Specifications

Chapter 18: File and Session Management and Compatibility 395
Chapter 18: File and Session Management
and Compatibility
When working with Pro Tools, you will encounter
several different kinds of computer files. Pro Tools
systems require that you keep certain files in spe-
cific hard drive locations in order to function prop-
erly:
• Pro Tools software files (such as the application
and plug-ins files) should be located on your
Startup drive (the drive that contains your oper-
ating system and other system-related files).
• Data files (such as session files, audio files, and
video files) can be located on any compatible
drive connected to your computer’s internal or
external SAS, SATA, IDE/ATA, FireWire, or
SCSI busses (including SCSI HBA).
You can specify the location of new session files
when creating new sessions (see “Creating a New
Session” on page 168).
In Pro Tools sessions, use the Disk Allocation
command to specify where you want newly re-
corded audio files to be stored (see “Working with
Hard Drives for Recording” on page 448).
Audio File Management
Unique File IDs
Pro Tools tags each audio file in a session with a
unique identifier that allows it to distinguish a par-
ticular file even if its name or location has
changed.
Locating Audio Files
With Pro Tools, you manage links to audio and
other media files using the Relink window.
Pro Tools classifies storage volumes according to
their suitability for performance (recording or
playback) or transfer (storage or copying) of audio
and other media files. Audio files must be stored
on suitable Performance volumes and be properly
linked in order to be playable in a Pro Tools
session.
Although Pro Tools lets you record to your
system drive, this is generally not recom-
mended. You should record to system drives
only when necessary—for example, if your
computer system has just one hard drive, or it
your other hard drives are completely full.
If you have a system with multiple drives,
you can designate the System drive as a
Playback only or Transfer only drive for op-
timal performance (see “Audio and Video
Volume Designators” on page 322).