+ - An Ardour session is stored in a single folder on the computer's filesystem. This makes backup very easy—any tool capable of backing up a folder can be used to backup a session. The location of a session can be chosen when it is created—by default it will be in the default session location, which can be altered via Edit > Preferences > Misc > Session Management. + An Ardour session is stored in a single folder on the computer's filesystem. + This makes backup very easy: any tool capable of backing up a + folder can be used to backup a session. The location of a session is picked when + it is created —by default it will be in the default session location, + which can be altered via Edit > Preferences > General > + Session. +
++ The single folder approach also makes sharing a project easy. Simply copy the + session folder (onto a storage device, or across a network) and another Ardour + user (on any platform) will be able to use it. +
++ There is one complication in both cases: a session may reference media files that are stored + outside of the session folder, if the user has opted not to select + Session > Import > Copy to Session during import. + Backing up a session with embedded files will not create a copy of the session + containing those files. To bring those external files to the session folder, + the Session > Clean-up > + Bring all media into session folder menu can be used. +
+ +
+ + The Zip/Archive Current Session tool is located in the + File > Archive… menu. +
++ It allows to create a single file containing everything useful in the session, + to share it or back it up, conveniently compressed to a session-archive which + is a zip-file (tar.xz to be specific) containing all the audio, MIDI, + plugin-settings,... and the currently active session. Ardour can also extract + those bundles (Session > Open…). +
++ As opposed to zipping the entire session-folder manually, +
+- There is one complication: a session may reference media files that are stored outside of the session folder, if Session > Import > Copy to Session is not selected during import. Backing up a session without embedded files will not create a copy of the session containing those files. +
+ The window shows the following options:
+| Archive Name | The name of the archive file, defaulting to + the name of the session followed by the date and time |
|---|---|
| a dropdown extension selector | allowing to choose between different kind or + compressed archive file types |
| Target directory/folder | defining where in the filesystem + the archive file will be generated |
| Audio Compression | a dropdown menu allowing to compress + the audio files themselves by using an audio-tailored compression format, more + on that below |
| Exclude unused audio sources | a checkbox to drop every + audio that is in the session, but not actually used in the editor |
- The single folder approach also makes sharing a project easy. Simply copy the session folder (onto a storage device, or across a network) and another Ardour user (on any platform) will be able to use it. The limitation regarding embedded files applies to session sharing as well. + The Audio Compression selection accepts any of: +
++ Encoding the audio sources to FLAC allows for a good size reduction of the session. + It should be noted though that FLAC is a fixed-point format, meaning that if the + audio in the session is in a floating-point format, this conversion will lose + some information on the samples values that are rounded, though usually, this + lost information cannot be perceived. Choosing "None" for Audio + Compression does not compress the audio to FLAC, hence preserving the floating-point + data at the cost of a bigger file size. Notice also that converting to FLAC + automatically normalizes the audio. +
++ Using the Exclude unused audio sources option allows + to only keep the files actually used in the session, which can be useful to leave + any unused take or reference material out of the backup, reducing the archive's + global file size.