manual/_manual/21_preferences-and-session-properties/01_preferences-dialog/01_misc.html

---
layout: default
title: Misc Tab
menu_title: Misc Tab
---

<p>
  This tab contains settings that do not belong on the other tabs.
</p>

<img src="/images/a4_preferences_misc.png" alt="preferences
misc tab"/>

<ul>
  <li>
    <p>
      <strong>DSP CPU Utilization</strong> sets how many cpu processors can be
      used to do signal processing. It can be set to use one up to all
      processors.
    </p>
  </li>

  <li>
    <p>
      <dfn>Undo</dfn>
    </p>
    <ul>
      <li>
	<p>
	  <strong>Limit undo history</strong> sets how many commands can be
	  undone using <kbd class="mod1">Z</kbd> or
	  <kbd class="menu">Edit &gt; Undo</kbd>.
	</p>
      </li>

      <li>
	<p>
	  <strong>Save undo history</strong> sets how many commands are saved so
	  they are available to be undone after reopening the session.
	</p>
      </li>

      <li>
	<p>
	  <strong>Verify removal of last capture</strong> when enabled prompts to
	  verify removal the last recording capture when
	  <kbd class="menu">Edit &gt; Remove Last Capture</kbd> is executed.
	</p>
      </li>

      <li>
	<p>
	  <strong>Make periodic backups of the session file</strong> will create
	  a backup session file after changes to the timeline. The backup file is
	  the session name followed by <em>.ardour.bak</em>. The backup can be
	  used to recover from crashes when the session had not been explicitly
	  saved.
	</p>
      </li>
    </ul>
  </li>

  <li>
    <p>
      <dfn>Session Management</dfn>
    </p>
    <ul>
      <li>
	<p>
	  <strong>Always copy imported files</strong> selects, and then disables
	  changes to, the <em>Copy&nbsp;files to&nbsp;session</em> option in the
	  <a href="/adding-pre-existing-material/import-dialog/">
	    Add Existing Media</a> dialog.
	</p>
      </li>

      <li>
	<p>
	  <strong>Default folder for new sessions:</strong> defalts the folder
	  where Ardour will create new session folders. This is used in the
	  <em>Session&nbsp;Setup</em> dialog displayed by
	  <kbd class="menu">Session &gt; New</kbd>.
	</p>
      </li>

      <li>
	<p>
	  <strong>Maximum number of recent sessions:</strong> determines how many
	  of the last opened sessions shows in the
	  <em>Recent&nbsp;Sessions</em> dialog displayed by
	  <kbd class="menu">Session &gt; Recent</kbd>.
	</p>
      </li>
    </ul>
  </li>

  <li>
    <p>
      <dfn>Click</dfn>
    </p>
    <ul>
      <li>
	<p>
	  <strong>Click audio file:</strong> sets a user defined sound to be
	  played when Ardour's metronome is enabled in the
	  <a href="/controlling-playback/using-the-transport-bar/">
	    Transport Bar</a>
	</p>
      </li>
      <li>
	<p>
          <strong>Click emphasis audio file:</strong> sets an optional different
	  metronome sound to be played on the downbeat.
	</p>
      </li>
      <li>
	<p>
          <strong>Click gain level:</strong> allows the metronome's click sounds
	  to be boosted or attenuated.
	</p>
      </li>
    </ul>
  </li>

  <li>
    <p>
      <dfn>Automation</dfn>
    </p>
    <ul>
      <li>
	<p>
	  <strong>Thinning factor</strong> ranges from 0 to 1000 with larger
	  values sending fewer automation changes. Thinning is like lossy
	  audio compression, removing data that is less likely to be noticed,
	  although the more you remove the more likely the loss will be noticed.
	  The advantage to thinning is reduced CPU usage.
	</p>
      </li>
      <li>
	<p>
	  <strong>Automation sampling interval</strong> ranges from 1 to
	  1000&nbsp;ms. Determines how frequently the automation input is
	  sampled. The shorter the interval the higher the accuracy but also
	  the higher the CPU requirements.
	</p>
      </li>
    </ul>

</ul>