manual/include/newopen-session-dialog.html

<p>
  The initial <dfn>Session</dfn> dialog, displayed at each start of Ardour, consists
  of several consecutive pages:
</p>

<h2>Open Session Page</h2>

<figure class="left">
  <img class="mini" src="/images/session_setup.png" alt="The Session Setup Dialog">
  <figcaption>
    The Session Setup Dialog
  </figcaption>
</figure>

<p>
  On this page, an <dfn>existing session</dfn> can be opened. Any <a href="@@snapshots">snapshot</a>
  of a particular session can also be accessed by clicking on the arrow next to
  the session name to display all snapshots, and then selecting one.

</p>
<p>
  If the session is not displayed in the Recent Sessions list, the <kbd
  class="menu">Other Sessions</kbd> button will bring up a file selection dialog
  to navigate the file system.
</p>
<p>
  Alternatively, a <kbd class="menu">New Session</kbd> can be created.
</p>

<h2 class="clear">New Session page</h2>

<figure class="left">
  <img class="mini" src="/images/session_new.png" alt="The New Session Dialog">
  <figcaption>
    The New Session Dialog
  </figcaption>
</figure>

<p>
  This page allows to type in the name of a session, select a folder to save it in, and
  optionally use an existing <a href="@@session-templates">template</a>.
</p>
<p>
  Under <dfn>Advanced Options</dfn>, some fine tuning can be done, like selecting
  whether Ardour should create a Master Bus, or a Control Bus, and how many channels
  the output should have.
</p>
<p>
  Other options also decide whether Ardour should automatically connect all inputs
  to the hardware's physical ports. Ardour will do so
  sequentially and in round-robin fashion, connecting the first track's
  input to the first input of the hardware and so on. When Ardour has used
  all available hardware inputs, it will begin again with the first physical
  input.
</p>
<p>
  The number of hardware channels used by Ardour can also be limited.
</p>
<p>
  By default Ardour will connect all tracks and busses to the Master Bus if
  there is one. However, it can also be told to automatically connect each
  output to the physical outputs of the interface or sound card, and limit
  the number of physical outputs used, as above.
</p>

<h2 class="clear">Audio/MIDI Setup</h2>

<figure class="left">
  <img class="mini" src="/images/Audio-MIDI_Setup.png" alt="The Audio/MIDI Setup Dialog"/>
  <figcaption>
    The Audio/MIDI Setup Dialog
  </figcaption>
</figure>

<p>
  This window exposes the different audio options to be used by Ardour for the
  current work session, for hardware and software and is made of:
</p>

<table class="dl">
  <tr><th>Audio System</th>
  <td>Depending on the operating system, Ardour can possibly use different audio
    systems, e.g. on Linux, both <abbr title="Advanced Linux Sound Architecture">
    ALSA</abbr> and <abbr title="JACK Audio Connection Kit">JACK</abbr> are
    available.
 </td></tr>
  <tr><th>Driver</th>
  <td>
    On Mac OS X this will typically be <kbd class="menu">CoreAudio</kbd>. On Linux usually
    this will be either <kbd class="menu"><abbr title="Free Firewire Audio Driver fOr
    linux">FFADO</abbr></kbd>
    or <kbd class="menu"><abbr title="Advanced Linux Sound
    Architecture">ALSA</abbr></kbd>, depending on whether or not a firewire device
    is used. Advanced users on all platforms may also
    use <kbd class="menu">NetJack</kbd> which provides network audio I/O.
  </td></tr>
  <tr><th>Device</th>
  <td>The selector should show all availiable interfaces provided by the
  driver above and which are capable of duplex operation.
  <p class="warning">
    When using an Intel Mac running OS X and the builtin audio
    interface, its separate input and output devices must be <a href="@@using-more-than-one-audio-device">
    merged</a> first into a single "aggregate device" before Ardour will be able
    to use it.
   </p>
  </td></tr>
  <tr><th>Sample Rate</th>
  <td>
    The selector will allow to select from any sample rate supported by the device
    selected above it.
  </td></tr>
  <tr><th>Buffer Size</th>
  <td>
    The size of the buffer used by the audio interface can be adjusted
    to allow for either lower latency, or lower CPU usage and higher
    latency.
  </td></tr>
  <tr><th>Input/Output Channels</th>
  <td>
    Specifies the number of hardware channels to use. The
    default is <kbd class="menu">all available channels</kbd>.</td></tr>
  <tr><th>Hardware Input/Output Latency</th>
  <td>Specify the hardware delay in samples for precise latency compensation.</td></tr>
  <tr><th>Calibrate</th>
  <td>
    This button runs a semi-automated guided process to obtain
    precise hardware latency measurements for the above option.</td></tr>
  <tr><th>MIDI System</th>
  <td>
    Selects the MIDI driver to use. On Mac OS X, this will be <kbd
    class="menu">CoreMIDI</kbd>. On Linux, it can be changed between two legacy
    ALSA drivers or the (preferred) new JACK+ALSA implementation.</td></tr>
</table>