NEW Music Software Discussion & Help Forums Now with Private Messaging, Profiles, Avatars, Better Searching & Much More!

The World's Biggest Music Software Site

Home | Site Map | News | Search | What's New? | Discussion | Add Listing | Advertising

Below is one of thousands of messages contained in our Music Software Discussion & Help Forum

Re: What is best way to set-up files/folders on for music apps? Posted by Macintorque (from: 172.168.178.160) on September 29, 2002 at 01:20:53: In Reply to: What is best way to set-up files/folders on for music apps? posted by vicsheila on September 29, 2002 at 00:22:27: Probably everyone has his/her own style of storing or sorting things, just like how everyone has their own style of bedroom or office. Here are some things that I have tried, though: (Pornography, secret directories, etc, excluded) Mac: Atrium (recently converted or obtained files which need to be reviewed further before storage) System Folder (as usual, but also includes the following...) [Most extensions and control panels are locked, but not all because some won't work if locked... for example, the printer] "Preferences (Disabled)" -- sometimes useful for restoring settings Configuration Exports (contains locked backup exports of Modem, PPP, etc settings) Applications [Nothing but applications, name includes version, spaces and punctuation removed so recompression is simple]--all locked [A few folders named after applications which need multiple files nearby to run]--all applications and files are locked Modules (contains nothing but locked VST modules, "Module" reminds me what is here) Documents (notice how folder name often = file type) Archives (only contains locked SIT archives of MacOS files) PC Archives (only contains locked ZIP archives of PC files) Data Images (only contains a few locked DiskCopy data images of diskettes) AIFFs DaxAIFFs (nice playable AIFF compression) MPEGs (movies, all of type "MPEG", regardless of the source) WAVEs Collected Artwork Album Covers (works in progress in PICT form) TEXTs (various text files) Lyrics (word processor files of lyrics) HTMLs (web pages) Info [each item is a clipping or TEXT file named "About ________", no "ReadMe" names allowed] Utilities Disk First Aid Norton Utilities Completed Songs [each item is a complete song in locked AIFF form, ready to burn] [one SoundApp playlist representing the entire album, ready to play or reorder] That pretty much sums it up. However, I have a separate partition that I use for internet files, expanded archives, and test running programs. Anything that will be created, modified, or deleted often goes in here first--so I don't work my main partition so hard with senseless work. Also, it reduces fragmentation during saves. If anything gets out of hand or corrupt, I merely erase the entire partition with one menu command. I also have a separate partition used only for virtual memory. This also reduces fragmentation and overworking my main partition. When I defragment this partition, I notice that my mac speeds up. I don't put anything into my archives or applications folder until it has been tested and scanned for bugs and viruses. Often I will custom-modify things too, using ResEdit and/or editors. PC: Atrium (My Documents renamed)--usually contains recently-expanded or downloaded files pending my review. Archives (ZIP, and GZIP archives, each in its own folder. Nothing here requires installation. All archives expand into working copies) Icons (a few extra copies of files only used to store custom icons for Win98 Config) Trojans (any programs that require installation--I dont trust that.) Modules (backups of all of my VST/DirectX plug-ins/Managers in one archive) Info [separate folders for Bugs/Errors, Registry, DOS commands, Tricks, Application Manuals etc] Media [separate folder for each audio or video file type] Studio (Only audio programs in here)--here are some examples: [DDClip] [Tuareg] [SoundForge XP] [WaveLab] [a whole slew of other programs and their needed .ini, .hlp, and .dll files] [Coagula] EVPMaker Amen BMP2WAV AnalogBox Tools (Hex editors, batch renamers, MacDisk, Weird hackware) Windows (normal windows folder) Command (normal command folder, but also includes custom .BAT files and nice freeware DOS programs) System/Sysbckup/ (also includes hand-made backup copies of the Registry) Well, you get the basic idea. I left out the other stuff that's not so important. Notice how I avoid putting programs into the "Programs" or "Start" folders. I just don't like how it's done. I also modified my "Send to" contextual menu so that I can send any file to any program or drive or folder that I want. Be sure to make all file types visible at all times. This is useful when the system is in error, but wouldn't tell you otherwise. I also set my recycling bins to all match 0 % space, instant deletion, no warnings. If I want to delete something, I don't ever want to see it again. No use wasting space on something I don't ever want to see again. I am careful about what I delete, so it doesn't worry me to be stern about it. On the PC, some programs will demand a designated VST or DirectX folder, but not all. It can't hurt to use one. Sometimes you might need more than one designated folder for modules or whatever. See if you can use an alias to a folder instead of a duplicate folder. As I am working on samples, I usually store them according to file type. However, I like to further subdivide like this: [AIFFs] [Aliens]--anything too weird and/or dangerous to use without discretion [Drums]--individual drum hit sounds according to drum piece [Ambience]--environmental layers or discrete spatial reverb layers [Robots]--vocoded speech & computer-generated voices [Vocals]--spoken word phrases, vocal outtakes [Animals]--animal noises only [Instruments]--random assortment of instruments with funny names [Rhythms]--loops named according to style and BPM Sometimes I also create a folder called "Ripped" or "Ready to Burn". The names are obvious. Sometimes I also have a "MP3s" folder, but I don't deal with MP3's much. This is how I have done it in the past, but even now I don't do it quite like that. For a while I was storing lots of things in HQXed and ZIPped editable DiskCopy images. I also experimented with using AppDisk Save files instead of folders or partitions. Soon I will be creating a collection of WAVE or AIFF sounds stored on 1.4 MB PC-formatted diskettes, in case my hard drives all die. That way I can still use my sounds in a hardware sampler or on another computer. I will put only one sound on each disk, so I can have reasonable-sized sounds. I am not currently using MIDI, and I haven't been for the last few years. Even when I do use MIDI, I prefer to use an external hardware sequencer than a computer. I find it faster to work on. Follow Ups: Re: What is best way to set-up files/folders on for music apps? vicsheila 09:15:40 9/29/02 (0) Post a Followup Name: E-Mail: Subject: Comments: : Probably everyone has his/her own style of storing or sorting things, just like how everyone has their own style of bedroom or office. Here are some things that I have tried, though: (Pornography, secret directories, etc, excluded) : Mac: : Atrium (recently converted or obtained files which need to be reviewed further before storage) : System Folder (as usual, but also includes the following...) : [Most extensions and control panels are locked, but not all because some won't work if locked... for example, the printer] : "Preferences (Disabled)" -- sometimes useful for restoring settings : Configuration Exports (contains locked backup exports of Modem, PPP, etc settings) : Applications : [Nothing but applications, name includes version, spaces and punctuation removed so recompression is simple]--all locked : [A few folders named after applications which need multiple files nearby to run]--all applications and files are locked : Modules (contains nothing but locked VST modules, "Module" reminds me what is here) : Documents (notice how folder name often = file type) : Archives (only contains locked SIT archives of MacOS files) : PC Archives (only contains locked ZIP archives of PC files) : Data Images (only contains a few locked DiskCopy data images of diskettes) : AIFFs : DaxAIFFs (nice playable AIFF compression) : MPEGs (movies, all of type "MPEG", regardless of the source) : WAVEs : Collected Artwork : Album Covers (works in progress in PICT form) : TEXTs (various text files) : Lyrics (word processor files of lyrics) : HTMLs (web pages) : Info : [each item is a clipping or TEXT file named "About ________", no "ReadMe" names allowed] : Utilities : Disk First Aid : Norton Utilities : Completed Songs : [each item is a complete song in locked AIFF form, ready to burn] : [one SoundApp playlist representing the entire album, ready to play or reorder] : That pretty much sums it up. However, I have a separate partition that I use for internet files, expanded archives, and test running programs. Anything that will be created, modified, or deleted often goes in here first--so I don't work my main partition so hard with senseless work. Also, it reduces fragmentation during saves. If anything gets out of hand or corrupt, I merely erase the entire partition with one menu command. I also have a separate partition used only for virtual memory. This also reduces fragmentation and overworking my main partition. When I defragment this partition, I notice that my mac speeds up. I don't put anything into my archives or applications folder until it has been tested and scanned for bugs and viruses. Often I will custom-modify things too, using ResEdit and/or editors. : PC: : Atrium (My Documents renamed)--usually contains recently-expanded or downloaded files pending my review. : Archives (ZIP, and GZIP archives, each in its own folder. Nothing here requires installation. All archives expand into working copies) : Icons (a few extra copies of files only used to store custom icons for Win98 Config) : Trojans (any programs that require installation--I dont trust that.) : Modules (backups of all of my VST/DirectX plug-ins/Managers in one archive) : Info : [separate folders for Bugs/Errors, Registry, DOS commands, Tricks, Application Manuals etc] : Media : [separate folder for each audio or video file type] : Studio (Only audio programs in here)--here are some examples: : [DDClip] : [Tuareg] : [SoundForge XP] : [WaveLab] : [a whole slew of other programs and their needed .ini, .hlp, and .dll files] : [Coagula] : EVPMaker : Amen : BMP2WAV : AnalogBox : Tools (Hex editors, batch renamers, MacDisk, Weird hackware) : Windows (normal windows folder) : Command (normal command folder, but also includes custom .BAT files and nice freeware DOS programs) : System/Sysbckup/ (also includes hand-made backup copies of the Registry) : Well, you get the basic idea. I left out the other stuff that's not so important. Notice how I avoid putting programs into the "Programs" or "Start" folders. I just don't like how it's done. I also modified my "Send to" contextual menu so that I can send any file to any program or drive or folder that I want. : Be sure to make all file types visible at all times. This is useful when the system is in error, but wouldn't tell you otherwise. I also set my recycling bins to all match 0 % space, instant deletion, no warnings. If I want to delete something, I don't ever want to see it again. No use wasting space on something I don't ever want to see again. I am careful about what I delete, so it doesn't worry me to be stern about it. : On the PC, some programs will demand a designated VST or DirectX folder, but not all. It can't hurt to use one. Sometimes you might need more than one designated folder for modules or whatever. See if you can use an alias to a folder instead of a duplicate folder. : As I am working on samples, I usually store them according to file type. However, I like to further subdivide like this: : [AIFFs] : [Aliens]--anything too weird and/or dangerous to use without discretion : [Drums]--individual drum hit sounds according to drum piece : [Ambience]--environmental layers or discrete spatial reverb layers : [Robots]--vocoded speech & computer-generated voices : [Vocals]--spoken word phrases, vocal outtakes : [Animals]--animal noises only : [Instruments]--random assortment of instruments with funny names : [Rhythms]--loops named according to style and BPM : Sometimes I also create a folder called "Ripped" or "Ready to Burn". The names are obvious. Sometimes I also have a "MP3s" folder, but I don't deal with MP3's much. : This is how I have done it in the past, but even now I don't do it quite like that. : For a while I was storing lots of things in HQXed and ZIPped editable DiskCopy images. I also experimented with using AppDisk Save files instead of folders or partitions. Soon I will be creating a collection of WAVE or AIFF sounds stored on 1.4 MB PC-formatted diskettes, in case my hard drives all die. That way I can still use my sounds in a hardware sampler or on another computer. I will put only one sound on each disk, so I can have reasonable-sized sounds. I am not currently using MIDI, and I haven't been for the last few years. Even when I do use MIDI, I prefer to use an external hardware sequencer than a computer. I find it faster to work on. Click here to be notified by email when someone replies to your message [ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ Music Software Discussion & Help Page ] [ FAQ ]

Shareware Music Machine Is Proudly Sponsored by MUSIC SOFTWARE Windows 95 to XP  Windows 3.1  Macintosh  BeOS  Linux  OS/2  DOS  Atari  RESOURCES Competitions-Prizes  Tutorials & Advice  Discussion Forum  Reference Books  Free Content For Webmasters  Free Banners  News Archive  Search  COMPANY INFO Advertising Media Kit  Hitsquad Home Page  Privacy Policy  SMM People  Web Cam  Contact Info

Home | Site Map | News | Search | What's New? | Discussion | Add Listing | Advertising The Musicians Web Center for music resource and industry information on the Net Click here to add Shareware Music Machine to your del.icio.us bookmarks

Copyright © Hitsquad Pty Ltd 1995 - 2008 All rights reserved.