Logic Pro track/region rename

[cyrukoch]

Is there any faster way of renaming both the track header and regions in a track than renaming the track header and then using the text tool on each of the regions in the track? In other words is there a way of automatically applying the new track header name to the regions in that track (or vice-versa)?

Thanks,
cyrukoch

 

[Eli]

Right click on the region, go to the Name and Colour submenu, and choose "name regions by tracks".

 

[cyrukoch]

Thanks Eli,
David wrote me the same thing and that helps clear up my arrange window. I can change the name of the trackheaders and then use that command to change the names of the regions. But the problem is deeper than that because I still need to change the names of the audio files and regions in the audio (project) browser and also the audio files that end up in the audio files folder in my actual project folder??

I have found a work around but it involves deleting the old tracks and replacing them with exported tracks with the new name. There must be a simpler way.

Thanks,
Cyru

 

[Eli]

I still need to change the names of the audio files and regions in the audio (project) browser and also the audio files that end up in the audio files folder in my actual project folder??

Changing the names of the regions in the Tracks Area DOES change the name of the region in the project audio window (region names aren't visible in the project folder in the Finder).

But no, it doesn't change the name of the actual audio file. It is generally not a desirable thing to do, in case multiple projects are referencing the same audio files. The other projects wouldn't be able to find them.

I have found a work around but it involves deleting the old tracks and replacing them with exported tracks with the new name. There must be a simpler way.

Why not just rename the audio files in the project audio window? It can't be any slower than renaming and exporting tracks. Well, actually, maybe it can - if there are dozens and dozens of audio files on each track. If that is the case, what about merging each track to one audio file, and then rename that single audio file in the project audio window?

 

[cyrukoch]

Thanks Eli,
I have been doing what you suggested about making just one region per track. I also have been being careful to keep the audio files I use segregated to the project I use them in rather than having the same file used by several projects. I just copy them in. I have a feeling as I get a little better at what I am doing, I will be able to use one file in multiple projects but I'm not there yet. I did discover how to change the track name (just click on it), then change the region name to the track name (shift/option/n) and then change the audio file name both in the browser and creating a new audio file in the audio file folder inside the project folder. In the audio editor under track>edit there is a command to convert>audio region to new audio file (option/command/f) which places a new audio file in the audio file folder and changes the name of the audio file in the project audio browser.
So for what it's worth I have been able to get my projects in some fairly good semblance of organization.

Thanks for giving me feedback.
Cyru

 

[Eli]

Sounds like you are figuring it all out nicely......

 

[cyrukoch]

thanks so much, eli, how do you organize your thousands of projects? It must be difficult to come up with something that really works.

Cyru

 

[Eli]

Hi Cyru,

Your question brings up a good point. Way are you needing to do all this renaming in the first place? Under normal circumstances it shouldn't be necessary to make all these changes after the fact.

In terms of my workflow, it's nothing particularly unusual. It's the same whether you are working on two projects or two thousand projects:

1. Create a project

2. Save it and name it. Either use the project folder option or the option to have everything contained in the project file (I personally prefer the older project folder workflow).

3. Make sure to include audio files among the project assets that will be saved with the project folder (or in the consolidated project file).

4. Name your audio tracks before recording your audio.

5. Record your audio onto these tracks and the resulting audio files and regions will be named according to the track name.

That's it. You shouldn't need to rename things afterwards, unless you have some specific reason to.

 

[cyrukoch]

Thank you very much Eli,
What you are suggesting is very close to what I do.
1. I create a project
2. I save it and name it and as you do, use the project folder option since it gives me direct access to the project audio files.
3. I definitely include the audio files in the project audio files folder in the project folder.
4. I always name my tracks, usually by using a template, which, if called for gives me the basis for then making specific changes related to the specific project.
5. As you say, the resulting regions are named accordingly.

It all started when my computer quietly informed me that my 1T hard drive was full!

This led to a lot of work and it turned out that in the assets I was saving for each project were approximately 10 gigs of unrelated material. I just didn't know what I was doing. That took a lot of research and a lot more work to clear up. As You can imagine, I learned a tremendous amount by dealing with the problem. Now my projects are a more normal average of 200MB instead of 10-20 gigs.

More recently, I began realizing that the way I was editing gave rise to a lot of messy files and I won't go into detail, but I realized that without some further order in the way I was working, I was heading for an unpleasant situation down the road. So I simple organized all my current projects and probably over-organized them, but again, I learned a great deal about the inner workings of Logic.

Perhaps now I can relax a little and make more music.

Thanks very much for following my problematic situation, which now seems to have been resolved.

Sincerely,
cyru

 

[Eli]

4. I always name my tracks, usually by using a template,
[snip]
it turned out that in the assets I was saving for each project were approximately 10 gigs of unrelated material. I just didn't know what I was doing.

It sounds like you created your template with a ton of audio in the project audio window and forgot to delete it first, before saving the template.

If something like that happens again, you can probably easily identify these unused audio files by going into the project audio window and using the "select unused" command from the Edit menu. It will select all the audio files that are unused in the Tracks Area. You can then safely delete them from the project, and the hard drive.

 

[cyrukoch]

Thanks Eli,

After a lot of groaning and research and asking for help (a month or so ago) I finally recognized that that was exactly what I had to do. At the time I didn't even know what the project audio window was and only little by little did I begin to find my way around until I even recently learned the key command (shift/u) for unused audio files in my browser. That combined with "clean up project" actually put me on the first road to recovery from stuffed hard drive hell.

Much appreciated as always.

Thanks,
cyru

 

[twotone]

This tip isn't directly on topic, but is related and has been a great help to me in managing multiple projects that reference the same audio files.

If you have ALL the projects that reference the same audio files open at the same time and you rename an audio file in ONE of the open projects all of the rest of the open projects that reference that audio file will be updated to the new audio file name automatically!

I recently reconfigured audio file names for a 32-track live record project where multiple logic projects over multiple days had duplicate audio file names. I renamed them all to unique names, and I opened multiple Logic projects at the same time that referenced certain audio files. They all updated when I changed the audio file name in just one of the projects.

 

[twotone]

But no, it doesn't change the name of the actual audio file. It is generally not a desirable thing to do, in case multiple projects are referencing the same audio files. The other projects wouldn't be able to find them.

Little trick I stumbled onto one day in the Logic 9 manual--still works in Logic 10: Open all the Logic Projects that reference the audio files that you want to rename. Use the Project Audio window in one of the projects to rename the files (Double Click file name, Type new name, press Enter). All the files get the new names in all the open projects. JUST DON'T FORGET TO SAVE ALL THE OPEN PROJECTS (Speaking from experience)