Tracktion 4 - unexplained deleting source files

[DmN]

Hello,

I'm devastated. I do not know what happened, but Tracktion (i don't know, how it was possible) has deleted all source files. By itself! I've never encountered such a problem. I'm using this software from time to time in over two years. About one month ago, after replacing the hard drive, I installed a fresh system (W7). I have created since then about 6-7 audio projects. At the beginning everything was OK, but a few days later, as I wanted to play some of them, it turned out that more than half of them hasn't source files! I tried to recover those files using data recover software, but most of it was already damaged/overwrited.

Today I ran Tracktion to re-record the missing items and found to have disappeared other source files. Now i have only one project with complete source files. Other projects haven't any source files. All other files on hard drive (like mail, software files, instalation files) are on his own places. Only files in Tracktion directory was deleted.

I do not know what to do now. Is the problem is known? Is this a configuration error (i don't think so)? Or maybe there is problem in the Tracktion4? Any ideas?

Please some comment.
Regards, Damian.

[TSC]

Hey Damian - sounds like you might have inadvertently deleted the files in your system changes. Tracktion does not necessarily move files when you use them in an edit - unless you choose to copy them into the project (this is default behavior) - so perhaps your edits were referencing files located around your system - which have since been deleted during your hard drive and OS installation

You can 'archive' projects from within Tracktion - this is a useful tool as it will gather all the files used in a projects and store them in a single file location - perfect for backup or moving projects.

You can try running a search for any of the missing files - Tracktion will retain the file names even though they are not immediately found - if they have been moved (not deleted) then it is possible to restore your edits

[jabe]

Very strange. I don't recall anything like that being mentioned before. It's events like this that remind us that we didn't quite get round to making back-up copies, and I'm as guilty as anyone.

[lay it prodctions]

Are you saving all your files to a single drive and is it external drive?

[DmN]

Hello again,

First of all, thank you for your answers.

After reading your answers, I reminded one more fact, which is not mentioned. Immediately after installing Tracktion I have not changed the default directory write temporary files (Settings / File settings / Temprorairy directory). After recording a 3-4 projects I noticed this mistake. I changed the configuration save path on the right (on drive D) and moved there project folders (complete). I opened those moved projects individually in Tracktion, and everything worked properly.
After this I recorded in the meantime another 3 projects and there was no problem. A few days later, when I sat down to mastering recorded projects, I noticed that some files was missing. They was related to the moved projects. I assumed it was my fault, I should not be that way to move it. But... now I discovered to have disappeared all project files: those moved and those already recorded on the new site. The only project that has remained complete (so far is a correct set of files) is the one that remained in the original directory on drive C. This may be a clue.

Responding to suggestions that I could accidentally delete files when I was installing a new system: certainly not. My adventure with computers started as I was child (now I'm 33 years old). The secrets of the file system and methods of data storage on hard drives are not alien to me (this is part of my job). I know how to safely move data or install new system without damaging the existing data.

The worst thing is that I can't find any dependencies, the cause deleting files projects, so I described the problem in the forum. Maybe there is mistake in my configuration of Tracktion or something like that. Now I don't know what to do next, how to use Tracktion without fear that tomorrow, when I run Tracktion, the project files will be gone. I couldn't determine exactly when were removed (when I was starting/closing Tracktion? Maybe when opening/changing project?).

Attached a screenshot that shows my configuration in File settings tab.

Regards, Damian.

[lay it prodctions]

I am not sure but my temp files are in locatedl in /app data/roaming/tracktion temp, and my lame file is located in my documents folder in a folder i created. So one question I have did you save your lame file in a temp folder, like I say I am not sure but this is odd I have had a problem like this but I noticed I had files the in 2 drives i had to move all the files to one drive in project folder an it worked from there.

[dRowAudio]

Did you move your projects into the directory listed under "Temporary Directory"? If so, Tracktion may well have deleted the audio files.
The Temporary Directory is a space Tracktion uses for thumbnails, freeze files, proxy renders etc. It can and will delete the contents of this folder when it needs to. This is standard behaviour for temp directories. It should be completely separate from your projects directory.

[Peter Widdicombe]

If you installed a new system, it's likely that profile data and temporary directories became "lost" - either removed, relocated, or simply not in the folder path (i.e. %user% at the OS level).

I have created a separate directory for Tracktion data, into which I place all .vst files, projects, wave libraries, and Lame (zRecording in my case). On installing a new version of Tracktion, the first thing to do is to verify / reset all the pointers; but this makes it easier to back up and even migrate to a new computer.

[DmN]

Thanks for the answers,

Well, now I begin to understand where the problem is. I looked again at the configuration of Tracktion (path of saving temporary files), I checked where I saving my projects, and it turns out that this is one and the same folder. The man sometimes learns from his mistakes.

Now I have one more question: I don't see Tracktion such thing as the default folder for saving project files. Is there a place where there is configuration of this directory?

Regards, Damian.

[jabe]

It looks like the Windows default is the Documents or My Documents folder, although Create New Project allows you to choose a folder and it remembers it the next time you start T6.