X2 question - sorta

Hi,

Been using Sonar for a very long time and as new versions came out, I admit that I was one of those guys that if I knew how to get something done in the older version, I never bothered to learn some of the new features of the program.  I go back to using CAKE before they even supported audio files (when it was just a MIDI sequencer).

So, with that said, I recently had an issue where a hard drive went down. Luckily, it was a drive with a bunch of sample based VST instruments and somewhat easily recreated.

But, this got me wondering if this drive had my project work on it, I would have been toast.  So, I went out and bought one of those new external HDs for backing up my project work.

This has led me to ask the question on how you guys SAVE your project work so you can easily backup projects?  Is there a file format to save in that is better than other formats for this?  I get confused because my AUDIO files get saved in some sort of global directory for audio and I am confused on how the audio files can be saved and back-up'ed with the other project data?

Thanks in advance for any help and I am almost embarrassed that I am asking this question given the number of years I have been using CAKE.

Jim

Use "per project" folders and back them up. Very simple. Take a copy off-site if you really want to to safe.

Initially you do a save as command and create your own folder for each project. After that everything from that project gets save there. Do this first before recording!!! You must select the "use per project folders" in the properties section for this to work.

YOu only need to set "Use Per Project Audio folders"

See Preferences/File/Audio Data

Nothing special to setup at all. just decide where you want to save your projects and tell SONAR the location In Preferences/File/Folder Locations

When you save a project SONAR will create a file with that name eg My Song.cwp and place it a folder called My Song.

as per this example.

Cakewalk Projects\My song
Cakewalk Projects\My song.cwp
Cakewalk Projects\My song\Audio
all the associated audio will be placed in the audio folder.

You can decide where you place your Cakewalk Projects folder and indeed what you call that folder.