Certainly Clean Audio Folder needs an overhaul. People have been complaining about it for years.

But CWAF? I'd never heard of this feature before until now. I'm not even sure that I would need it.

I do a back up. I delete some of the old project files. I run the cleaner. Since I have a backup I just delete the items shown. I start on of the projects and find clips missing.
 
Mostly now I just save as to a new name and new folder. Then archive the old folder.
 
But it would be nice to have something that could clean all the backups as well of deleted, replaced audio files.

Kev999
But CWAF? I'd never heard of this feature before until now. I'm not even sure that I would need it.

It's in the Utilities menu. It'll search your whole Projects path, including all per-project audio folders plus the Global audio folder, categorize audio files as Referenced, Orphaned or Missing, and let you see which projects reference which audio files and vice versa. Much more powerful and flexible than Clean Audio Folder. See the usage "cheat sheet" I posted here:
 
http://forum.cakewalk.com/FindPost/3023681
 
 

brundlefly

Kev999
But CWAF? I'd never heard of this feature before until now. I'm not even sure that I would need it.

 
...See the usage "cheat sheet" I posted here:
 
http://forum.cakewalk.com/FindPost/3023681

 
I posted in that thread too. I must have been confused.

yes please. It's just me but I'm slightly OCD when it comes to cleaning the sessions for archiving, etc.
Not being able to have an audio pool window bothers me more than it should :)

Um... I am using the "Clean Audio Folder" for the first time ever and after waiting for it to finish I played the first file and got a surprise... the audio is coming though Windows (Realtek) and not my Saffire.
 
I leave my Realtek online for Windows use only and the Saffire is primarily reserved for SONAR unless I manually change it (2 speaker systems), but this threw me for a loop. SONAR is open, but no project is loaded into it (so the Saffire does not say "Locked" yet).
 
Edit: The CWAF tool has a checkbox on it for "Use direct sound" and "Primary sound driver" I guess this utility is getting long in the tooth.
 
Edit2: To add insult to injury here, I first used the CAF tool, which found 29 files in the global audio folder (carried forward from way back when) which I deleted. When running the CWAF tool, these same files (among others) were reported as "missing," so the tools apparently do not jive with each other either.

+1 for saving to a new project with "save audio with project" checked. I just create a new project folder and save a new version to it. All the audio referenced in the project is copied to the new audio folder, and you can just go ahead and delete the old folder. Works perfectly, although I see no reason why Clean Audio Folder couldn't be revamped. Seems like the kind of thing they could fix very easily...

I agree... I don't need cakewalk to protect me from poor file management. If I'm going to do some cleaning I have to leave a large window of time aside to wait for Sonar to search EVERY file for EVERY query. It ridiculous really... I know where my Project files are and I know where my audio files are. That's the benefit of per project folder management.

Agree.     Audio file creep is a big problem, but that tool is a bigger problem.    It's an awful piece of software.    

sharke
+1 for saving to a new project with "save audio with project" checked. I just create a new project folder and save a new version to it. All the audio referenced in the project is copied to the new audio folder, and you can just go ahead and delete the old folder. Works perfectly, although I see no reason why Clean Audio Folder couldn't be revamped. Seems like the kind of thing they could fix very easily...

That's definitely the best way to do it, I just wish there was a way to batch run that with ALL the projects! Because CWAF has got some probz I'll agree. And over time with hundreds of projects the orphaned audio adds up.