"Select Unused Regions" selects USED regions. Please help..

[pukeuv]

Hi,

I want to delete all UNUSED audio in my session, so I use the "Select unused regions" command, but Pro Tools still selects region (part of audiofile) that are in use. I must be doing something wrong here, or womething is really [bleep] up.

Coming from Logic were if you had a region (part of an audiofile) that was used by the session, Logic would not select the audiofile (from which the region was derived), since a part of it was a region that was used in the session.

So to repeat...First I have nothing selected. Then I go to the "regions list", use "select" and then "unused". Now Pro Tools selects audiofiles that ARE used in the session. Why is this? Why does Pro Tools select audiofiles that has regions derived from it used in the session?

I realize that PT asks wheter I want to delete each file permanently or just "unlink" it from the session, but still if you need to get rid of a LOT of files you don´t want to be sitting and answering questions for an hour. There must be an easier, secure way to delete unused audiofiles and qonsequently the regions associated with it.

Please help!

[BDWillis]

I believe the selection you want is "Unused Audio Except Whole Files" in the Regions Bin menu. That will remove all the unused regions from your session, but not the Parent audio files those regions are derived from.

Then when you get the next dialog box, click "Remove", not "Delete". Be aware that "Delete" removes the audio from your disk drive... VERY BAD if that's not what you intended to do!!

Also, you CAN "Remove" the Parent files from the session (those whole files listed in Bold in the Regions Bin) without messing things up... PT will still find the audio as long as you don't "Delete from Disk". (Not trying to talk down to you, but terminology is VERY important in this case, and migrating from one app to another — Logic to Pro Tools — is always confusing in that area.)

Hope this helps, good luck & welcome to PT!!

Warmest Regards,
Brian

[Oroz]

I've just learned (from another forum) a shortcut for deleting them with one click: --hold down option while selecting the first "yes" and PT should delete all unused audio region--

It's great! I've been doing it deleting one file at a time for years! hahaha, many thanks to s.d.finley.

[Scott Church]

Hi pukeuv and Brian,

I just wanted to clarify on what Brian said. This can be an area of confusion that's for sure...

I believe the selection you want is "Unused Audio Except Whole Files" in the Regions Bin menu. That will remove all the unused regions from your session, but not the Parent audio files those regions are derived from.

Brian is right, this will select any region that is not on the timeline, but it won't select *any* whole file regions whether they are used or not. This is good in that it means you don't have to worry about removing/deleting a "parent" (a.k.a a whole file region) that might have "children" (e.g. regions that are created by editing whole file regions).

However, if you want to get rid of all the audio completely unused (including whole file regions that aren't being used by “children”), you will have to select those unused whole file regions manually if you use "Unused Audio Except Whole Files." Again be careful, as Delete means "gone forever" - Remove just means clear from the Regions list. I personally think we should add another option to take care of this case

Cheers,
Scott

[trakbytes]

Seems to me that pukeuv wants to delete unused files from his session, perhaps for archiving or just to cut down on the clutter. "Selecting unused regions" will also select a lot of regions that still have files in the session, hence the repeated dialog. The way I have been cleaning up sessions for years has been to "Select unused regions," "Clear selected", then remove from session. Next, "Save copy as" making sure to include the audio files to another folder or disk. This way you get all the files that have regions in the session and no files that don't. If there is another way to do this, I would like to know.

Bob

[pukeuv]

Thank you all for your replies!

Brian, I love Pro Tools but some things I think could be handled better. This issue is just one of them things that need to be foolproof. I mean sometimes you´re just tired and then it´s easy to click on the wrong button.

The way Pro Tools works means to me that a lot of audio is created during a session of editing, recording etc, so a great way to consolidate your session would really be a benefit to me at least.

What in Pro Tools sourcecode makes it so hard to have this function? I have many times wished that PT had some functions that other program has, but since Pt is more of a "digital tapemachine" in the way you work with it, I can understand why it´s not possible to do all things that for example Logic does, but this...?

Of course PT is so much better at a lot of other things...just wish you could combine best of worlds...

So, basically there is no work around other that to drink strong coffe, select unused regions and then be on the alert, if I want to archive or just get rid of unused audio? The song I´m working on is about 5 gigs of space, but my estimate is that I´m merely using about 1,5 gigs so it´s a waste of space...

Thanx again all you poster!

[Scott Church]

Bob,

That is a good work around When you check "All Audio Files" under Items to Copy in the Save Sessin In dialog, it will only copy the files/regions that are in the region list. So selecting Unused and then choosing Remove from the Clear dialog (instead of Delete) will set up the session so using Save Copy In will then leave you with only the files/regions being used.

Cheers,
Scott

[Frank Kruse]

Hi pukeuv and Brian,

I just wanted to clarify on what Brian said. This can be an area of confusion that's for sure...

Brian is right, this will select any region that is not on the timeline, but it won't select *any* whole file regions whether they are used or not. This is good in that it means you don't have to worry about removing/deleting a "parent" (a.k.a a whole file region) that might have "children" (e.g. regions that are created by editing whole file regions).

However, if you want to get rid of all the audio completely unused (including whole file regions that aren't being used by “children”), you will have to select those unused whole file regions manually if you use "Unused Audio Except Whole Files." Again be careful, as Delete means "gone forever" - Remove just means clear from the Regions list. I personally think we should add another option to take care of this case

Cheers,
Scott

I´d wish we had a "select only regions that are offline AND unused" unlike "select all unused" or "select all offline". Right now I can only hand-select regions that are both unused and offline while keeping the ones offline AND used in the timeline.

frank.

[pukeuv]

Thanx for your tip Bob!

That seems to be the way to go, although there really should be an easier way.

Another great thing I would wish for is better "export audio" functions. For instace, if you want to consolidate all your regions on every track to new complete files from bar 1, then it would be nice to be able to add a prefix to the filename, like "B" for bounced file etc....The way I do it now is to set up an equal amount of busses, this is teadious but then you get all files named as you like and you can secify the disc allocation for the files. With the prefix option you could just select the files with "B" in the beginning and copy yhem to another folder.

I guess there´ll be a PT 7.4 somewhere on the horizon....

[trakbytes]

If you change your track names before you consolidate, you will get the "B" in your file name. It also helps to select another folder in the Disk Allocation dialog for those consolidated files. Duplicate your playlists before consolidating and you can still access your original edits.

Another advantage to my original suggestion is that you get a backup of the original session, just in case you decide you want something from a deleted take. Of course, you have to be diligent in your disk management, or you will have a confusing number of duplicate sessions. Color coding the folders can help with this; one color for current, another color for back-ups, etc. Fortunately, disk space is pretty cheap these days, so you can (and should) keep at least one backup copy of any current sessions, preferably on a seperate disk.

Bob