Import Filtering and Importer Order: While importing files in Audacity, you first need to specify the type of files allowed to import. Then, you must choose what importer you want to use. Unfortunately, Audacity does not support all types of files’ formats. So, it’s better if you specify the format of imported files in advance to avoid any issue or delay in your task.
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In the ‘Type of Files’ drop-down menu, you will find the options to select the ‘format of the file’ and the ‘importer’. There are multiple sub-options available for both. Let us look into all of them individually, and understand their functions.
All File Types
If you select this option from the drop-down menu, it will direct Audacity to let import all formats and types of files. It will not restrict any file, even if Audacity or FFmpeg does not support it. Another thing that selecting this option will specify is Importer. To import any file, use any pre-installed importer by default.
All Supported Files
Selecting this option will make possible the importation of all the files that are supported by Audacity. It will restrict unsupported files. This filtering is useful! Pre-installed importers are used by default in the first place, and then FFmpeg can also be used if it is already installed. In all other cases, you need to install a supporting importer.
Audacity Projects
This allows Audacity to open projects that are already made in Audacity. To use this feature, click on ‘File’ and then ‘Open’. It needs no importers here, because the file is not an audio or text file. This is an Audacity project, which you can directly open in the software.
Other file formats
Audacity offers much more! You can import uncompressed files of formats, like AIF, WAV, and many others also. You can use any in-built importer for this purpose. If not, it will use FFmpeg.
FLAC, MP3 or oggvorbis files
These are the special format files. If you select this option, you will be able to import only the files with the above-stated formats. You can use all the in-built Audacity importers to import such files.
Basic text Files
All the text files having an extension .lof are classified as the LOF files. If you select this option, you will be able to import all the files with this extension. It uses special kinds of importers to import these files.
FFmpeg Compatible Files
This option enables files pointing to FFmpeg, i.e. the files which FFmpeg supports. It is possible that Audacity does not support them. So, it uses FFmpeg is used as an importer. Firstly, install FFmpeg.
Secondly, if you want to make FFmpeg as the default importer in case of these special files, you need to check the “Attempt to use the filter in OpenFile dialog first” option. It is available in the ‘Extended Import Preferences’. But, still don’t worry! If you don’t do that, the default Audacity importer will do the task for you.
Read more articles
- Extra Menu: Scriptables II in Audacity
- Extra Menu: Mixer menu and sub contents
- Use the File Menu Import on Audacity to create audio files
- Import Filtering and Importer Order
