Upgrade Pro Tools First to Pro Tools

[ckg111]

I've been using Pro Tools First for a little over a year now and I think I'm ready to upgrade to the full version of Pro Tools. I have a lot of songs (projects) in PTF. If I 'upgrade' to Pro Tools, is this actually upgrading PTF or am I really just installing a new version? Will the new Pro Tools be able to open my PTF projects or will I have to import individual tracks and recreate everything?


Thanks very much.

[albee1952]

General guidelines:
1-"Projects" are in the cloud and "Sessions" are on your drive, so(since I don't trust the cloud so much) I would open all projects and save them as sessions(so you have everything on your drive). Do this before anything else.

2-The regular version of Pro Tools SHOULD have no problem opening all of your projects or sessions(the above is just covering your ASSets)

3-The question about the software is a good one(and I don't have a good answer) so this is how I would proceed: Buy the full version of PT(not Ultimate) and make sure the iLok license is in your account(IOW, available). Then download the latest installer from your MyAvid account. Next, I would deactivate the PTF license and activate the Pro Tools license to your iLok. Open the Pro Tools that is already on your computer(with the iLok connected) and see what happens. If it does NOT open as regular PT(instead of PTF), then its time to uninstall PTF and install the full version. The installer is the same for Pro Tools, and Pro Tools Ultimate. The iLok license tells the software which features to enable. I am not sure if PTF is a separate installer(but I suspect it is)

[ckg111]

Thanks Dave for your detailed suggestions. I have all songs stored as sessions, don't use cloud, so good there. I have copies of my PTF folders on an external hard drive (not connected). That's as close to session backups as I can do. My trepidation is if I actually need to uninstall PTF, that's the point of no return. Until I can make Pro Tools work and read my PTF sessions I have access to nothing. Also, not certain how much is deleted if I uninstall? Do the session folders remain?


Really don't understand why PTF doesn't simply have the ability to upgrade right in the application. Usually software apps are more than happy to let you upgrade to a paying or more expensive version of the product. If I'm misunderstanding this, anybody, please set me straight.


Thanks very much.
Charley

[JFreak]

PTF project opens just fine on paid PT, and a saved session will open without internet connection.

[ckg111]

Thank you!

[ckg111]

Okay. I have purchased and successfully installed the full version of Pro Tools. I don't see how I can open my locally stored Pro Tools First Sessions now. I presume I should be opening files from the PTF project cache. I don't know where else to look. I believe the files are .ptxl extensions. Pro Tools is looking for .ptx and does not recognize .ptxl. Please advise what I'm doing wrong. I've been assured multiple times that Pro Tools will open my songs from PTF.



Thanks.
Charley

[Darryl Ramm]

Upload them to the cloud and download from cloud in Pro Tools???

Ugh what a freaking mess this Pro Tools First project stupidity created. All for the sake of breaking compatibility with Pro Tools. Well they sure achieved that.

[ckg111]

Appreciate the suggestion. I don't know how to upload a PTF local project to the cloud once I've opened it. I can 'save' or export audio mix. Saving in the cloud, to my knowledge, is a choice made when the new project is started. Please let me know if I'm wrong. thanks.

[Darryl Ramm]

“Synchronized to Cloud” checkbox == project is in the cloud.

Then download it with real Pro Tools.

I assume that will work, like most folks on DUC I don't use First... most more experienced users can't even fire it up to test with because of plugin warning up the kazoo.

When done, tie Pro Tools First to a stake and set it on fire. What a clusterfark of a product.

[ckg111]

Thanks very much Darryl. Uploading to the cloud from PT First and then downloading into PT is working for me. It's tedious cos' I can only have 3 uploaded at a time and I did lose one song completely figuring this out. Fortunately, I had all the individual tracks saved and have it mostly rebuilt already. My advice for anybody in the future reading this is to go slow uploading and downloading/removing from the cloud, one song at a time. Be careful to let everything finish and fully sync. Don't rush. I'll be doing this for the next few days, but once it's done, yes, I can say goodbye to PTF.



Also, instructions for installing Pro Tools says to uninstall any previous PT's. I have both running now. I close one to open the other and click thru a message about the database that apparently both versions are sharing(??) Everything seems to work and I just have to get thru this. Fingers crossed. I can't imagine how I could do this migration if I had uninstalled Pro Tools First. I think I'd be trying to reinstall it now..... unthinkable.


Thanks again.
Charley