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+++
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title = "Saving a session"
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chapter = false
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weight = 1
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+++
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2022-04-20 16:59:00 -04:00
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There are a number of ways to save Sessions in Ardour, so that each session
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can be use later on. The simplest way is to save the entire session just like
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you would save other documents: hitting **Ctrl+S**.
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A new session is first saved at the moment you create it. While you are working
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on it, you should save it frequently. Get into the habit of hitting **Ctrl+S**
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(or **Command+S** on a Mac) every few minutes.
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{{% notice tip %}}
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Avoid using any characters other than letters and numbers when naming your
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session. Avoid white spaces, accented letters, !@#$%\*()+, periods, commas, etc.
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Use dashes or underscores if you like. For example, instead of "My Great
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Session!", prefer "My_Great_Session", or "MyGreatSession", or
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"my-great-session". Instead of "Açaí", write "Acai" (without accented letters),
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etc. Once you have created your Ardour session, do _not_ manually rename any
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folders or files that belong to the session.
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{{% /notice %}}
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## Ardour File and Folder Format
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The contents of a typical session's folder on your hard drive might look
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something like this:
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![Ardour Folder](en/Ardour4_Session_Folder_Structure.png)
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A bit of information about some of the components inside that folder:
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* The name of this session is _my\_session_.
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* The main session file is called `my_session.ardour`. The session file is
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periodically backed up by Ardour with a `.bak` extension.
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* The `.history` file keeps a record of changes you have made during your
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session, and is also periodically backed up.
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* The `interchange` folder contains the actual audio data of all the regions
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used in your session.
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* The `export` folder is where exported files are saved by default.
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{{% notice tip %}}
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If double-clicking on the session file does not launch Ardour, use the standard
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method of first opening the application itself, then choosing a session from the
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_Session Setup_ dialog.
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{{% /notice %}}
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![Ardour Opening](en/Ardour4_Session_Setup_Dialog.png)
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## Moving a session to another computer or disk
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If you need to move your Ardour session to another computer, or if you would
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like to make a backup of it on an external drive, *you must copy the entire
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folder* containing all of the files mentioned above. It is _not_ enough to copy
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just the `*.ardour` file.
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The convenient way to do so is to use `Session > Archive...` command. A single
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ZIP file with all data will be created. Please note that this will drop
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snapshots, only the current state will be saved.
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{{% notice tip %}}
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When copying an Ardour folder to another computer or drive, do not manually
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change its name or the name of any of the internal files.
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{{% /notice %}}
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## Continuing
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Saving an entire allows you to open it again at a later time. However, if you
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would like to preserve a certain state that your is in, to be able to return to
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that state later on after you have made changes, then please continue to the
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next session called _Saving a Snapshot_.
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Next: [SAVING A SNAPSHOT](../saving-a-snapshot)
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