Creating new filing system

Elektron Gear Octatrack
1

I hadnt backed up the octatrack for a while and when i did i saw lots of new files not in subfolders in my audio folder :frowning:
If i create new subfolders and/ or put them in existing sub folders to tidy them up will my projects still be able to find them? Sorry , Im not particularly IT savvy
Also any tips on filing systems?

2

I guess that would mess up existing projects.
I faced the same dilemma, then realized that I didnā€™t have any important projects to begin with.
But if you have, I wouldnā€™t move the files around.

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3

I wouldnā€™t mind some tips on approaching this with the OT.

I was a bit miffed the first time I loaded up a saved project and it had no samples in it, only realising then that I was recording to a buffer on a flex track. So now I save off the buffer into files when I want to save the project - but I feel like this isnā€™t the efficient/right way to handle that stuff. OT is a mysterious mistress.

4

COLLECT SAMPLES copies samples that are used by the currently active project into the project directory, which will effectively disconnect the project from the audio pool.
PURGE SAMPLES will remove all unused samples from the project. Note that samples are only removed from the Flex and Static sample slot lists of the project; the actual samples will not be deleted from the audio pool. :robot:

4 Likes
5

No. You have to reassign samples after creating a folder and put samples in.
In sample slot lists, you should see an ERROR message. Reassign these files.

Other approach : edit project settings file with a text editor. Add new folderā€™s name in sample assignment path. Ex:

PATH=ā€¦/AUDIO/Sample.wav
PATH=ā€¦/AUDIO/NewFolder/Sample.wav
(Copy paste NewFolder/ or else to concerned samples).

project.work (or project.strd)
############################

Project Settings

############################
Blablablaā€¦
############################

Samples

############################

[SAMPLE]
TYPE=FLEX
SLOT=001
PATH=ā€¦/AUDIO/ELEKTRON/percs.wav
TRIM_BARSx100=200
TSMODE=2
LOOPMODE=1
GAIN=48
TRIGQUANTIZATION=-1
[/SAMPLE]

[SAMPLE]
TYPE=FLEX
SLOT=002
PATH=ā€¦/AUDIO/ELEKTRON/rhodes.wav
TRIM_BARSx100=100
TSMODE=2
LOOPMODE=1
GAIN=48
TRIGQUANTIZATION=-1
[/SAMPLE]

[SAMPLE]
TYPE=FLEX
SLOT=129
PATH=
BPMx24=2880
TSMODE=2
LOOPMODE=0
GAIN=72
TRIGQUANTIZATION=-1
[/SAMPLE]

{Etcā€¦}
############################

1 Like
6

Is an interesting solution, but if you want to re-use these samples in another project it can messyā€¦

Be aware that PURGE SAMPLES doesnā€™t work for slot 1-8 (Static or Flex). As these slots are default assignments on all default parts, OT consider that these slots are used.

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7

There is an option save them in project directory if you donā€™t want to put them all in AUDIO folder root.

2 Likes
8

I always use SAVE SAMPLES TO PROJECT DIRECTORY option in personalise menu. Keeps things easier to keep track of for me. If I use samples from audio pool I use COLLECT SAMPLES option. If I record samples in the project I save them to free flex/static.

4 Likes
9

Those are textiles?!

Next time Iā€™m bored, Iā€™m gonna write an OT File Manager ā„¢

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10

I just reload new samples and compose an hour+ of new sequences before every Live PA.

Makes it more special for the audience, and keeps me from getting bored playing stale tracks everyone has already heard.

Yes itā€™s a singular performance and rarely recorded or documented, if you werenā€™t there you missed out on a great time

I usually have 12-15x 4 kit folders with 7-8 samples in each,

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11

Check project files. This file project.work file is editable with a simple text editor, not othersā€¦

12

Thanks so much everybody. My skills arent up to file path editing but i think my plan is as follows:-
Load up project , use ā€˜ collect samples ā€˜ and ā€˜ save projectā€™ command to put relevant files within project folder
Repeat for every project
Leaving me with an audio pool within which i can set up a filing system
I realise this creates duplicates across projects and audio pool
Iā€™ll live with that for now
This link describes various ways to address this issue with new projects

Most helpful( assuming ive got my facts right :pray::crossed_fingers:
Thanks everybody
Kr
Chris

13

No. The project has a reference to the audio files; so just moving them wonā€™t update the project; and will break your links.

Additionally, multiple Projects could be referencing the same file.

Probably best to use the ā€œCollect Samplesā€ option as others have suggested.

Keep an organised structure within your Audio Pool;

  • Drums
    • Kicks
    • Snares
  • Loops
    • Perc Loops
    • Hi-Hats

Then use ā€œCollect Samplesā€ as discussed above if/when you want to isolate/self-contain your project.

3 Likes
14

Ok, so with several projects this worked fine, but with others, when running ā€˜ collect all samplesā€™ i got ā€˜ unable to collect all samples file not foundā€™ error, but when i looked in the project sample slots i i couldnt find any such message in any of the slots

Question
Does octatrack abort the ā€˜collect all samplesā€™ procedure or just ā€˜ collect all it canā€™ when it sends this message?

15

So did you write an OT File Manager ? Or anyone else for that matter ?

16

I did not :face_with_diagonal_mouth:

I work in IT so I usually canā€™t be arsed to program when Iā€™m off work.

But I think it wouldnā€™t be that hard since the author of Octachainer did all the hardparts already.

So if any bored C++ guys out there are bored, get to it! :upside_down_face:

17

Indeed iā€™m seeing that the Octachainer app is opensource but how would it help to write a file manager ? Iā€™m not seeing any similarity in feature I would expect in a file manager (file browsing, file moving/renaming while keeping project in sync)

18

I think a much simpler scripting language like Python would do the job, no need to get in the weeds with C++ for a OT File Manager, it just needs to move files around, and edit a text file.

19

Iā€™m not sure why I thought that ā€˜.workā€™ files are textfiles. Because they arenā€™t. They are definitely binaries. Thatā€™s why I thought of the Octachainer source code. The dev has the correct definitions for that.

Also, if one would just need to ā€˜move files around and change a textfileā€™, one could do it with a bash script and a bit of sed or awk thrown into the mix :smile:.

20

Hahah, yeah, just a bash would solve it.

Even though itā€™s binary Iā€™d still say that Python is a good candidate to do it, itā€™s not hard to work with binary data in it, thereā€™s no need for performant code for a tool like this.

I might give it a shot, at least I can give a shot in finding if anyone else has made a parser for the .work file :sweat_smile: