quick way of deleting un-used wav files

[darigan]

I like the feature in protools that saves every audio file ever created inside the session, in the audio files folder. I'm also aware you can take this feature off so you just record on top of all the old audio files, BUT is there any quick and easy way of deleting all these extra files when you are happy with you session? or even the a list of the exact audio file names you are using? (becuase looking at each individual piece of audio in the edit window just to take down the name simply takes to long)

Its just when you are wanting to back these sessions and the wav files take up to much space, I mean one DVD cd per song is a joke.

[3over3]

Not got the program open in front of me, but roughly, here's how to do it.

Save your session first, to be safe.

In the region list pop-up menu, find "Select... Unused..." and it gives you a choice of regions only or regions and whole files (if I remember correctly). Select the second option. You've now selected everything unused. In the region list menu find "Clear..." and either remove them from the session or delete them from disk.

The safest option here is to only remove them from the session, then save a copy of the entire session (File menu... Save Copy In...) making sure you tick the "All Audio Files" box. Archive this version. If you're feeling brave, lose them from your original session by simply deleting them from disk in the clear dialogue.

Hope this works (as I say, I've not got the thing open, and the pdfs are a pain to use quickly, as usual)

[EGS]

... the pdfs are a pain to use quickly, as usual

How so? I can "Search the F'ing Manual" faster than you can say "ooops I should've backed that up first". STFM is good. Yes?

[daeron80]

There is a way to do it very quickly, but before I tell you how to do it, please be warned not to try it until you've read this whole post. Use the Select all unused files method outlined correctly from memory by 3over3 Then Ctl+Shift+B, which brings up a dialog where you can choose Remove, Delete, or Cancel. You are now standing on the edge of the point of no return, so don't acually do this yet, but if you were to hold down the Alt key while choosing the Delete option, all selected files would be deleted instantly - gone forever, no warning message, no second chance (unless you have Norton Unerase installed on that drive, which is huge waste of space if there ever was one).

Very, very dangerous thing to do unless you are absolutely certain that every single selected region is no longer needed at all by any session. A lot of things can go wrong. Most of the time, sessions end up using mostly regions that are not whole files. When you select all whole files, that includes any that have regions remaining in the session. Thankfully, recent versions of PT won't usually allow you to delete those accidentally, but they will allow you to remove them from the session, which may cause you problems later on, especially if you Compact.

In many kinds of projects, sessions share files. Deleting a file that is no longer used in one session may make it permanently unavailable to another that does use it. A simple music record project doesn't usually share files across sessions, but if you get in the habit of doing it and then end up with a post-scoring or other commercial project, you may screw yourself.

I tried for years to reduce backup size by deleting unused files, but I've pretty much given up on it. Between the amount of time it takes to make sure you're only deleting things you really don't need, and the risk involved in deleting things you THINK you don't need, not to mention the ever-present all-too-human oops factor, it ends up being a net cost rather than a benefit in the long run, IMO.

But sometimes, you do end up with a session filled with many useless whole files, and you know for certain that you can easily and confidently select them and delete them without further ado. Then the Alt-Delete method is a blessing.

BTW, backing up to DVD is one of the slowest and most irritating ways to do it. Look into AIT-2 and Retrospect software. It's expensive but it saves loads of time.

[EGS]

I agree with David - 2 things to add to what he said. Before deleting unused audio, delete any unused and unneccessary playlists. Second, in the audio regions bin use "Show Full Pathnames". Examine this to be sure you are nuking the correct files. Once you wrap your brain around this delete files thing, plus the "disk allocation" concepts, it's not all that difficult. Procede with caution!!!

[3over3]

How so? I can "Search the F'ing Manual" faster than you can say "ooops I should've backed that up first". STFM is good. Yes?

... searching the manual is good, yes. Adobe's search isn't so good when you don't know the exact phrase or order of the words you're trying to remember off the top of your head. I couldn't find the details of the "Select... Unused" command. Also I couldn't remember if it was "Save Copy As", "Save Copy In", "Save a Copy As", "Save a Copy In"... etc. Here I am wishing for a Google for pdfs. Like that'll ever happen [rushes off and downloads Google Desktop immediately]

[AlexLakis]

I always just do a "save session copy in..." It's a good way of backing up in general.

[EGS]

... searching the manual is good, yes. Adobe's search isn't so good when you don't know the exact phrase or order of the words you're trying to remember off the top of your head.

You're right. At times like that I usually scan the table of contents until I find what I need.

[3over3]

You're right. At times like that I usually scan the table of contents until I find what I need.

...did that too. I just couldn't find the details of the "Select" command in the Region List pop-up. IS it me, or are there really things missing from the manual?