Rookie file saving Q

mcmac74

Active member
I am wanting to save individual project files to my USB memory stick just in case of PC failure/ theft / baby sick and other unexpected events. I've assumed the file I need is the reaper project file within the song folders however this file is only a few hundred KB which got me thinking it's something else?. I basically want all the track elements and settings of a song saving so I could load a new version of reaper up in the future and add an old song to work on with all the song components in place.
 
The .rpp file is only the project definition file. You also need to save all your WAv files.

There are a number of ways of doing this, but here is one straightforward way.

1 Load up Reaper and load up your song.
2 Go File/Save Project As
3 Navigate to the USB drive
4 Give the project a name at 'file name'
5 Click on 'Create sub-directory for project'
6 Click on 'Copy all media into project directory'
7 Click on 'save'

This will copy all the files (including the Reaper project file) into its own directory on the USB stick.

This is a pretty sensible saving practice to follow generally. Instead of saving to a USB stick, you save a song to your hard drive. This keeps the files altogether.
 
The .rpp file is only the project definition file. You also need to save all your WAv files.

There are a number of ways of doing this, but here is one straightforward way.

1 Load up Reaper and load up your song.
2 Go File/Save Project As
3 Navigate to the USB drive
4 Give the project a name at 'file name'
5 Click on 'Create sub-directory for project'
6 Click on 'Copy all media into project directory'
7 Click on 'save'

This will copy all the files (including the Reaper project file) into its own directory on the USB stick.

This is a pretty sensible saving practice to follow generally. Instead of saving to a USB stick, you save a song to your hard drive. This keeps the files altogether.

Figures. Thanks ?
 
I save mine to my hard drive, then I can copy the folder to my network drive. Occasionally, I'll include any reverb impulse files (I use the Samplicity files a lot).
 
I save mine to my hard drive, then I can copy the folder to my network drive. Occasionally, I'll include any reverb impulse files (I use the Samplicity files a lot).

That's the easiest way to do it. But remember that any VSTs/VSTis used are not saved in the project folder - the settings yes, so as long as you have all your plug-ins saved (and moved to a new computer, if that's what you do). However, I did find that the user-saved presets did not move over when I moved everything to my new computer. Not sure where they are housed in the folders.
 
All my vst source files are stored on a separate hard drive so that I can re-install them if something bad happens.

They are installed to a couple of plugin folders on the main drive, and I just back these up from time to time. That keeps them relatively safe.

Copying the whole folder across to a USB stick is pretty simple, but only works if you have been diligent in saving files to that folder.
 
All my vst source files are stored on a separate hard drive so that I can re-install them if something bad happens.

They are installed to a couple of plugin folders on the main drive, and I just back these up from time to time. That keeps them relatively safe.

Copying the whole folder across to a USB stick is pretty simple, but only works if you have been diligent in saving files to that folder.

Can't say I've been diligent but theres a ton of wav files in the folder along with the project file...I think the default setting must send the there. Theres over 1GB in there so i assume that's the whole lot i need to be on the usb drive.

However, I have got in a bad habit of saving every take (cos it's one less click) even if it gets overwritten on the track itself....therefore i assume a load of these wav files are redundant?...so what happens if i try to load all this onto a blank reaper template..does the project file know which wav files I was actually employing on the song?

Mark
 
It's very easy to accumulate lots of unwanted and un-needed files, and you can very quickly waste a lot of disk space.

So good habit number 1 is to keep all the files for a particular project in the one directory.
Good habit number 2 is to open the song project then go to file/clean current project directory, select all and delete. This will get rid of all the unused files.
 
When I do multiple mixes in Reaper, I often save assorted mixes, etc in the same file, however, it should not be generating a new set of wav files every time. Reaper does nondestructive editing, so the original audio file should remain. All you end up with is a dozen or so .RPP files. I do tend to end up with a bunch of different rendered files. On one track I did a few weeks ago, I think I was up to mix 11.
 
My unwanted files come from the process of doing a take, not much liking it but hitting save anyway...I'll give your good habit 2 a go gecko. ?
 
My unwanted files come from the process of doing a take, not much liking it but hitting save anyway...I'll give your good habit 2 a go gecko. ��

During any project I have piles of unwanted files: mistakes, false starts, unloved takes and so on. These get saved automatically, and in the end just take up unnecessary space. Cleaning up afterwards is useful for reclaiming that lost space, but also for having a clean folder if you need to share it with someone for a reason.
 
Open the project, save to a new folder SONG_NAME_NEW, and you will have only the files needed for the current version of the song.
 
During any project I have piles of unwanted files: mistakes, false starts, unloved takes and so on. These get saved automatically, and in the end just take up unnecessary space. Cleaning up afterwards is useful for reclaiming that lost space, but also for having a clean folder if you need to share it with someone for a reason.

It was quite alarming to see that my first reaper recording had over 300 unused wavs!...and 450 in total ?...indicative of my poor playing and the miracle of auto punch ??
 
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