Template carries over audio pool directory

Cubase
1

Hi, I recently upgraded to CB8.5Pro and I am sure this issue has been discussed before and hope you seasoned forum folk and Cubasers know an answer/fix to what I believe to be a great flaw in programming on Steinberg’ part (until I am told otherwise). This issue was in CBVST, CBSX3.0 and CB5. A brief search of the forum had no recent coverage of this issue.

Here goes:

  • I save a template. (Lets say I call the template “AGGIES TEMPLATE”) because of a song called “AGGIE” which had so many cool settings I just had to use again.
  • I then start a new project (a folder is created already in the name of the new song), lets call the new song “WHATEVER”
  • Once the new project is opened I am presented with all my tracks including settings (YAY!)
  • I immediately create a project save inside the folder of the new song D:Cubase/WHATEVER/ (So far so good right)
  • Along with all the settings are the audio files sitting in each track from the song “AGGIE”
  • Since I don’t need these files any more, I delete them from the new project.
  • I then go into the Pool Window and delete unused media (in the thinking that it does not need to have any “AGGIE” files associated with the new song).
  • I notice that the pool window is still linked to D:Cubase/AGGIE and that using the delete unused media function deletes all the AGGIE audio files.

VERY DANGEROUS

Is there anyway to save a template which does not associate itself with the song/folder that the template was created from?

Thanks in advance, sorry if its long winded.

2

Good question - I have noticed this as well - would like to know the answer as well.

3

Here is what I do… there may be a better/faster way.

  • I save a template (named template 1) from an existing project.
  • Then I close that project and start a new one using the new template (it will be in a newly created folder named template 2).
  • Then I delete what I do not want (usually everything) from the project window.
  • Then I go into the project pool and delete all audio and making sure to delete the audio from the trash folder.
  • Then I save that as a new template using the same name as what I previously used (template 1).
  • Now I close that project and I go into explorer and delete the interim project folder (template 2, if it was created).

Now when you start a new project using that template (template 1) the pool will be clean and not associated with anything.

Regards :sunglasses:

1 Like
4

You need to keep in mind that the Pool is not a folder or a location.

The Pool is only a LIST of all files (Audio and Video) that are currently or were previously used within a project.

These files could be located in many places.

Before saving an existing Project as a Template you should first save the Project (of course).
Then you can save again (same folder is fine) under a new name. This to be safe and also prevent the potential “There is a newer backup . . .” message when you open the original Project next time.
Then go into the Pool and remove any Audio you don’t want referenced in the Template.

IMPORTANT: Don’t DELETE the Files. When you empty the Trash you get this option. Just “Remove From Pool”. If you Delete these files will not be available for previous Projects.

Then you can save the Project as a Template.
You can also go in and delete the Temp Project saved above.

Most important concepts to remember are:

  1. The Pool is only a LIST. Depending on how Audio is brought into the Project it could be located anywhere.

  2. It’s usually best and safest to copy all audio used in a Project into that Projects “Audio” folder. That way it will always be there if things are moved, etc.

Hugh

5

Hi Prock,

Thanks for replying. Same here, this is what I have resorted to just to use my saved template. Its quite a messy way just to get a template to work. I believe Pro Tools has a feature to un-link the file material and strictly just use the settings.

6

Hi HughH, thank you for your reply.

You say… “The pool is not a file or a location”… technically your are 100% right BUT directly, or indirectly it has the capacity to delete files from an actual folder attached to the song you are currently using (sorry, even worse, in the case of using a saved template, it has the capacity to delete files from another songs folder).

You say… “IMPORTANT: Don’t delete the files”… Yes indeed you are right, and I have learnt the hard way. especially when deleting pool window items when they are directed to a different song and your way is safe and avoids my previous made mistakes.

I believe it should be a warning for users who may fall into the same trap.

Thank you for input and sharing how you do it.

7

A small detail in the Operations Manual that I breezed over which would have helped me…

Page 75 of 1385 pages…

“PREREQUISITE
Remove all clips from the Pool before you save the project as a template. This
ensures that references to media data from the original project folder are deleted”

I’m willing to say this is my fault for missing this however I think there still should be a tickable option to not have this happen.

8

I agree with you about the “tickable option”. You should submit that as a feature request. :wink:

The manual instructions are somewhat lacking though. If you do the “Prerequisite” as stated then you loose the “stuff” in your original project. Thats not good.

They should have a line or two of instructions in there that says to save the template using one of the procedures forum members have listed here. For me… it is saving the template from the project then creating a new project from that template and then remove the clips from that project and re-save the template again. What the…? :unamused:

Weird wild stuff for sure. Let’s get a “tickable option”.

Regards :sunglasses: