said ...
ALL MANAGING OF INDIVIDUAL FILES MUST BE DONE FROM INSIDE CUBENDO or the program will lose track of the files!

But if you always work on sings from the folder in the root of the small partition that's no problem :cool:

[Jikky]

What works for me is to have one 320 GB hard drive for projects partitioned into two so I have a 30GB partition where I record things and the rest is used for storing and temporary backing up idle projects. I'd set up one folder in the backup partition and call it "projects" and in that folder there are subfolders with "band name + date" (for returning clients) like "Hot Rats 071112", "Hot Rats 081002" and in those there are folders per song.

It's easier to describe it from that point but naturally you would start by creating a project in a song folder with its subfolders like "Audio", "Edits" etc so when you work on the song they are in the root of the 30GB partition so you don't need to look too hard to find stuff. When a song is either ready for that session or finished you just put it in the big partition where it belongs.

Now you can format the 30GB partition again if you need and all is nice and tidy

If you need to edit stuff later you just dump the songs in the roor of the small partition again and Cubendo will find the paths because to the program it looks like nothing ever happened :cool:

Thanx alot. This makes perfect sense!

[Jikky]

BTW in windows use the [WinKey+E] to open the Windows Explorer and do all FOLDER managing from there. I've recently seen people trying to navigate around from inside other programs in the most horrible of ways!!! :D Not only does it take much longer, give you worse overview but it relly increase the posibility to screw up! I guess 90% already do this but :)

That said ...
ALL MANAGING OF INDIVIDUAL FILES MUST BE DONE FROM INSIDE CUBENDO or the program will lose track of the files!

But if you always work on sings from the folder in the root of the small partition that's no problem :cool:


Thanx for the tips. I use the explorer to do this. Thanx for all the help. Soon I'll be all organized and cleaned.

[Jikky]

I am organized and clean. I have to rerecord my friend's songs (about 4), but everything is superb. Now I'm keeping it that way. Thanx for the help everybody, especially HowlingUlf and kdm!:cool: