Directories Preferences: When you open the edit menu in Audacity and select the preferences option, you have an option of ‘directories’. This is to set the path of ‘session data’ directory. As, the directory is necessary for Audacity.
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Dialog Box
The directories preferences dialog box appears, after selecting the directories option from the preferences menu. The caption for the dialog box is a temporary file directory. And, you can set the path of temporary files. These files are important for some tasks in Audacity.
Temporary files directory
The session data directory has temporary files, which must be located in Audacity. As, the main use of this temporary file is for unsaved files in Audacity. And, you will need a session data directory for files not stored as an Audacity.
You can input the location of this session data directory through manual entry of the path. Another option is to browse the path of this directory. You can select the ‘Choose’ option to browse the path. Select the complete location of the file that is in your system. And, click Ok once you have located the directory.
How to use the directory?
Once you have selected the directory, Audacity automatically creates a sub-directory. This sub-directory is a session work-file. This work-file is inside the directory you selected. Even if you input the path of ‘session data’ manually, Audacity will take that exact path. Then, the sub-directory will be stored in that path’s directory.
- Below the location tab, you can see the free space option.
- In this section, you can see the space available in your system.
- There must be enough space available to store all the temporary files.
- The location of your temporary file should have plenty of free space.
- If there is not enough space present, Audacity will not be able to create the sub-directory. This will result in an error.
- Once the path of the temporary file is located, you have to exit Audacity.
- Then, restart the Audacity application. As, this will allow changes in the temporary files.
- The creation of a subdirectory will take into effect after you restart the application.
Storing the temporary file
You should store the temporary file in a fast disk drive. The network drives are not fast enough for recording. So, you have to avoid using those. You can use a RAM drive to store these temporary files. As, RAM drive is faster.
Rather than a solid-state drive, RAM drive works faster for data related to recording and editing. But as RAM is a temporary memory, this data must be stored on a physical device. If not, then you will lose all the data when the device powers off.
The default location of this ‘session data’, that are temporary files is inside the Audacity folder in the ‘Local’ folder. This local folder is in your username’s folder in the Appdata.
There is a cancel button to cancel the selection of location for temporary files. And, no changes will take effect in the Audacity if you press on the Cancel button.
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