Protools Backup, Deleting the old files in PT Options

[Bloot]

I'm running ProTools 002 on a G5, and I'm so far OK for memory on the separate HD. However, I've discovered that any song file will work quite happily on the latest version of audio files that PT creates, so in a couple of instances I've deleted the old audio files - the song still comes up OK, but it brings up a menu to recreate the deleted files, or search for them.
Somewhere I have already reduced the number of backup files to keep, perhaps in preferences/options or similar.
Could anyone advise how I can "normalise" the current reduced version of the song file.
I'd like to keep the 'multitrack' versions of songs as well the mixes, but I need the files to be as small as reasonably possible.
many thanks,
Bloot

[coldharbour]

Select the regions you want to have on a track and use the "Consolidate selection" -function (option+shift+3), then you can delete the original files if you want.

[Bloot]

Thanks for your reply.
Yes, I've done that, but whenever I re-open the song, I get the dialogue box asking whether to recreate the deleted tracks/browse for them/ or ignore them - it's that request box I want to get rid of.
thanks again
Bloot

[coldharbour]

Is the dialogue box asking about audio files or fade files? For some reason PT seems to be missing fade files on regular basis, this however is not a big problem as missing fades are automatically recreated.

If PT is asking about audio files it means that you have either deleted or moved the files from their original location on the disk. To be sure, locate all audio files in the session's own Audio Files -folder.

Also make sure you don't have any non-existent files in your session (their names are shown in italic style) before you save it.

This post has been edited by coldharbour: Thu 21 Apr 2005, 16:54

[Bloot]

That's right it is the audio files it's looking for - but what I am trying to do is to deliberately delete the old and out-of-date audio files within the Audio folder - the reason is that after I've been editing a song for some while, the Audio fie becomes massive with out of date stuff; and while I'm trying to keep the premixed version of songs in PT, I don't have unlimited HD space.
What I just want is a "legal" way of editing down the final contents of the Audio file, and I can't find any reference in the manuals to do this.
I've not yet come across any files in italics but I'll watch out for them.
Thanks again for your interest
Bloot

[coldharbour]

Maybe I just don't understand your question, here's one more try on how I do it :

1. I have a very long audio file containing for instance several takes of a song vocals
2. I edit the file down to regions so the track only contains the parts I want to use
3. i selec the parts and "Consolidate Selection" - now I have only the needed parts of the original file in a new, much smaller file
4. I select the original, long file and delete it in ProTools (Command+Shift+B)
5. When I later on re-open the session PT doesn't ask for missing files because they have been deleted in PT using the PT file deletion command - surely that can be be found in the manual

Hope this helps.

[banevt]

If you Delete the files this way you still might have to get rid of it in the session so when you open the session it doesn't look for the audio file you have deleted from the session again. Another thing that happens when you consolidate a file is that it gets rid of fades you might have had on your edits. If the dialog screen comes up again make sure you check the box that says regenerate missing fades then save your session and it won't come up again unless you consolidate files again. If the same dialog box still comes up another thing you can do is click the all button in your group select box, then triple click a track so that every track in your session is highlighted, then hit (shift+command+u) that is the select unused function. This selects all the audio files not used in your session now you can use (shif+command+b) I hardly ever delete files permanently because I wouldn't want to lose something, but do so with discretion is my advice. Either way try just removing it from the session. That should get rid of the screen but sometimes when you rename an audio file in PT it looks for the same audio file under the old name. Anyway I hope this helps.