Open Beta Version 3.7.0

peter But that prevents us from changing the file name to include meaningful info about the differences or revisions (like v1, v2, drums quieter, instrumental, with vocals, etc.) As a 25 year record producer, I can attest to the importance of being able to track changes using file names.

It is nearly an industry standard practice to provide a mechanism by which to update/change the file linkage. Even iTunes has that ability. While every software platform has limitations, professionals need features that enhance and accelerate their workflows.

amorph Once I opened the ST3 beta software, it was completely empty. Not sure what to do, I restored from my "data only" backup. All song data came in fine, but the songs are red listed and report that the audio files are missing. I find this odd because I am on the same device, the audio files still reside in the same directory location they were when the data backup was created. Why would the restored song data NOT point to the store directory path?

This situation also makes me think that ST3 needs mechanism by which to re-link your audio files to your songs.

I have a 25+ year history in pro audio and regularly use multiple DAWs, audio editors, and virtual instruments with large libraries on external drives. Nearly all of these provide a mechanism for re-linking files, usually a utility app, mode or preference that lets the user point the software to the correct/desired directory to re-establish the proper file links. Such a utility also provides a fail safe in case of external drive failure or replacement of lost, stolen or corrupted data. The "full backup" option addresses some of this functionality, but, as our libraries grow, is potentially a far more time consuming process.

Hi Amorph, I can sympathise with your concern but don’t forget ST3 is trying to be a SIMPLE tool to be able to PERFORM ON STAGE with lots of POWERFUL CONTROL ON STAGE, that’s its main use.
When you import your files they find a home in ST3 and that’s it , you now have your files exactly where they belong it is very simple then to make a full backup or change your files any way you want and it just works, I personally love it’s simplicity I hate software that just grabs files from everywhere and then you end up with spending more time stuffing around searching and fiddling with file connections for different versions when it is faster to just do the tweaks ,
I also have a lifetime of audio software experience as an engineer and musician and find you can get bogged down with things and loose the creativity very easily.
ST3 is simple, you just load the files and tweak to your liking and make a full backup , if you need changes just create them and make another full backup , it’s easier and faster to tweak than spend ages searching for that version 6 of something that has a slight change, just change it and move on with performing.
If you have different bands you play with just create a full backup for every band and load it as required.
We are trying to get away from iTunes logic cause it sucks from a live performing point of view, perhaps give ST3 some time to change your work practice and see how you go as it’s all about keeping it simple and fast for on stage performing and having all your files within the software so not to spend time hunting for them all over the place.
Cheers Damir

Damir Respectfully, I disagree sir. I am very good at managing my media and I don't spend time searching for files. In any case, it doesn't need to be an either/or choice. Both functions could co-exist.

My primary use case: I have all l my performance mixes and stems in dedicated folders and then redundant copies of those folders. As a music minister, I schedule 360+ songs per year & perform with a choir and other musicians week in and week out. I have a lot to manage around performances on Sunday mornings, coordinating those musicians and attending to other duties for worship. If something failed, I don't have the time or bandwidth to be tied to my computer restoring from a backup. It would bring everything to a halt, leaving 20+ performers waiting and potentially make service start late. However, taking 3-minutes to point software to a redundant directory IS DOABLE. Yes the BU are restore operation are quick now when I only have 14 songs & audio files, but 3 years in, I will have 1000 songs to restore - how fast will it be then?

I do agree with you about iTunes - it's a horrible app. My point was that, as bad as it is, even IT has the ability to manage file directories.

peter I will not change full text search functionality as it works exactly like in all other apps.

LIKE ALL THE OTHER APPS, if ST3 was like all the other apps nothing would change or improve, just because other apps have a certain way of operation does not make them better or smarter, ST3 has looping capability and so many other great features that iTune or any other software has not even bothered with , I am pointing out a simple fact that search engine is not doing what a normal user expects , if I want Eggs I expect to see Eggs as my first preference.
It’s very simple and logical expectation of a search engine , I don’t want Fries with Eggs I just want Eggs.
It’s just a very basic observation but if it’s too hard it’s what it is.
Great work so far 2 more weeks of holidays and I’m back with all 3 devices for a full on test.

I still can’t get the iCloud sync to work properly. I don’t understand when to press the Sync button and refresh the song list. If I restore a backup to one of the devices, it should sync to all the other devices right? Doesn’t work…

amorph I know that horrible feeling , that’s why I always have few backup systems, my IMac and it’s backup system , an iPad my main player on stage, and an iPhone that travels with me always as a performance backup, lately I have also installed ST3 on my wife’s iPad as a just in case backup so I can grab that if my iPad fails last minute before I leave for a gig, so far I have not needed to use any backups, but being an electronic technician as my first job I know how easily things can go pair shape.
I understand your concearns but make sure you have all the latest updates on your devices and the ST3 software, and just see how things are once iCloud sync is introduced.
I have created full backup on ST3 then transferred to Beta without a problem but Beta still has minor issues when using multitrack files with iCloud so I would wait till it’s all ironed out before using Beta for live performing.
Good luck with the gig.
Cheers Damir

amorph You are blessed to be able to afford and carry all of those additional devices with you. Seems like a very expensive work around. I am very concerned about the multiple failures I experienced trying to create/restore from a full backup. This bottleneck for data recovery seems like a significant design flaw IMHO.

I actually only take my IPad and my iPhone as backup on all my gigs a compact Yamaha 4000watt Pa consists of 2 twelve inch 1000w 2 way boxes and 2 twelve subs 1000w each that also act as speaker stands and a Yamaha little 10 ch mixer that has usb connectivity but I use only analog outs as it has professional cannons on outputs , very simple and affordable but kicks ass for most my gigs , some gigs I don’t need the pa as it’s provided so I just use my Yamaha mixer to a large console . I always like to control my own sound on stage and off stage with another engineer just overlooking my sound for the front house if I have a bigger gig and an engineer is available.
The ICloud is great to have in prep work as you can work at home on an iMac or outside your home on any device and anywhere around the world and keep everything in sync without effort, but I agree with you I also don’t rely on it for live performing , you need to have a solid backup system in place incase you don’t have internet connection , you never should fully rely on clouds cause they are always airyfairy

peter

Update:
• Per your instructions, I changed the filename to zip and the files extracted successfully.
• Successfully restored from T3.6.10 database only backup in beta 3.7 (8751)
• Once that was done, I went back to the file that would not open before and was able to successfully restore from backup in beta 3.7 (8751).

Very strange behavior

peter ong duration not recalculated when replacing a track with a shorter track

How do you "replacing a track with a (different) track"?