Chapter 9: Importing and Exporting Session Data. Avid Technology Pro Tools HD 6.4, Pro Tools LE 6.4, PRO TOOLS MIX 51

Chapter 9: Importing and Exporting

Session Data

Pro Tools allows you to import a variety of data into a session, including audio and MIDI files, video files, track playlists, I/O configurations, and signal routing configurations.

You can import audio and MIDI files into a session, or transfer entire audio or MIDI tracks, along with all of their attributes, from another session. Additionally, on TDM systems, you also have the option of importing any combination of track attributes from another session, such as a track’s audio or MIDI playlists, signal routing,

plug-ins, or automation. See “Importing Audio” on page 109 and “Importing Tracks and Track

Attributes” on page 114.

Importing Audio

Audio files and regions can be imported to new tracks, or they can be imported into the Audio

Regions List, where they can be dragged to existing tracks.

Files of types that are not supported in the session must be converted when importing. Files with sample rates that are different from the sample rate of the current session must be converted in order for the files to play back at the correct pitch and speed.

Audio files of the following types can be imported into Pro Tools sessions:

• AIFF

• WAV or BWF (.WAV)

• SD II

• SD I

• MP3 (with purchase of MP3 Option)

• Sound Resource (AIFL—Macintosh only)

• WMA (Windows Media—Windows only)

• QuickTime (Macintosh only)

• RealAudio (Pro Tools 6.1 and lower on Windows, and Pro Tools 5.x on Macintosh)

Supported files and regions can be auditioned before they are imported.

If region definitions are present in an audio file, you can convert and import the audio for a region without importing the entire parent audio file.

Chapter 9: Importing and Exporting Session Data 109

Copying, Adding, and Converting Audio

Depending on the properties of the audio files you are importing, you can add, copy, or convert the files. The following options appear in the Import Audio dialog when they are applicable to the selected audio file.

Add

Audio files that are of the same file type and bit depth as a session can be added directly to the session. When you add an audio file, the session references the original audio file in its original location. Use this option when you don’t want to use extra hard drive space for audio files that are already of the same bit depth and sample rate as your session.

Pro Tools does allow audio files that are not the session’s native file type to be added to the session. For example, Windows sessions allow AIFF or WAV files to be added to any session, and

Macintosh sessions allow SDII, AIFF, or WAV files to be added to any session. However, sessions with mixed file types will have reduced performance.

Audio files that are of a different bit depth than the session must be converted before they can be imported.

Pro Tools allows you to add files to a session that are at a different sample rate than your session. In the comments field of the

Import Audio dialog, a warning is posted that these files will play back at the wrong speed and pitch if they are not converted.

Copy

If a file can be added to your session, you will also be given the option to copy it. This option creates a copy of the audio file and places it in a folder you choose. When you copy an audio file, the session references the copied file in its new location.

Use Copy to move audio from an unsupported or removable drive to an audio drive, or to archive audio files for a session to a specific location.

Convert

Audio files that are not of the same bit depth or sample rate as a session, or audio files that are of an incompatible file type (such as SD II files in

Windows) must be converted to be used with the session. When an audio file is converted, a new file with the correct bit depth, file type, and sample rate is created and placed in a folder you choose.

The quality of sample rate conversion used by

Pro Tools is determined by the Preference for

Conversion Quality. For details, see “Conversion Quality” on page 111.

Importing Stereo Files

When using the Import Audio to Tracks command, interleaved stereo files are automatically imported to stereo tracks.

Split stereo (dual mono) audio files can be automatically imported to stereo tracks. Split stereo audio files must have the channel identifiers

“.L” and “.R” in their names (for example, file-

name.L and filename.R), and the files must be the same length. In Windows, or in Mac/PC Compatibility mode, these files will have a 3-letter file extension appended after the “.L” or “.R” channel identifier.

110 Pro Tools Reference Guide

Conversion Quality

The Conversion Quality Preference determines the quality of sample rate conversion used when converting and importing audio into a session.

There are five possible settings, ranging from

Low to Tweak Head. The higher the quality, and the larger the conversion, the longer it will take.

To set the sample rate conversion quality:

1 Choose Setups > Preferences, and click Editing.

2 From the Conversion Quality pop-up menu, select a quality setting.

Conversion Quality preference

For most applications, the Good or Better setting will yield very good results.

3 Click Done.

Importing Audio Files and

Regions

Pro Tools provides several ways to import audio files and regions into an open session. This section provides steps using Pro Tools menu commands, or the Pro Tools icon or alias.

For additional ways to import audio files, see

“Importing Audio Files with Drag & Drop from a

DigiBase Browser” on page 113. To import audio

from CDs (Macintosh only), see “Importing Audio from an Audio CD” on page 114.

To import audio files or regions into a session

(from the Pro Tools File menu):

1 Choose File > Import Audio to Track to import audio files and automatically place them in new tracks.

– or –

Choose Import Audio from the Audio Regions

List pop-up menu to import audio into the Audio Regions List without automatically creating new tracks.

To import entire tracks from other sessions, see

“Imports any Pro Tools mic preamplifier settings from the source session. Any mic preamplifier settings in the destination session are replaced.” on page 121.


2 At the top of the Import Audio dialog, select an audio file to display its properties and associated regions.

4 To place a file or region in the import list (on the right in Windows, or in the lower right of the dialog on a Macintosh), select the file (Shiftclick to select multiple files) and click Add or

Convert. You can also click Add All or Convert

All to import all regions and files in the current directory.

In the import list, audio files are distinguished from regions by their icons.

Audio File icon

Figure 6. Import Audio dialog (Pro Tools 6.4)

You can choose to display only a certain file type (such as AIFF) by selecting the type from the Show pop-up menu. To display all supported file types, select All Documents from the

Show pop-up menu.

On the Macintosh, Sound Resource files must have the “.SFIL” extension to be imported by Pro Tools.

3 To audition a selected file or region before you import it, click the Play and Stop buttons.

Adjust playback volume with the vertical slider.

To navigate to a particular location in the file, use the horizontal slider under the Play and Stop buttons.

The audition output defaults to channels 1–2.

On TDM systems, the audition output channels can be changed in I/O Setup or Hardware Setup.

Audio Region icon

File and Region icons in the Import Audio dialog

5 To remove a file or region from the import list on the right, select it and click Remove. To remove all regions or files, click Remove All.

6 Once the audio files and regions have been added to the import list, click Done.

7 If you are copying or converting files, you are prompted to choose a location for the new audio files. Choose a folder on a valid audio drive, such as the Audio Files folder for your current session.

If you chose File > Import Audio to Track, the files and regions are imported to new audio tracks, and also appear as regions in the Audio

Regions List.

If you chose Import Audio from the Audio Regions List, the files and regions appear as regions in the Audio Regions List.


To import audio files into a session, using the

Pro Tools application icon or alias:

1 Open or create a new session.

2 From the desktop, locate the audio files you want to import. Make sure the files match the session’s file type, bit depth, and sample rate.

Audio files must be in WAV, SDII, or AIFF/AIFC format in order to be dropped into Pro Tools.

Audio files will be converted if they are not of the correct bit depth or number of channels.

They will be converted to mono files of the default audio file format, with the session’s bit depth and sample rate.

3 Drag the audio files onto the Pro Tools application icon or alias.

Importing Audio Files with

Drag & Drop from a DigiBase

Browser

You can import audio by dragging it directly from a DigiBase browser into the Edit window of the current session.

To import audio into the Audio Regions List:

1 Select audio files in a DigiBase browser.

2 Drag the files onto the Audio Regions List of the current session.

To import audio into an existing track:


2 Drag the files onto an existing track in the Edit window of the current session.

To import audio into new tracks:


2 Shift-drag the files and drag them anywhere in the Edit window of the current session.

– or –

Drag the files onto any empty space in the Edit window of the current session.

For more information on using DigiBase browsers, refer to the DigiBase Guide.


Importing Audio from an

Audio CD

(Macintosh Only)

Pro Tools lets you import tracks from an audio

CD using the DigiBase drag and drop feature or the Import Audio From Other Movie command.

Since the transfer is made in the digital domain, there is no signal loss.

The sample rate for audio CDs is 44.1 kHz.

Therefore, if your session’s sample rate is set to

48 kHz or higher, Pro Tools will convert the sample rate for the imported audio. Before importing CD audio, set the Conversion Quality

Preference accordingly. See “Conversion Quality” on page 111 for details.

Before importing CD audio, make sure your hard drive has enough space for both the imported movie file and the converted audio files.

To import a CD audio track:

1 Insert the audio CD into your CD-ROM drive.

2 Select the audio track in a DigiBase browser.

3 Drag the file onto the Audio Regions List of the current session.

Pro Tools converts the CD audio track to the session’s audio file format, bit depth, and sample rate, and saves it on your hard drive.

The imported audio file appears in the Audio Regions List. From there you can drag the region to a track in your session.

DigiBase offers additional ways to import audio from CDs with drag and drop. See

“Importing Audio Files with Drag & Drop from a DigiBase Browser” on page 113.

Importing Tracks and Track

Attributes

You can import entire tracks from other

Pro Tools sessions into the current Pro Tools session using the Import Session Data command.

On TDM systems, you can choose which attributes of those tracks you want to import.

For example, on TDM systems, you can choose to import only the track’s audio into your current Pro Tools mixer. This is analogous to

“changing the tape reel” in a traditional studio setup with a tape machine and mixing console.

Or, you can choose to import all of a track’s mixer settings without its audio, effectively importing a channel strip and using it on a track in your current session. By importing mixer settings for all of the tracks in a session or session template, you can reuse an entire Pro Tools mixer on all the sessions in a project.

To import tracks or their attributes:

1 Open or create a new session.

2 Choose File > Import Session Data, select the session to import data from, and click Open.

– or –

Drag the session file whose tracks or attributes you want to import from a DigiBase browser into the track playlist area in the current session’s Edit window.

For details on using DigiBase to import tracks, refer to the DigiBase Guide.

3 If the Fader Gain of the sessions are different, you will be prompted to keep or change Fader

Gain before the Session Data dialog opens.


4 Select the tracks to import by clicking the track names in the Source Tracks list. (If the current Pro Tools system does not support surround mixing, surround tracks are not displayed in the Source Tracks list.) To select multiple contiguous tracks, Shift-click the track names. To select multiple non-contiguous tracks, Controlclick (Windows) or Command-click (Macintosh) the track names.

5 On TDM systems, for each track you select, you can choose to import it as a new track, or choose a destination track from the corresponding pop-up menu. Click Find Matching Tracks to automatically match source and destination tracks with the same names.

6 On TDM systems, select from among the

Track Playlist options to choose how you want to import the source tracks.

7 If applicable, choose options for how media files should be imported from the Audio Media

Options and the Video Media Options pop-up menus.

8 Choose the Time Code Mapping option for imported data.

9 If the sample rates of the sessions are different, select the sample rate for the source session from the Source Sample Rate pop-up menu.

10 To import the meter and tempo maps from the source session, select the Import

Tempo/Meter Map option.

11 On TDM systems, to import any mic pre settings from the source session, select the Import

Mic Pre Settings option.

12 Click OK when you are finished.

13 If you chose to copy or consolidate media, choose a location to place the media files.

Imported tracks are made inactive if their source media is unavailable, or if the current session does not contain an equivalent output path.

Importing Grouped Playlists from Other

Sessions

With Pro Tools 6.1 and higher, you can import tracks that use Grouped Playlists from another

Pro Tools session, and the playlist grouping function will remain intact for those imported tracks. There is, however, a restriction for importing from pre-Pro Tools 6.1 sessions. After importing a partial set of grouped playlists (such as tracks 1–7 of a 10-track group), you cannot subsequently import tracks 8–10 and have them

“rejoin” the playlist group for tracks 1–7.

However, it is possible to perform this function when importing from sessions created in

Pro Tools 6.1.


Import Session Data Dialog

The Import Session Data dialog lets you view the properties of the source session, select which tracks to import, and on TDM systems, choose which attributes of those tracks you want to import into the current session.

Import Session Data dialog (Pro Tools TDM 6.x)

Source Properties

The Import Session data dialog displays properties for the source session. These properties include source session name, session type, start time of the session, audio bit depth, and sample rate. For Pro Tools 5.1 or higher sessions, the program that created the session and the session’s audio file type are listed.

Audio Media Options

Refer to Source Media (Where Possible) This option lets you avoid duplicating audio files by referring to the original files when possible. If the source files do not reside on supported playback media (such as a CD-ROM), or if they require bit depth or sample rate conversion, the source files are copied instead. This option allows the current session to refer to files that do not match the current session’s audio file format.

Copy from Source Media This option copies all audio files related to the imported tracks from the source media to a new specified location, and converts the files to the current session’s audio file format, bit depth, and sample rate if necessary. This is useful if you are importing tracks from a source such as CD-ROM or shared storage, and you want to place the audio files on a different hard drive.

Consolidate from Source Media This option consolidates audio while copying it. This is useful if you want to copy only the regions of the audio files used in the source tracks, without copying unused audio. This option copies and converts consolidated audio to the current session’s audio file format, bit depth, and sample rate if necessary.

Import Session Data dialog (Pro Tools LE 6.x)


When you choose this option, you can also choose the size of the handle (in milliseconds) applied to consolidated audio. Handle is the amount of the original audio file that is preserved before and after each region in case you need to make any edits to the new regions.

Force to Target Session Format (Convert Audio

Media to New Session Format in Pro Tools 6.0)

This option copies and converts any files that do not match the current session’s file format, bit depth, and sample rate. Files that do match the current session’s file type, bit depth and sample rate are referred to directly and not copied.

Video Media Options

You can either choose to leave video media files in their original locations or copy them to a new location. This is useful if you are importing tracks from a source such as CD-ROM or shared storage, and you want to place video files on a different drive.

Time Code Mapping Options

You can specify where the imported tracks are placed in the current session. Times are indicated in time code for all TDM systems and

Pro Tools LE systems with DV Toolkit, and minutes:seconds for other Pro Tools LE systems.

Maintain Absolute Time Code Values This option places tracks at the locations where they were located in the source session. For example, if the current session starts at 00:01:00:00, and the session from which you are importing starts at

10:00:00:00, the earliest imported tracks can appear in your session is 9 hours and 59 minutes after the start of the session.

Maintain Relative Time Code Values This option places tracks at the same offset from session start as they had in the source session. For example, if the source session starts at 01:00:00:00 and contains a track that starts at 01:01:00:00, and the current session start is 02:00:00:00, the track will be placed at 02:01:00:00 in the current session.

Map Start Time Code to hh:mm:ss:ff (All TDM Systems and Pro Tools LE Systems with DV Toolkit) or hh:mm:ss (Pro Tools LE Systems without DV Toolkit) This option places tracks relative to their original session start time. For example, on a

TDM system, or Pro Tools LE system with DV

Toolkit, if the current session starts at

00:01:00:00, and the session from which you are importing starts at 10:00:00:00, you can reset the start time code to 00:01:00:00, to avoid placing files 9 hours and 59 minutes from the start of your session.

Track Offset Options

You can specify a track offset in addition to any offset incurred with the Time Code Mapping options. Any imported audio is offset in the current session’s timeline by the specified amount.

You can enter values in Minutes:Seconds,

Bars|Beats, Samples, Time Code, or Feet/Frames.

Sample Rate Conversion (SRC) Options

You can set options that control how sample rate conversion is applied to imported audio files. If the source session and the current session have the same sample rate, this portion of the dialog is unavailable.

Source Sample Rate For audio files created in any session, no matter what the session sample rate is, you can have the sample rate conversion process treat the files in several ways to compen-


sate for pull-up, pull-down, and NTSC or PAL frame rates. This setting allows you to choose the sample rate from which you want the sample rate conversion process to start.

Destination Sample Rate The destination sample rate is always set to the sample rate of your current session.

Conversion Quality This option lets you set the quality of the sample-rate conversion process.

See “Conversion Quality” on page 111.

Source Tracks

This area of the dialog lists the tracks in the source session that can be imported, each with a corresponding pop-up menu.

Operation/Destination Track Pop-Up

Menus

For each source track, there is a corresponding pop-up menu that lists options for importing the track and, on TDM systems, possible destination tracks in the current session. The pop-up menus display the following items:

Do Not Import Neither the source track nor any of its attributes are imported.

Import as New Track The source track and all attributes selected in the Session Data to Import menu are imported into a new track in the current session.

(Destination Track Names) On TDM systems, the names of possible destination tracks in the current session are listed at the bottom of the pop-up menu. Imported playlists and all attributes selected in the Session Data to Import will be placed in the destination track you choose.

Only destination tracks that match the track type (audio, MIDI, Auxiliary Input, or Master

Fader) and the channel format (mono, stereo, or any of the supported multichannel formats) of the source track appear in the pop-up menu.

Find Matching Tracks

(TDM Systems Only)

If you are importing playlists from source tracks with the same name as destination tracks in the current session, click Find Matching Tracks to automatically match the track names. Tracks must have the same name, track type, and channel format to be automatically matched.

Session Data to Import

(TDM Systems Only)

The Session Data to Import menu is where you select which attributes of the selected tracks you want to import into the current session.

Session Data options in the Import Session Data dialog

The selected attributes are applied to all tracks that you choose to import into the current session.


Replacing Track Attributes

When you import an attribute of the source track into an existing track in the current session, it replaces the corresponding attribute in the destination track. If you choose not to import an attribute of the source track, the corresponding attribute in the destination track is retained.

Replacing Track Path Names

When you import a track’s input, output, send output or hardware insert assignments, any custom path names and I/O configurations from the source session are not imported. You can import path names and I/O configurations by im-

porting I/O Setup settings. See “I/O Settings

Files” on page 80 for more information.

Selecting Track Attributes to Import

You can select All, None, or any combination of the listed attributes to import. The following attributes are available to import:

All Imports all of the source track’s playlists, according to the Track Playlist Option setting, and all of the attributes in the Session Data to Import list.

None Imports only the source track’s main playlist, according to the Track Playlist Option setting, and no other attributes of the source track.

Alternate Playlists Imports all of the source track’s alternate playlists. The alternate playlists appear in the destination track’s playlist pop-up menu.

Regions and Media Imports all of the audio files or regions in the source track, and places them in the Audio Regions List.

Volume Automation and Setting Imports the source track’s Volume Fader setting and any automation data on the track’s Volume Automation playlist. The Volume Fader setting and any

Volume automation data in the destination track are replaced.

Pan Automation and Setting Imports the source track’s Pan Slider settings and any automation data on the track’s Pan Automation playlist. The

Pan Slider setting and any Pan automation data in the destination track are replaced.

Mute Automation and Setting Imports the source track’s Mute setting and any automation data on the track’s Mute Automation playlist. The

Mute setting and any Mute automation data in the destination track are replaced.

Main Output Assignments Imports the source track’s channel output assignments, including any multiple output assignments. The channel output assignments in the destination track are replaced.

Send Output Assignments Imports the source track’s send output assignments. Any Send output assignments in the destination track are replaced.

Plug-In Assignments Imports the source track’s plug-in assignments. Any plug-ins in the destination track are removed, and their associated settings and automation are lost.

If the source track uses a plug-in that is not available on the destination system, it appears in the destination track and is made inactive.

Plug-In Settings and Automation When the source track’s plug-in assignments are imported, this option imports the track’s plug-in settings and any automation data associated with the plug-ins. If no plug-in assignments are imported, this option has no effect.


Hardware Insert Assignments Imports the source track’s hardware Insert assignments. Any Insert assignments in the destination track are replaced.

Voice Assignments Imports the source track’s voice assignment from the source session. Any voice assignments in the destination track is replaced.

Input Assignments Imports the source track’s channel input assignment. The Input assignment in the destination track is replaced.

Sidechain Assignments When the source track’s plug-in assignments are imported, this option imports any side-chain assignments associated with the plug-ins. If no plug-in assignments are imported, this option has no effect.

I/O Labels (Path Names) Imports the source track’s path names.

Track Active State Imports the active/inactive state of the source track from the source session.

Track Comments Imports the track comments associated with the source track. Any comments in the destination track are replaced.

Record Safe/Solo Safe Settings Imports the record safe and solo safe settings of the source track from the source session. Any record safe or solo safe settings in the destination track are replaced.

Track View Settings Imports the track height and playlist view of the source track from the source session.

Track Playlist Options

(TDM Systems Only)

You can select from the following options to control how the main playlist from each source track is imported to the destination track in the current session.

Import Main Playlists — Replacing destination main playlists

Imports the main playlist from the source track.

When you import the playlist into an existing track, the main playlist in the destination track is deleted and replaced with the imported playlist.

◆ If you select the above option and import all of the source track’s attributes, this is equivalent to importing the entire track.

◆ If you select the above option and do not import any of the source track’s attributes, you replace the audio playlists while keeping your current mixer settings.

Import Main Playlists — Overlaying new with existing, trimming existing regions

Imports the main playlist from the source track.

When you import the playlist into an existing track, any existing playlist data that overlaps data imported from the source track is trimmed and replaced with the imported data. Any playlist data in the destination track that does not overlap remains in the destination track.


Do Not Import Main Playlists — Leaving destination playlists intact

Does not import the main playlist from the source track. No audio is imported; only the attributes selected in the Session Data to Import list are imported to the selected tracks.

◆ If you select the above option and import all of the source track’s input, output, send, insert and plug-in attributes, this is equivalent to importing a channel strip.

Import Tempo/Meter Map

Imports the meter and tempo maps, as they appear in the Tempo and Meter Conductor rulers, from the source session. Any Tempo or Meter events in the destination session are replaced.

Import Pre Settings

(TDM Systems Only)

Imports any Pro Tools mic preamplifier settings from the source session. Any mic preamplifier settings in the destination session are replaced.

Exporting a Region as a New

Audio File

You can export regions as audio files with the

Export Selected As Files command. Use this command if you intend to use a region in other sessions (or other audio applications) without using its parent source file.

This command also provides a way to convert regions to a different audio format, sample rate, or bit depth.

To export regions as new audio files:

1 In the Audio Regions List, select the regions you want to export.

2 From the Audio Regions List pop-up menu, choose Export Selected As Files. The Export Selected dialog appears.

Exporting Audio

Pro Tools supports exporting regions as audio files, exporting left and right audio files as stereo interleaved files, and exporting region information.

You can also export audio from Pro Tools by bouncing or consolidating audio tracks. For

more information, see “Bounce to Disk” on page 482.

Export Selected dialog


3 In the Export Selected dialog, set the file type, format, bit resolution, and sample rate. In addition, specify the Conversion Quality, and choose the destination directory.

4 Select an option for how Pro Tools should resolve duplicate file names.

Prompting for Each Duplicate prompts you for a file name for any file that has the same name as a file in your destination directory.

Auto Renaming automatically changes the name of any duplicate file by adding a number at the end of the file name (such as file_01).

Replacing with New Files replaces files with the same name with the new files.

5 Once the Export Options are configured, click

Export to export the new audio files.

When you Export Selected with a lower bit rate, Dither (and Noise Shaping) may be applied. See the following table:

Dither and Noise Shaping with Export Selected

Bit Rate Dither

Noise

Shaping

24-bit to 24-bit

16-bit to 24-bit

No

No

No

No

24-bit to 16-bit

16-bit to 16-bit

24-bit to 8-bit

16-bit to 8-bit

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

No

No

For more information about using Dither, see

“Dither” on page 430.

Exporting Stereo Interleaved Files

You can use the Export Selected As Files command to export audio regions to stereo interleaved files for use in other applications.

(Pro Tools sessions do not support stereo interleaved files.) For this to work, the selected regions must have identical names with “.L” and

“.R” suffixes (for instance, vocals_01.L and vocals_01.R). These regions appear as a stereo region in the Audio Regions List.

To export regions as a stereo interleaved file:

1 Select the stereo audio region in the Audio Regions List or in the track playlist. If the regions appear on mono tracks in the session, select the two mono regions.

2 From the Audio Regions List pop-up menu, choose Export Selected As Files.

3 In the Export Selected dialog, select “Interleaved” in the Format pop-up menu.

4 Configure any other output settings, then click Export to export the new stereo interleaved file.

Exporting Region Definitions

Pro Tools stores region definitions for audio files within each session. If you want to use an audio file’s regions in another session, or with another application that supports them, you can export the region information.

The Export Region Definitions command does not export regions as audio files (unlike the Export Selected As Files command). Instead, it stores pointers to the regions within the parent source file.


To export region definitions for an audio file:

1 In the Audio Regions List, select any regions for which you want to export definitions. You do not have to select the parent file audio region.

2 Choose Export Region Definitions from the

Audio Regions List pop-up menu.

3 Click Export.

Exporting Pro Tools Tracks as

OMFI or AAF Files

With the DigiTranslator Integrated Option,

Pro Tools lets you export individual tracks or an entire Pro Tools session in OMFI format

(Pro Tools 5.1.3 and higher) or AAF format

(Pro Tools 6.1 and higher). This option requires

DigiTranslator 2.0 or higher.

Pro Tools with DigiTranslator does not support AAF files with embedded media.

Exporting Sessions as Text

TDM Systems Only

You can use the Export Session As Text command to create a text file that contains extensive information about your session.

This text file can contain a list of audio files, audio regions, audio track EDL (edit decision list) information, extended timestamp information, and information about crossfades.

Track EDLs are exported as tab-delimited text— that is, with tabs between each column heading, and tabs between each event parameter. You can use this data in a program for reading EDLs, or you can format the EDL data into tables using a word processor or spreadsheet application.

Export Session as Text Options

For more information on installing and using DigiTranslator with Pro Tools, refer to the DigiTranslator Guide.

Export Session Text dialog


Include File List/Region List

You can choose to export a list of the session’s audio files and regions. The File List provides a list of all the audio files and fades in the session, and their hard drive locations. The Region List displays all audio regions in the session, and the source audio file for each region.

Include Track EDLs (Playlists)

You can export track EDLs (playlists). Track

EDLs can be used to spot-check region placement and edits, or in a conforming program for post applications. In extreme circumstances the

EDL can be used to recreate the entire session.

MIDI track EDLs are not exported.

When exporting track EDLs, the following options are available:

Show Subframes This option allows you to export subframe time information with track

EDLs, if used in your session.

Include User Timestamps You can include user timestamps with track EDLs. User timestamps indicate a user-defined session location for the region, or the original location of the region when recorded.

Fade Handling For track EDLs, you can choose whether to show crossfades, not to show them, or to combine crossfaded regions. When regions are combined, their durations and locations are listed up to the center of the crossfade (for the leading region) and from the center of the crossfade (for the following region).

Time Format You can select the appropriate time format that exported EDL information is based on. For example, for post work, you might select

SMPTE time, but for music creation locked to a grid, you might select Bars & Beats.

File Format

You can choose to export to any of several different text formats. These include standard text formats, and Microsoft Word and Excel formats.

The Exported Session Text

Session Information

The session text file starts with basic information about the session. This information includes the session name, sample rate, bit depth, time code format, and number of audio tracks, audio regions, and audio files, as shown in the following example.

Session Information

SESSION NAME: Ripleys II-092700

SAMPLE RATE:

BIT DEPTH:

TIME CODE FORMAT:

# OF AUDIO TRACKS:

# OF AUDIO REGIONS:

# OF AUDIO FILES:

48000.000000

24-bit

30 Frame

19

203

54

File List and Region List

Next, if you choose to include them, are the lists of audio files and regions.

Track EDLs

The final item, if exported, is the list of track

EDLs. A track EDL lists the track name, and all edits, including the event number, the region name, region start and end time, and region duration. The region timestamp is also exported, if you select this option. Subframes are shown in each time field if you select this option.


To export a session as text:

1 Choose File > Export Session As Text.

2 Select whether to include the File List, Region

List, and track EDLs.

3 If you choose to include track EDLs, select whether to show subframes, and whether to include user timestamps. Also select an option for crossfade handling.

4 If you choose to include track EDLs, select the

Time Format for the exported session text from the pop-up menu.

5 Select the File Format for exported text using the pop-up menu.

6 When you have set your options, click OK.

7 Select a location and enter a filename for the exported text file. In Windows, Pro Tools adds the correct 3-letter filename extension, while on the Macintosh, the file extension “.txt” is added.

There are two types of Standard MIDI Files, both of which are supported by Pro Tools:

◆ Type 0 MIDI files store data for all MIDI channels in a single track. When importing these files, Pro Tools separates the data by channel and places each track’s data in separate regions and tracks.

◆ Type 1 MIDI files, sometimes referred to as multitrack MIDI files, contain multiple tracks of

MIDI data. When importing these files, each track’s data is placed on its own new MIDI track in the Pro Tools session.

To import a Standard MIDI File to new tracks:

1 Choose File > Import MIDI to Track.

2 Select the MIDI file you want to import.

Importing MIDI Files

You can import Standard MIDI Files into your

Pro Tools sessions. Use the Import MIDI to Track command to place the imported MIDI onto new tracks; or use the Import MIDI command in the

MIDI Regions List pop-up menu to place the data in the MIDI Regions List, where it can be dragged to existing tracks.

Pro Tools does not import proprietary sequence files. To use sequences from other MIDI applications in a Pro Tools session, you’ll need to first save them as Standard MIDI Files. Refer to the manufacturer’s documentation for details on saving Standard MIDI Files.

Import MIDI dialog

3 To import the MIDI file’s tempo and meter tracks, select the Import Tempo From MIDI File option.

This option overwrites existing meter and tempo events in the current session. If you don’t want this, select Use Existing Tempo From Session.


4 Click Open (Windows) or Import (Macintosh). If prompted, specify whether you want to

Keep or Discard existing MIDI tracks and regions in the current session.

The MIDI data is imported to new MIDI tracks, and also appears as regions in the MIDI Regions

List.

If the Standard MIDI File contains markers, they are only imported if the current session does not contain any markers.

5 In the Mix window, click the MIDI Device/Channel Selector for each new track and assign a MIDI instrument and channel.

To import a Standard MIDI File into the MIDI

Regions List:

1 Choose Import MIDI from the MIDI Regions

List pop-up menu.

2 Select the MIDI file you want to import.

3 To import the MIDI file’s tempo and meter tracks, select the option for Import Tempo From

MIDI File.

This option overwrites existing meter and tempo events in the current session. If you don’t want this, make sure to instead select Use Existing Tempo From Session.

4 Click Open (Windows) or Import (Macintosh). If prompted, specify whether you want to

Keep or Discard existing MIDI tracks and regions residing in the current session.

Pro Tools imports the MIDI data as regions and places them in the MIDI Regions List.

If the Standard MIDI File contains markers, they are only imported if the current session does not contain any markers.

5 Drag the new MIDI regions to existing MIDI tracks.


Exporting MIDI Files

To export a session’s MIDI tracks for use in another MIDI application, or for playback with an external (hardware) MIDI sequencer, you can save the tracks as a Standard MIDI File.

When exporting, the session tracks can be merged to a single, multichannel track (Type 0), or they can be saved as multiple tracks (Type 1).

To export all MIDI tracks in the current session:

1 Make sure to unmute any MIDI tracks in the session that you want to export.

2 Choose File > Export MIDI.

3 Specify a folder destination and name for the

MIDI file.

Export MIDI dialog

4 In the MIDI Version field, select whether the

Standard MIDI File will be Type 0 (merged, single track) or Type 1 (multi-track).

5 Click Save. Pro Tools exports all MIDI tracks in the current session to a Standard MIDI File and writes it to your hard drive. Exported MIDI information includes notes, controller events, program changes, and System Exclusive data, as well as events for tempo, meter, and markers.

The SMPTE start time for the session is also exported. This ensures that the exported tracks, when played from another MIDI application, will align with the correct SMPTE frames, and also sync correctly to tape and video devices, or

Pro Tools.

Refer to your third-party MIDI sequencer documentation to determine whether it supports importing SMPTE start times from MIDI files.

Not Exported with MIDI Files

Mute automation and muted regions do not affect exported MIDI. As long as a track is not muted by clicking its Mute button, all of its

MIDI data is exported.

When exporting MIDI files from Pro Tools, device assignments for tracks are not retained

(though channel assignments are). If you export

MIDI tracks from Pro Tools and later re-import them, you’ll need to reassign the tracks to devices in your studio.

All playlist information for MIDI tracks is lost when exporting. For example, tracks that previously contained dozens of MIDI regions will be flattened and only contain single regions after exporting and re-importing.



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