Pro Tools audio files missing from session, help, very stressed! :-(

[confused10]

Hi

I'm new here. Currently very stressed as I have a deadline coming up in 8 days and today pro tools just decided to act up. I recorded two actors in two seperate sessions in the recording studio then saved those sessions in an external hard drive. When I tried to open one of the session today I got the message that audio files were missing. Having never seen this before, I searched for solutions online, tried most of them but just couldn't get the hang of it so I quit pro tools. Now, I'm planning to go back to this session and see what the problem is but I am very worried that when I quit and clicked on 'save any changes' I might have lost the session entirely, because well, it was grey and there were no tracks so does that mean I saved this empty grey space and replaced whatever previous one that was there (if it was)? Sorry if it's sounds all over the place I'm just so confused as this is my final year project

Another question: I noticed that the first session was saved under a folder where in the folder there were other files like cache and others which were empty along with the pro tools session. This is different for the second session, it's just alone as a pro tools session, it's not in any folder. I remember correctly what I did after recording in the studio. I recorded each session and made sure to save it to the desktop and then to the hard drive, so why is one in a file folder while the other session is on it's on?

I'm really confused and worried right now as that is my grade and I really would not want to fail. Anyone?

[Porky]

First...when you recorded in the studio and saved to an external, did you do a "save session copy" and "include all audio files"? If not, then your files should still exist on whatever computer you actually did the recording on. If you can go back to the original "record" session, go to File-Save copy in-and direct it to your external. MAKE SURE YOU CHECK "INCLUDE ALL AUDIO FILES".

Second...those files should technically still be missing, so saving your last open session won't affect anything as far as blowing away anything. Those missing files should still be in your bin, although they'll be italicized meaning that they can't be found.

[BaileyBass]

Originally Posted by confused10

Hi

I'm new here. Currently very stressed as I have a deadline coming up in 8 days and today pro tools just decided to act up. I recorded two actors in two seperate sessions in the recording studio then saved those sessions in an external hard drive. When I tried to open one of the session today I got the message that audio files were missing. Having never seen this before, I searched for solutions online, tried most of them but just couldn't get the hang of it so I quit pro tools. Now, I'm planning to go back to this session and see what the problem is but I am very worried that when I quit and clicked on 'save any changes' I might have lost the session entirely, because well, it was grey and there were no tracks so does that mean I saved this empty grey space and replaced whatever previous one that was there (if it was)? Sorry if it's sounds all over the place I'm just so confused as this is my final year project


Another question: I noticed that the first session was saved under a folder where in the folder there were other files like cache and others which were empty along with the pro tools session. This is different for the second session, it's just alone as a pro tools session, it's not in any folder. I remember correctly what I did after recording in the studio. I recorded each session and made sure to save it to the desktop and then to the hard drive, so why is one in a file folder while the other session is on it's on?

I'm really confused and worried right now as that is my grade and I really would not want to fail. Anyone?

Sounds like your second session is just the ptf file which means your audio files folder is somewhere else, probably floating on the desktop at the studio..who knows?
There should be a session "folder" containing the ptf file and the "other" things that you mention.
And, you need to go back to the studio and do a "save copy in" as outlined above.
Then make sure that when you "drag" sessions here and there... well make sure that it is a complete session FOLDER. Or better yet, always use the "save copy in" function. Then get the manual out and read about "disk allocation", which if you have made the above mistake.... this one is not far behind. good luck. SB

[Eric Seaberg]

As a safety in the future, when you create a session, go to Setup/Disc Allocation BEFORE you start any recording. Confirm that all of your audio files will go into your current session folder and within the AUDIO FILES folder.

It sounds to me like this wasn't set and your audio and fade files are probably on the parent directory of the drive.

Retrace your steps... your audio is still on the original session system, IMHO.

[confused10]

Originally Posted by Porky

First...when you recorded in the studio and saved to an external, did you do a "save session copy" and "include all audio files"? If not, then your files should still exist on whatever computer you actually did the recording on. If you can go back to the original "record" session, go to File-Save copy in-and direct it to your external. MAKE SURE YOU CHECK "INCLUDE ALL AUDIO FILES".

Second...those files should technically still be missing, so saving your last open session won't affect anything as far as blowing away anything. Those missing files should still be in your bin, although they'll be italicized meaning that they can't be found.

Ok, I went to the original session file on the original computer and it did not open. Same problem 'missing audio' and the tracks are grey, so there is nothing to save. Does that mean I've lost the files? I can't believe how ridiculous this situation is becoming.

Also went and searched for individual files in the trash, all document, e.t.c and they seem not to be there, funny thing is other sessions recording by other students on the sae date or even earlier are still there. I really want to scream.

[suicune]

As Eric pointed out it sounds like your disk allocation was incorrectly set.

When you get the missing audio dialog, select 'manually find and relink'. This will open the relink window. In the second row of this window it will list the missing files and in italics under 'path' it tells you where it was expecting to find them. This will tell you what disk they were originally on, be it internal firewire etc.

If that disk is still connected and they're not on it then you probably have lost them. You should always check your disk allocation before recording when you are working in studios that are not your own, or whenever you change the disk configuration.

[nucelar]

You can go to the region list on the right, there under view options or similar you can select to view the "Full Path" where the gray regions are supposed to be. There at least you know the name of the hard drive and the folder where they were recorded. Maybe it's an external drive that was connected at that time.
PD
You could see that info in the workspace window, in oe of the rightmost columns.
Good luck

[confused10]

Well, at this point guys it looks like I've lost the files 7 more days to go and the only option I have is to tweak the script and makes this (it was meant to be a radio play) into an experimental radio piece, using only one actor. With the sound effects I have I think it can make for a convincing piece. I figure it's better any grade than no grade at all, there simply is no time to record again. I have actually learnt a lot from your replies.

A quick question: I have audacity at home. I know it's not Pro Tools but I want to spend the remaining days very wisely by editing at home instead of being in the long waiting line to get to the suites at uni (it's mad at this time of the year, everyone is running up and down, things fully booked) so I was wondering if it's possible to import a pro tools session into audacity, if so how? Does the session needs to be converted to a .wav file?

Many thanks!

[brianjanthony]

You cannot open a PT session in Audacity. You would have to go into PT, and do this for each track....

1) select all the regions in a track and make sure you select all the way back to 0 seconds or the start of your piece. Consolidate the regions into one region (I believe its option-shift 3... or you can do it in the region bin menu)

2)Command shift K to export the new larger region to somewhere (like a folder on your desktop)

3) If your PT session has 4 tracks, what you want to end up with is 4 tracks on screen, each track containing one large region that starts at 0. Export all of those to somewhere on your computer as wav files (with the command shift k thing)

4) import those waves into whatever you want.

As an aside.... Mboxes go for like $100 on Craigslist around here. Maybe you can find one... OR....

Download Reaper. Its easier to edit in than Audacity. It's more robust. And its free to try and fully functional. Reaper also does vst and au plugins so you could really go to town. and its free to try.

[formfunction]

Originally Posted by confused10

Well, at this point guys it looks like I've lost the files 7 more days to go and the only option I have is to tweak the script and makes this (it was meant to be a radio play) into an experimental radio piece, using only one actor.

Many thanks!

Can't your professor help? I am presuming that you missed the class on session management. Or he/she did not touch on that. Not knowing this after a year is either poor teaching or poor attendance. Either way, it is a good lesson to learn in school and not on the clock. Good Luck, ff