sethmopod
I put markers labeled "Start" and "End" in the places that I want my export to start and end at (make sure you leave enough room for your reverb tails before the "End"). Once I have those markers in place, it's easy to select the timeline between them using any number of methods, highlight the tracks you want and then export. The markers save with the file and are always there for you.

 
Hi Seth, and thanks for what seems to be the simplest idea I've heard so far! I assume your DAW playback and exported audio files come out identical in start/end and length using that method?
 
I've used "regular" markers for things along the lines you've mentioned, but it never crossed my mind to try using them for in/out points of the entire song. The step of having to select the space between those two markers before exporting still seems like it should be unnecessary to me, but it sounds a lot easier than what I've been able to come up with up until this point. Call me lazy, but ultimately I'd simply like to be able to mark the in/out points of a song, permanently across editing sessions. Hell, even my hardware recorder can do that.
 
Anyway, I'll give this a try tomorrow and let you know how I make out.
 
Thanks again for your time!
 

I never bother to trim my projects prior to exporting.
 
The method I use to get the desired range exported is simple:
 

1. Select All (ctrl + a)
2. Sweep in the timeline at the top of Track View to encompass the desired range
3. Export

You can of course use this method in conjunction with pre-inserted markers
Open the Markers View (Alt + Shift + 4) then at step 2 above, click & drag between your start and end markers

Hi again Seth...
 
Just got around to trying your method, works like a charm.
 
I should have thought to use normal markers for this, but the "From=Now, Thru=Now" markers seemed intended for things like marking song in/out times. I think it was just the name of those markers that threw me off. I can't see myself ever using them again for anything, as markers that don't get saved along with the rest of a project seem pretty useless to me. Maybe there's a good use for them, but right now I can't think of one, and I don't really care. ;^)
 
Enabling "Stop at Project End" seems to have some sort of intermittent bug regarding end times during playback in the DAW versus end times in exported audio files being different. Repeating myself again I know, but I can only come to the conclusion that has to be a bug.
 
At any rate, this is most definitely closest to what I was after in the first place, and very easy to do.
 
Thanks a bunch man, I really appreciate it!

Bristol_Jonesey
I never bother to trim my projects prior to exporting.

The method I use to get the desired range exported is simple:

Select All (ctrl + a)
Sweep in the timeline at the top of Track View to encompass the desired range
Export
You can of course use this method in conjunction with pre-inserted markers
Open the Markers View (Alt + Shift + 4) then at step 2 above, click & drag between your start and end markers

 
Yep, that's basically the same thing Seth suggested, and what I'm doing now.
 
I do appreciate your response and suggestion though, thank you!

Bristol_Jonesey
I never bother to trim my projects prior to exporting.
 
The method I use to get the desired range exported is simple:
 

1. Select All (ctrl + a)
2. Sweep in the timeline at the top of Track View to encompass the desired range
3. Export

You can of course use this method in conjunction with pre-inserted markers
Open the Markers View (Alt + Shift + 4) then at step 2 above, click & drag between your start and end markers

That's the way that I have always done it.

I thought that I was the only one who did it this way until DannyD told me he did as well.

Now it turns out you do it as well, Colin.

I prefer it this way, as I will often export parts of a longer project.

Multi dupe post, sorry.

Multi dupe post, sorry.

Multi dupe post, sorry.

Damm phone.

I'm glad I was able to give you something helpful.  I use a Mackie Control Pro which has a selection feature that makes it super easy to quickly and accurately select the time between any markers you want to.  My next favorite selection method is to use the markers view the way Bristol_Jonesey.  Honestly, I could never make sense of the 'from=now, thru=now' business, and I started using the markers for the exact reason you describe - end times weren't always consistent - this was particularly a problem with chopping of effects tails.

Funny you should mention it, I was just playing with the markers view that Bristol_Jonesey pointed out. I just open that window, click on the start marker, then hold down shift and click on the end marker. It's a lot easier than having to select by clicking and dragging in the timeline, and of course it's right-on accurate.
 
Thanks Bristol_Jonesey, really good stuff for a Cakewalk newbie. ;^)