DigiDesign Pro Tools, Reference Manual

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Pro Tools Reference Guide 84
It is not possible to combine different bit depths
within a single Pro Tools session; files of differ-
ent bit depths must be converted and imported
into the session.
Session Files and Folders
When you create a new session, Pro Tools auto-
matically creates a new folder named for your
session. Within this folder is the session file, a
WaveCache.wfm file, and several subfolders (in-
cluding (but not limited to) an Audio Files
folder, a Fade Files folder, and a Region Group
folder).
Session File
The session file is the document that Pro Tools
creates when you start a new project. Pro Tools
can open only one session file at a time. The ses-
sion file is appended with the extension .ptf
(Pro Tools file).
Audio Files Folder
The Audio Files folder contains all audio re-
corded or converted during the session.
When you record a new audio track, the track is
saved as a new audio file to the Audio Files
folder. You can also import other audio files into
the session, and work with them as well.
Fade Files Folder
The Fade Files folder contains any crossfaded au-
dio data generated by the session.
Region Groups Folder
The Region Groups folder is the default direc-
tory for any region groups that you export from
your Pro Tools session.
WaveCache File
The WaveCache.wfm file stores all of the wave-
form display data for the session. If you delete
the WaveCache.wfm file, Pro Tools creates a
new one the next time you open the session.
By storing waveform data in the WaveCache
file, sessions open more quickly. The session
WaveCache file can be included whenever a ses-
sion is transferred to another Pro Tools 7.x sys-
tem.
Pro Tools also maintains a distinct WaveCache
file inside the local Digidesign Databases folder
(C:\\Digidesign Databases), which retains
waveform data for all files used on the system.
Additional WaveCache files are created on each
hard drive attached to your system, and stored
in the Digidesign Databases folder on each
drive.
Deleting or trashing a WaveCache file does not
harm the session or your system. However, each
session takes longer to open because it has to re-
calculate waveform data for any associated au-
dio files and store that data in a new WaveCache
file.
Typical session folder contents
For details on allocating audio tracks to dif-
ferent hard drive locations, including
shared media volumes, see “Disk Alloca-
tion” on page 265.