---
layout: default
title: Export Format Profiles
---

<h2>Export Format Profiles</h2>

<p>
An Export Format Profile specifies the file format in which Ardour will export
audio files, and also other audio file export options.
</p>

<p>
Export Format Profiles are edited via the 'Edit Export Format Profile' dialog.
</p>

<img src="/images/edit-export-format-profile.png" />
<p>
<h3>Normalize</h3>
<p>
If enabled, peak levels of exported files will be normalized to the level chosen here.
</p>

<h3>Trim/Add silence at start/end</h3>
<p>

</p>

<h3>Compatibility/Quality/File format/Sample rate</h3>
<h4>Compatibility</h4>
<p>
Selecting an item in the 'Compatibility' column will display options in the
other columns that are incompatible with that item in red.
</p>

<h4>Quality</h4>
<p>
The appropriate item in the 'Quality' column will be highlighted when you
choose a file format. Clicking on items in the 'Quality' column currently
doesn't seem to do anything useful.
</p>

<h4>File format</h4>
<p>
This column contains a list of Ardour's supported export file types. Click on
the format you want to use.
</p>

<h4>Sample rate</h4>
<p>
You can explicitly choose the sample rate of your exported files here, or
choose 'Session rate' to export in the current session's sample rate, without
sample rate conversion.
</p>

<h4>Sample rate conversion quality</h4>
<p>
If your chosen sample rate does not match the current session's sample rate,
choose the sample rate conversion quality here. Better quality options are
slower.
</p>

<h3>Options</h3>
<p>
Options relevant to the chosen file format will appear here.
Categories of audio file format are:
<ul>
<li>Linear encoding</li>
<li>Broadcast Wave</li>
<li>Ogg Vorbis</li>
<li>FLAC</li>
</ul>

<p>
Available options include a selection of the following:</p>

<h4>Sample Format</h4>
<p>
Choose the bit depth of exported files.
</p>

<h4>Dithering</h4>
<p>
If the exported files bit depth is less than Ardour's native bit depth,
choose the dithering algorithm to use.
</p>

<h4>Create CUE file/Create TOC file</h4>
<p>
As well as exporting an audio file, create a file (in CUE or TOC format
respectively) containg CD track information, as defined in the
<a href="/ardours-interface/editor-lists/ranges-and-marks-list/">Ranges &amp; Marks List</a>.


<h4>Tag with session's metadata</h4>
<p>
If the exported file format supports metadata, use data entered in the
<a href="/working-with-sessions/metadata/">Session Metadata</a>
window to tag the exported files.
</p>


<h3>Label</h3>
<p>
The 'Label' field lets you choose the name which will be shown for this format
in the drop-down list of export formats in the 'File Formats' tab of the
<a href="/exporting/export-dialog/">Export dialog</a>.

<h3>Command to run post-export</h3>
<p>
If this is not blank, it is considered as a command to be run after the export
of each file. Either the command must exist in $PATH, or you can specify an
absolute path to an executable file here.
</p>

<p>
Certain sequences are allowed here to stand for the exported file name and the
like. Currently these are:
<dl>
<dt><code>%f</code></dt>
<dd>Full path &amp; filename of the exported audio file</dd>
<dt><code>%d</code></dt>
<dd>Directory containing the exported audio file (including trailing directory separator)</dd>
<dt><code>%b</code></dt>
<dd>Basename of the exported audio file (without extension)</dd>
<dt><code>%s</code></dt>
<dd>Path to the current session file</dd>
<dt><code>%n</code></dt>
<dd>Name of the current session file</dd>
<dt><code>%%</code></dt>
<dd>A literal percent sign</dd>
</dl>
<p>
Any part of the command-line enclosed in double-quotes (") will be used as-is.

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