30 posts / 0 new
Last post
Jason
Jason's picture
Offline
Joined: 03/23/2012 - 21:32
Restore Points.. headache saver

On occasion you will be deep into a music project when suddenly, domething goes terribly wrong, and you soon find your project has become corrupt, and unaccessable.  So,  I've developed my own function around this by creating "restore points" for each song I create. I learned this the hard way by getting so deep into a song, I just didn't like the direction it was going, and I got frustrated because I couldn't just Undo my way out of it, and spent a couple hours doing nothing but clicking patterns and deleting and clearing automations etc.....putting my phone back together after throwing it out the window....

Now, each of my songs has many multiple Restore Points.

"song name1".caustic template and setups for the song (mixer setup, FX, machines etc...)

"song name2".caustic initial elements laid down, foundation track

"song name3".caustic main format of the track laid down, basic drums, bass, music elements

"song name4".caustic adding elements and FX and automation, filters, and other modulations

"song name5".caustic the icing on the cake so to speak

"song name6".caustic etc.... etc.... etc....

I save and save often. If I royally goof up something, like move an unexpected pattern block (multi-select not cleared before batch collect intended patterns) and not remembering where it goes? I don't worry, I restore my most recently saved file, problem fixed. Don't like where your song is going? You can revert back to whatever restore point you need to go back to.

I've benefited from this method twice already, and my blood pressure is still good :)

ImpulseGame
ImpulseGame's picture
Offline
Joined: 05/23/2012 - 05:10
Very helpful, I already

Very helpful, I already messed up some automations and then I just tend to give up and move on. Thanks. (save page).

Jason
Jason's picture
Offline
Joined: 03/23/2012 - 21:32
..... or if Caustic crashes

..... or if Caustic crashes and dumps to your phone's Home Screen...... think your current project still in its current state?

ImpulseGame
ImpulseGame's picture
Offline
Joined: 05/23/2012 - 05:10
Hasn't happened yet, only two

Hasn't happened yet, only two crashes I had was when I clicked new song and load song. I'm still testing things out though so if it does I'll propably move on to the next, maybe by now I have some patterns I can recycle later.

Markus Roth
Markus Roth's picture
Offline
Joined: 12/05/2013 - 02:53
Hi,

Hi,

just had a breakdown, wanted to load a new voice while playing a song. Caused the Nexus7 Tablet to stop the software. It happens very rarely but unfortunately this time, I hadn't saved for a while. Is there any way to retrieve the stuff I added in the last hour? Can you PLEASE include an auto-safe feature (to be manually adjustable, on/off + safe every 10/20/... minutes, etc.) in the next update?

 

Thanks

Jason
Jason's picture
Offline
Joined: 03/23/2012 - 21:32
Just remember when you create

Just remember when you create "restore points" a.k.a. backup song files, if you follow my method, you will rack up quite a bit of space.... so when you're finished with your song and happy with it, simply delete the older version project files to save space....

I went back this week to clean up, and got rid of about 150 backup song files for past 8 songs I made..... cool

TheZEROProject
TheZEROProject's picture
Offline
Joined: 06/16/2013 - 14:14
Yeah, I don't feel like an

Yeah, I don't feel like an autosave feature would be very practical because of the amount of space caustic files can occupy easily. It's a double-edged sword... You can save a copy of any samples used in your caustic file so later you can delete the source files if need be but you can eat up space quicker than you may realize. I have a 16gb external card full of soundfonts and samples and most of my internal memory also dedicated to Caustic... Over the past 3 years my entire project library is around 2+gb...

VIOLENT NEUROSIS (YouTube) ...https://www.youtube.com/user/ViolentNeurosis

Jason
Jason's picture
Offline
Joined: 03/23/2012 - 21:32
Just a friendly reminder for

Just a friendly reminder for our newer members; this method WILL save you many frustrating hiccups in your work, wether here with mobile application or desktop projects....

RadioRev
RadioRev's picture
Offline
Joined: 11/01/2013 - 02:58
AMEN, BROTHER JASON!

AMEN, BROTHER JASON!

My composition process isn't as clearly delineated as yours, but what I've implemented is basically the same system. Instead of using 1-6 integers as a suffix, I use the current month/day date of the new save every few days or every time I feel like I've had a major session that fundamentally altered the song (because some alterations sound great at first but god-awful the next morning).
Another method that's been helpful is to split the file into two test files - usually I tack on "a" and "b" to the names. This is for when I'm torn on a major decision, and feel like I can't know which of two or more ways to take the song. I do both! I try to spend roughly equal time on each option so I can compare them one after the other without having to trust my imagining of it. As long as I have storage space and patient (I don't always) this pays off in certainty that I picked my best idea.

¿que onda, pachuco?

ian
Offline
Joined: 02/13/2014 - 21:23
Yes! I do this, too. Every

Yes! I do this, too. Every song I do has many, many saves. Leaned my lesson the hard way as well. 

Alexei Bourdan
Alexei Bourdan's picture
Offline
Joined: 05/04/2015 - 12:51
And as you probably gathered

And as you probably gathered from my posts, I've just learned that very lesson that very hard way. I now have save one and save two.

Jason
Jason's picture
Offline
Joined: 03/23/2012 - 21:32
It's ok, because I wrote this

It's ok, because I wrote this couple years ago because I've learned this lesson too...... A couple of times.... Not just here on mobile but other projects on desktop etc.....

I remember a desktop DAW project going bad and losing two months of work, and most studionrecordings, was not a fun experience for me....

derrtiblu
derrtiblu's picture
Offline
Joined: 03/08/2014 - 23:00
mannnnn u hiding a world

mannnnn u hiding a world another world. where has this thread been??? don't tell me i gotta do spring cleaning of threads too??? this stinks!!! inna good way.

Jason
Jason's picture
Offline
Joined: 03/23/2012 - 21:32
A friendly reminder for those

A friendly reminder for those who are Beta testing Caustic 3.2, and forgot Rej's instructions that the risks of LOSING your data...... you've been warned.

However, this method will save you alot of grief.   (referring to my OP)

JHSound
JHSound's picture
Offline
Joined: 06/04/2015 - 11:21
Hi Jason,

Hi Jason,

You speak the truth and the longer you've been working in the digital world the more you understand it.  The funny thing is this is the same way I approach almost everything I work on in CAD and design.  If I find myself at a point where I know I'm venturing into any major changes, I stop and save, then do a save-as to a new name following something like your pattern.  IF I really like the results of my new adventure, I can always save it back to the original name but if not, I can dump it and go right back to that fork in the road without 1000 undos.  Depending on the software you use, you have an Undo limit anyway.

So, this isn't just insurance against potential disasters, it is also a way to revert quickly to a previous version.  You need to be good about cleaning up after yourself, though.

opus.quatre
opus.quatre's picture
Offline
Joined: 02/16/2016 - 17:29
Hello all of you..

Hello all of you..

Da.. We can discuss about Jason's restore points.. They are his choice, your choice may differ slightly or strongly..

I mean we can have different "restore points", not the very same list as he has.. No problem.. 

But we cannot discuss  the need to save on a regular basis,  for example before "venturing into any major changes" as JHS says.. And to have copies on several supports : Cards, hard drives, internet storage..

Jason
Jason's picture
Offline
Joined: 03/23/2012 - 21:32
"But we cannot discuss  the

"But we cannot discuss  the need to save on a regular basis"

 

                           Why not?   It is essential to preserve various stages of your

work, and helps assist Rej in tracking down corrupt data values when we report

bugs and crashes.....

YMMV, but don't cry and whine how horrible it is when you lose an entire project when you didn't heed my advice, 

you've been warned, especially Alpha / Beta Testers.........surprise

JHSound
JHSound's picture
Offline
Joined: 06/04/2015 - 11:21
Actually Jason, I think opus

Actually Jason, I think opus meant there is no discussion as to the need to save.  In other words, you can discuss how you want to save or where you want to save but there is no discussion about the actual need to save, it is necessary.

opus.quatre
opus.quatre's picture
Offline
Joined: 02/16/2016 - 17:29
Seems there is some

Seems there is some misunderstanding..
By "we.camnot discuss", I mean "we caanot deny"..

JHS is.right..

Jason
Jason's picture
Offline
Joined: 03/23/2012 - 21:32
Oh ok, I gotchya........

Oh ok, I gotchya........ heheheh     But yeah there are different ways to do it, to each user's preference....

 

It's all good....... 

Mrshots
Mrshots's picture
Offline
Joined: 07/22/2015 - 12:27
I usually create 2, one which

I usually create 2, one which is a backup and ine which is the real version. A few times caustic had crashed and destroyed song files to the point where the key elements have gone from the file si I just give up, so it's just a failsafe :P I save to both filenames

I make creative EDM utilising Caustic and many other Daws. See for yourself on my SoundCloud, you may like it :) https://soundcloud.com/xandyaudio thanks!

derrtiblu
derrtiblu's picture
Offline
Joined: 03/08/2014 - 23:00
i mean....the file names get

i mean....the file names get very long and u can't the whole file name. dat's annoying. and not traditional symbols too!!! it makes harder two make such file name.

opus.quatre
opus.quatre's picture
Offline
Joined: 02/16/2016 - 17:29
I remember a time when file

I remember a time when file names were 8 characters long..
We would use the initials.. "Only Happy When It Rains" would become OHWIR, and even OHWIRSF when it was the live version from the San Frncisco live bootleg..
And still from Garbage, ITIPSF.. Guess which song it was ??
So.. Its up to you to makes.shorter file names even when the real title can be 'What Need Have I For This, What Need Have I For That, Im Dancing At The Feet Of My Lord, All Is Bliss, All Is Bliss", which was a short tune by Shakti (aka John McLaughlin) in the late 1970s..

DanSeb
DanSeb's picture
Offline
Joined: 11/08/2012 - 07:06
Definitely sound advice Jason

Definitely sound advice Jason, I add A, B, C and so on to the end of the track name every time I do ANYTHING of any significance to the track. Quite often by the time I've finished I've reached something like (trackname)ZF (meaning I've started going round through the alphabet a second time after reaching Z)

I guess this feels natural to me, as working in the building industry, every time I revise a drawing, it gets an A, B, C revision etc.

You do end up with a LOT of files by the time you've finished which obviously consume storage space, but when the track's finally finished, I just delete all the old copies ready to start afresh on a new track.

Jason
Jason's picture
Offline
Joined: 03/23/2012 - 21:32
Yes you can end up with alot

Yes you can end up with alot of files, but it will be certainly worth it in the end, especially if you're in a serious project, that you intend to sell later, or take to an actual studio, or a live gig?    It's kind of like making a big report document with graphics for your boss, that's really important, and after working so hard on it, something happens and your project suddenly disappears -- you think your boss will understand and just shrug it off "oh well?"

Hmmmmmmm.........

I like MrShots idea of floating back and forth between two or three files --- keeps the workspace cleaner, and quick access to recent work, but only gives you one or two restore points.

YMMV.

Stay Safe!

opus.quatre
opus.quatre's picture
Offline
Joined: 02/16/2016 - 17:29
Well.. There is a moment,

Well.. There is a moment, even before the song is totally finished, when we know that some of the previous stages or steps, have no more utility and/or reasons to be preciously preserved..
Options that we tried, and we are sure we have abandonned them for good.. Or previous versions which are totally included in the newer one..
We're not necessarily forced to keep ALL the intermediate files.. Some are strategically good to keep, some others are not..
I think we're all grown up enough to decide, for each tune, what is good to keep, what can be deleted..
What is truly important is to have rescue copies, and a good advice would be to have them on different supports.. Not on only.one hard drive which could break or die any time..
That's true for everythmg, not only for music.. Your children pictures and videos, your cooking recipes, the letters of your beloved, the map of the treasure Island, your best poems..
Long ago, I had copies of a few documents, stored in my parents' home, just in case my own house would burn.. This included some of the best pictures of my children..
In fact, (that's off topic, but....)when I've been told that the insurance companies will ask you pictures of your valuable objects, if you can't show any bill or other proof, then I thought "That's completely silly.. If n'y house burns, the pictures might burn before the jewels !!".. That's when I decided to make pictures of my valuable objects, and keep them elsewhere, not in my house..
In reality, I've never done it, cause I'm more lazy than scared, but that would have been clever and wise..
End of the off topic pause..

opus.quatre
opus.quatre's picture
Offline
Joined: 02/16/2016 - 17:29
What f? You don't have a nap

What f? You don't have a nap of the treasure Island ??
I was convinced we all had one..

stePH
stePH's picture
Offline
Joined: 04/01/2014 - 13:15
8-character file names? Opus4

8-character file names? Opus4, I bet we're about the same age. That was in the dark ages of DOS, before Windows 95.

Jason
Jason's picture
Offline
Joined: 03/23/2012 - 21:32
Before "Windows for

Before "Windows for Workgroups"?     Ha, I used OS's before DOS...... ha!   

opus.quatre
opus.quatre's picture
Offline
Joined: 02/16/2016 - 17:29
Da Steph.. That was windows 3

Da Steph.. That was windows 3 era..

My age ? I once said on this forum that I am about the same age as the very first Mellotron..