How to import just folders without tracks?

Cubase
1

Is there a way to import just folder tracks from another project, without any containing tracks?

I have 16 existing projects, and want to create same 18 empty folders in each project, for track organization. Doing it manually, I have to create 18 folders in each project, and then name and color them one by one, doing this 16 times. That is 16x18=288 folder tracks for manual input.

Is there a way to make those empty folders just once in one project, and then transfer/import them into other existing projects? Or maybe there is some kind of folder track preset to do this? Or if I make a template with them, can templates be applied to existing projects?

2

Track folders get lost when using i.e. track archives. Track folders can’t be imported via the new session import function. Templates can’t be partially added to existing projects… no way I can think of.

3

Yes, I’m looking in manual and searching, and it seems it cannot be done.

Seems the only way is this:

  1. create a template with desired folders etc
  2. export track archive for each existing project
  3. separately export tempo track
  4. create new project from template
  5. import tempo track
  6. import all tracks from track archive
  7. rearange imported tracks into folders
  8. recreate routing for all imported tracks?
  9. …

By importing tracks, will all automation, panning, inserts, sends, fx, groups, routing… will all be there 100% the same as it was in original project? I’m suspecting things can go wrong, and something may be lost while importing?

4

Or, a different approach, can folder tracks be created from preset with a Project Logical Editor, all set with names and colors? Or maybe it can be done with macros in some way?

5

Looking in manual, it seems this could be automated with Project Logical Editor. I never used Logical Editor much, so before going deeper into it, can somebody just quickly check below idea, and let me know if if could work at all?

So, I need 18 folders, all named and colored, so that it is the same in all 16 projects.
First I would create 18 new folders, and name them with numbers 1-18. Then use Logical Editor to rename folders and apply color automatically. Logical Editor would use following steps:

  1. Container: Folder Track
  2. Name: 1
  3. Replace search string: 1 → drums
  4. Set color: → Color 1

Would this be possible with Project Logical Editor? If not for all tracks at once, maybe at least for each track, one by one, and then each track could have its own key command, or be combined into one macro?

6

Yes, just did it, works nicely with Project Logical Editor.

7

Great you found a solution. PLE is mighty! Sadly it’s way more logic than my head and gets not too much use here :laughing:

8

If anybody finds it helpful, here is how I did this:

Recipe for 20 folder tracks:

  1. Make Project Logical Editor preset to find folder by name (numbers 1 - 20), rename it to desired name and color it by desired number. For folder 20 tracks you make 20 presets.
  2. Create macro that combines all these 20 presets into one command.
  3. Create shortcut to create folder track, mine is Ctrl+Shift+F
  4. Create 20 folders with above shortcut
  5. Rename folders to numbers 1-20 (rename first then skip to next with tab)
  6. Run macro.

After you have macro set up, it takes max 30 seconds to have 20 tracks setup with names and colors.
It is important that each created folder has its number, and that this number is the same as in PLE preset. This way each folder gets proper name and color, as defined in PLE preset. Any different names would work, but I find simple numbers easiest to input quickly by using Tab.

Too bad you cannot create tracks with PLE, this would make it even faster, since most time with above method is spent to create and rename folders in preparation for the macro.