Hi,
Cubase 13 now deletes the project folder it auto generates when project is not saved, which is great. But when I choose ‘Prompt for project location’ and choose or create a folder manually should it be making sense to do the same? I don’t see the point there. Even worse it just deletes every empty folder inside the project folder.
I understand the need of this new feature, but for people who are used to manually construct their folders, this would be a problem.
I am wondering whether there is an option to choose not to auto delete folders. If not, I am hoping for adding the option.
Thanks.
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yes, I’ve noticed this.
it’s very bad behaviour IMO - if you open a C11/12 project then exit it also ‘cleans up’ any empty folders from those projects folders too … without asking or warning.
Are you closing the project without saving? If yes to that question I’d say yes to your question in the quote.
Why would you expect Cubase to save a folder you do not want? You explicitly stated you do not want this folder when you told Cubase not to save it.
It seems to be working as it should now.
As I have mentioned, the folder is created manually, chosen manually, not auto generated by cubase.
I did some more tests
If you create Root Folder>Sub1>Sub2 then create a project in Sub2 (which is in Sub1) and cancel, C13 will auto delete Sub2 but keep Sub1 and Root.
I think you need to create a Sub1 inside your Root folder that you want to retain. That way if you decide not to keep your project it will just clear Sub1 and not your Root.
it may be working as it should but that’s not the issue
C13 is deleting folders that it DID NOT create when you exit without saving. I don’t think that’s desirable behaviour
you don’t need to create a new project - you can open an existing C11/12 project that has empty folders - they will be deleted
A song is planned and folders are created for it. Then you start creating cubase project for sketch, draft or experimental things. According to how well it is done you will choose to save it or not. But the folders should be there, to avoid repeating the creating folder process on starting new cubase project.
You’re handing over the folder you manually created to Cubase when you tell Cubase to use that folder for the project. So after that decision you’ve told Cubase it may delete that folder if you do not want the project. Because you gave C13 that folder for the project you no longer want.
Could you please give an example of your last sentence about exciting C11/C12 project with empty folders? Maybe I don’t understand what you’re expressing.
The software, no software, can determine which folders it created and which folders it did not create. Well unless it retains a table of all folders it created, which is unrealistic considering how many times people copy and move folders around (such as backups – some of which Cubase may have created on another system years ago).
So the solution is not to give Cubase authority over the root folder you manually created. Create sub folders, it won’t delete the parent or the subchildren that you don’t place your C13 project into. Only will it delete the subchild folder you tell C13 to use for the project.
I have some test C11/12 projects - with no audio. They contain the .cpr file plus some folders (ARA/Audio/pleasedonotdeleteme). This is the normal cubase project folder structure but of course these are empty as there is no audio in the project.
if you open that test project in v13 and then exit without saving ALL your ‘empty’ folders are deleted - leaving just the .cpr in the project folder.
try it - then read the thread again - hopefully should make more sense ?
IMO this is a ‘bad thing’
This is an assumption-based decision that ‘you want to delete the folder’. In most cases where the project folder is auto generated by cubase, deleting the folder when not to save the project is what people want. But it is the opposite when users choose ‘prompt for project location’.
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Yes I’ve tried this a few different ways just now. What you’re saying is different from what Tweswend is stating.
He is saying he is manually creating a folder then opening C13, creating a project, telling the project to be in the folder he manually created, then deciding he doesn’t want to save the project. He has told Cubase to use that folder as it’s own, then told Cubase he doesn’t want that folder when he told cubase to not save the initial project he created IN that folder.
But you’re opening an already saved project and then deciding you don’t want to save any changes and it is clearing empty subfolders. Yours could be considered a bug.
It seems C13 is just sniffing for empty folders inside of an open project and deleting those if the project isn’t saved. I think it should just delete the parent folder (and thus any children folders) if the project isn’t saved only if there aren’t any CPR files in the parent folder.
And for Tweswend’s issue, maybe the middle ground is if Cubase could disable the ‘auto-delete if not saved’ feature if the user selected ‘Prompt for project location’ when initiating the new project?
I understand what Tweswend is saying - it’s a slightly different scenario, but the same behaviour and therefore the same issue.
C13 should not be deleting folders it did not create
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Exactly what Dr.Strangelove said were started from one aspect that I mentioned in the top post 
These two are both problems IMO
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Cubase doesn’t have a brain to know which folders it created and which folders it did not create. How could it?
of course it could ? it knows exactly what it’s created. In fact if you record audio then try to quit it asks you if you want to keep the recorded data.
and if it doesn’t know then it shouldn’t delete - or better still ASK
either way it’s not a bug - it’s design decision by SB - and a bad one IMO
One solution is like what installers and uninstallers on windows do: Recording what files are created, and deleting things according to the record.
But my need is actually simpler…Just don’t auto delete empty folders for me.
So yes this is what I am wondering about.
This only functions if it is logging what it has created, over time. But that knowledge wouldn’t be retained on Uninstall/Reinstalls or moves to others systems. Cubase wouldn’t understand folders it created previously in older versions, say projects copied over from another computer either.
Software design just works on rules and definitions. It isn’t smart enough to know it created that folder back in 2014 on C7.5 or if it didn’t create it. Esp when people can create the same folder structure as the software itself.
I think my solution of Cubase not deleting folders when the user has selected ‘Prompt for project location’ and also when the folder already has a cpr in it are much more realistic and useful solutions to both of your unique concerns.
I’m not asking for that - but thanks for the input