<p>
- Sometimes you will want to save a <dfn>snapshot</dfn> of the current state of a session for possible
- use in the future. For example, you may be about to change the entire
- arrangement of a piece, or drastically alter the signal processing, and
- want a reference to come back to, should that not work out.
+ A <dfn>snapshot</dfn> is a backup of the current state of a session. It differs
+ from a simple save by allowing branching. It is a "frozen" version of the session
+ at a certain point in time.
</p>
<p>
- This is easily accomplished using <kbd class="menu">Session >
- Snapshot</kbd>.
- A small dialog will appear, allowing you to enter a name for the snapshot.
- The default name is based on the current date and time.<br>
- You can create any number of snapshots.
+ For example, creating a snapshot before changing the entire arrangement of a
+ piece, or drastically altering the signal processing provides a reference to
+ come back to, should that not work out.
+</p>
+<p>
+ This is accomplished by using either of the <kbd class="menu">Session >
+ Snapshot</kbd> menus. A small dialog will appear, allowing to enter a name for
+ the snapshot. The default name is based on the current date and time.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+ The difference between the two snapshot menus is:
+</p>
+<table>
+ <tr>
+ <td><kbd class="menu">Snapshot (& keep working on current version)...</kbd></td>
+ <td>Saves a snapshot of the session, but keeps the current session active, i.e. any
+ subsequent <kbd class="menu">Session > Save</kbd> will overwrite the original
+ session, and the snapshot will remain unchanged.</td>
+ </tr>
+ <tr>
+ <td><kbd class="menu">Snapshot (& switch to new version)...</kbd></td>
+ <td>Saves a snapshot of the session, and uses this snapshot as the current
+ active session, i.e. any subsequent <kbd class="menu">Session > Save</kbd>
+ will overwrite the snapshot, and the original session will remain unchanged.</td>
+ </tr>
+</table>
+
+<p>
+ Any number of snapshots can be created.
</p>
<p class="warning">
- Creating a snapshot does <strong>not</strong> modify your session,
- nor does it save your session. Instead, it saves an alternate version
+ Creating a snapshot does <strong>not</strong> modify the session,
+ nor does it save the session. Instead, it saves an alternate version
of the session, within the session folder. The snapshot shares all data
present in the session.
</p>
-<p>
- After creating a snapshot, you can continue working on the session and
- save it normally using <kbd class="menu">Session > Save</kbd> and any
- existing snapshots will remain unchanged.
-</p>
<h2>Switching to a Snapshot</h2>
<p>
- If you are already working on a session and want to to switch to an
- existing snapshot, navigate the <a href="@@the-snapshot-list">Snapshot List</a>.
- Find the name of the snapshot in the list and click it. Ardour will switch
- to the snapshot. If there are unsaved changes in the current session, Ardour
- will ask what you want to do.
+ Switching to an existing snapshot is done by navigating the
+ <a href="@@the-snapshot-list">Snapshot List</a> and clicking the the name of
+ the desired snapshot. Ardour will switch to the snapshot, and, if there are
+ unsaved changes in the current session, offer to save them.
</p>
<h2>Starting Ardour With a Snapshot</h2>
<p>
Since a snapshot is just another session file stored within the session
- folder, you can specify that "version" when loading an existing session.
+ folder, that "version" can be chosen when loading an existing session.
The browser in the "Open Session" dialog will show an expander arrow for
- sessions that have more than 1 session file (i.e. snapshots)
- present—click on it to see the list, and then click on the name of the
- snapshot you want to load.
-</p>
-
-<h2>Saving and Switching to a Snapshot</h2>
-<p>
- Sometimes you may want to create a snapshot and then have all future
- edits and modifications saved to that snapshot rather than the main
- session. This is easily done using <kbd class="menu">Session > Save
- As</kbd>. This does not create a new session folder, but saves your
- session as a new snapshot and then switches the "current snapshot"
- to the newly created one. All subsequent saves of the session will
- be stored in this new snapshot, and existing snapshots (and the main
- session) will be left unaffected.
+ sessions that have more than one session file (i.e. snapshots)
+ present. Clicking on it shows the list, and then clicking on the name of the
+ snapshot loads it.
</p>