The hub in C15 is pretty messed up right now. But I’m sure Steinberg is working on fixing it.
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If you have Use Default Location checked in the Hub Settings, you’re telling the system that you do not want to choose/create a folder when you start a new project. When it’s unchecked, you can choose/create a folder each time you “Create Empty” or use any other template.
No. If you don’t want a default location–deselect the option. “Create Empty” and the other templates do exactly what they’re supposed to do.
It makes sense if you understand (and accept) how it works. If you wanted all of your “October Projects” to go into one location, you’d set it as the default location. If you want a new folder for each project, you don’t want to “Use Default Location” at all.
Still makes no sense to me.
In my opinion the most logical way to approach it would be to have a “Create New” button that would pop up with secondary dialog box giving the user a chance to select the location and to create a folder name. Or to simply move it back over onto the “Project” page.
All I know is that it was easier for me to operate in previous versions of Cubase.
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You don’t need a “Create New” button, because it opens a file-browser window where you can use the current location, choose another folder, or create a new folder. Seems like you haven’t even tried un-checking Use Default Location.
The buttons work the same way they always have. The problem this thread is about is the presentation of the location info.
It’s important to see that information when using the buttons, so hiding it in the settings is a step backwards from C14, especially since there is plenty of room for it in the main window.
Whether or not one understands how it works, or is intended to work, leaving a checkbox on the front can’t be that hard, surely. Use the checkbox to tell Cubase to use the Default or present a file open dialog. Go to the Settings to actually set the Default’s location.
The extras on the left panel are just Marmite - you either love it or hate it.
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Yeah, but what’s the point of not getting a chance to create a folder name when the default location is enabled though ?
Just seems illogical in my personal opinion.
This post may help. I think the “key point” here, to me anyway, is that the new Default Location function is multifaceted - Its purpose is to not only specify a Default Folder for “project files,” but also a “Project Folder Name” which is used to automatically separate and organize new projects into their own automatically-numbered folder:
So the “logic” basically takes 2 forms - you can:
- Do not set “Use Default Location” which gives you C14-type “free floating” project and supporting files location selection.
- Set “Use Default Location” which ALWAYS creates a unique Project Folder with a “numbered version” of whatever “base” Project Folder Name you’ve selected.
You’re right - this makes you change the way you previous did things, which may be the cause for the logical disconnect. I can only speak for myself, but it took me a minute to “get it” too, at which point I realized that this function “gave up” some control of “on-the-fly” project folder location in favor of having a fully separate, automatically managed sub-folder of all projects. I prefer this method, and it works for both of my typical approaches of “let’s get creative with something on the fly” or “rolling up my sleeves to create a complete body of work after planning out what I want.”
What I do now is just let the system create the full folder structure for me (which I really like) and then after I’ve saved it (or not) or done whatever I’ve done, I just rename the folder, or after it’s saved THEN I use the “Backup Project” method. This actually saves me the bother of wondering what project folder I’m going to save something I haven’t really begun creating yet. But that’s just me.
As others (including myself) have pointed out, ideally there would be some control of this behavior in the main Hub dialog. I suggested a “mirror” of the Settings configuration option a while ago, but for me, I think just an “override” function would be better. Maybe the “+ Create Empty” button name could be based on what your settings are, and holding Option “live toggles” between them. As in, if I have Use Defaults set, the button name is “+ Create Empty (Defaults)” but if for that instance I hold the Option key down, it changes to “+ Create Empty (Select Folder)” or something similar. This would work both ways for some “instant toggle” functionality if I wanted it and that way I wouldn’t have to think about going in and out of the Settings. In fact, I would rather NOT change the default settings and just have a “do it this time” option. But that’s another story.
Not sure if any of that helped, or if you already knew all that and just disagreed with the overall logic, but for me the new approach is really nice, and I love having separate, self-numbering project folders now.
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Experience has taught me this: The old ways are gone. They never come back.
I’m always tempted to upgrade even when I don’t need to (I have C14 Pro), but threads like these give me strength to hold out.
I never use a default location - every new project gets its own folder, and the process of creating it is front and center in the C14 Hub.
All these changes in the Hub that this thread suggests don’t improve things, or even make it worse, compared
The settings are “hidden” because they shouldn’t be changed frequently. Defaults are “set and forget.”
Unless you want to save all of your projects to one default location, just turn it off.
You’re not getting a clear picture of the current situation from the threads on this forum.
In Cubase 15 you can simply disable “Use Default Location” in the Hub Settings, and every time you create a project, your file manger pops up (to the last location you used, interestingly enough) and you can create a new folder there for the new project. That’s how I use it.
Basically, the complaints are from people who want to create the new folder in the Cubase GUI instead of creating it using their OS file manager (which is the perfect tool for the task).
The old way couldn’t even display the full path:
If that’s the case then you can ignore all posts that deal with the default location functionality. In this regard nothing has changed.
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I don’t know who those people are, but no, that’s not what this thread is about.
When I create a “serious” project, I like to specify the project folder.
But…
When I’m experimenting, or testing something, I like to use the default location. Which is full of junk. I clear it out, now and again.
So before, I just checked the Default Location check box for whichever.
Now, I have to open the settings, or navigate from the last open folder to the default. Which is not necessarily even on the same physical drive. My projects are on 3 different drives. (Because!)
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Yes I understand your points.
This is the issue, as sometimes I clearly have a folder name in mind to begin with, and I would like to have the ability to give the folder that name even while “default location” is enabled.
I think it’s illogical to have this function disabled while the “default location” is enabled and is just another thing that the user has to re-learn through experimentation, this is what I would classify as being unintuitive.
If i’m not mistaken the previous functionally would also automatically add a number suffix to duplicate folder names, or am I not understanding correctly what you mean by how it now “automatically manage sub folders for all projects” ?
Yes, I could simply do this but this is what the conversation is about. I’m exploring the question of whether the new functionality is an improvement or not ?
I just don’t really understand why there are new conditions now while having default location enabled.
Agreed, hence my suggestion Steinberg implement a toggle feature to allow an “on demand” request for a “select folder” dialog box.
If it did prior to C15, that’s something I was wasn’t aware of. I’ve never encountered that, but could be wrong. If C14 did that the same way somehow, then I can understand your point even more 
Well i’m not completely sure what you mean by C15 now having a “a fully separate, automatically managed sub-folder of all projects.”. So I don’t know if you are referring to something different.
But in previous versions, the last folder name would be remembered and each time you open Cubase it would add a suffix on the end of it as demonstrated in this image.
I’m not sure if this the same thing that you’re talking about or not ?
I can understand the concept of relocating the “Project Location” settings into the “Hub Settings” to obtain a sleeker looking GUI. But I feel like the functionality is now pointless and it would probably be better to remove the “Project Location” settings altogether and to just have the OS file explorer open when “Create Empty” is clicked.
I will simply disable the “use default location” setting for now to get the functionality that I want, but I still feel like the new design is unintuitive.
It’s not difficult to create a new folder in whatever location you desire when you create a new project. You don’t need Cubase’s help to do it.
The “design flaw” is that Default Location doesn’t spawn a file manager window to allow creation of the new folder. Having Cubase automatically create them is a bad idea (tons of useless, numbered folders), and letting the user create them in Cubase instead of the OS file manager wasn’t a great idea either. If Default Location didn’t exist, you’d survive.
That’s an interesting thought. But, since that’s a different topic than what this thread is about, I would suggest starting your own thread to discuss it.
“Really struggling with the new hub”
Nah. This is the right place to politely discuss the pros and cons of “Default Location” in the new hub. You’re proposing a feature-regression that would affect all Cubase users.
One of the primary features of every OS is file management. The primary function of a DAW is to facilitate recording, mixing and production of audio.
You’re struggling because you’re using Default Location even though you don’t need it.