Export region list, edit as text, then reimport? -Sound Forge - PC

Subject:Export region list, edit as text, then reimport? Posted by: iain_m Date:2/16/2012 5:07:40 PM I wonder if any users with experience of exporting and importing region and cutlist files could advise me? I want to save the list of regions in a wave file, open it in Excel to edit the region names, then reimport it into Sound Forge, so that the regions have names. Unfortunately although this appears to be possible, there are several problems and limitations: - Exporting a region list as a Playlist file or Session 8 file means it can't be opened in Excel (or even Notepad). - Exporting a region list as a Windows Media Script file means it can be opened in Excel, but the values in the file are inaccurate, e.g. a region that starts at 00:00:25.48 is recorded in the Windows Media Script file as starting at 00:00:25.6! - Creating a playlist, then copying this to the clipboard, retains accuracy when the list is pasted into Excel. However, when it is reimported into Sound Forge, the playlist is populated, but the region list is empty. So the question is: is there a way to export, then reimport after editing in text format, a region list?
Subject:RE: Export region list, edit as text, then reimport? Reply by: iain_m Date:4/11/2012 3:32:51 PM The two replies above were deleted before I had a chance to read and respond. :-/ Does anyone else have any suggestions?
Subject:RE: Export region list, edit as text, then reimport? Reply by: imnickb Date:5/28/2012 6:39:20 PM This is something I've had to do a lot, and you're right, it sucks! You need a decent text editor like TextPad or something to edit text files. Here's what I did: 1 - Export the region list as a text document (I believe it's called "Windows Media Script File", not Session 8 or Playlist) 2 - From Special/Region List choose "Copy onto Clipboard" 3 - Open the text document you exported in step 1 with the inaccurate values and paste the information you copied to the clipboard into that file somewhere near the bottom. 4 - Using Shift+Alt, drag and highlight the accurate values (just the values, not the names or anything) that you just pasted into the text document. Copy these values to the clipboard using Control-C. 5 - Highlight the inaccurate values (just the values) that you want to replace using Shift+Alt and dragging over them to highlight them. Paste the accurate values in using Control-V. 6 - Delete all the extra garbage you pasted in the bottom of the document earlier. 7 - Save the file. Then you can open it in excel and edit the names of the regions as you'd like. Although exporting the region data to a text file will round off the numbers, importing from a text file will retain the accurate values, which is why this works! This all may be more work than you like but for me, it was worth it. I did this with markers, but it should work the same for regions. I had hundreds of audio files with thousands of markers I needed to edit. This was the only way I could get it done. Some important thing to notice when doing this: -Make sure the Sound Forge timeline is set to the units that you want to appear in the text document. If you have the timeline set to samples or something, the output in the text document will be different to reflect what units you were using in the timeline. -When using the "Copy onto Clipboard" function in Sound Forge and exporting the region data as a text document, the order will not always be the same. I believe "Copy onto Clipboard" sorts the regions in their time line order; exporting them to a text document sorts them in the order they were created. I'm not exactly sure, it could be the other way around, but I do know that they're definitely different orders. Depending on the order you originally created the regions, this can make things extremely difficult. If you have problems, it may be easier to go back and recreate the regions in the order that they appear in the timeline. This is all from memory, so some of this could be a little off but I'm pretty sure it's all correct. I think Sound Forge really needs an overhaul on the marker/region system. I see no reason that they can't export a text document with accurate values of regions and markers.
Subject:RE: Export region list, edit as text, then reimport? Reply by: iain_m Date:5/29/2012 5:49:45 AM Thanks for the detailed comments and advice! :-) I have an upcoming project in which I'll test the steps you describe. Thanks again.

This is something I've had to do a lot, and you're right, it sucks! You need a decent text editor like TextPad or something to edit text files.

Here's what I did:

1 - Export the region list as a text document (I believe it's called "Windows Media Script File", not Session 8 or Playlist)
2 - From Special/Region List choose "Copy onto Clipboard"
3 - Open the text document you exported in step 1 with the inaccurate values and paste the information you copied to the clipboard into that file somewhere near the bottom.
4 - Using Shift+Alt, drag and highlight the accurate values (just the values, not the names or anything) that you just pasted into the text document. Copy these values to the clipboard using Control-C.
5 - Highlight the inaccurate values (just the values) that you want to replace using Shift+Alt and dragging over them to highlight them. Paste the accurate values in using Control-V.
6 - Delete all the extra garbage you pasted in the bottom of the document earlier.
7 - Save the file.

Then you can open it in excel and edit the names of the regions as you'd like. Although exporting the region data to a text file will round off the numbers, importing from a text file will retain the accurate values, which is why this works!

This all may be more work than you like but for me, it was worth it. I did this with markers, but it should work the same for regions. I had hundreds of audio files with thousands of markers I needed to edit. This was the only way I could get it done.

Some important thing to notice when doing this:

-Make sure the Sound Forge timeline is set to the units that you want to appear in the text document. If you have the timeline set to samples or something, the output in the text document will be different to reflect what units you were using in the timeline.

-When using the "Copy onto Clipboard" function in Sound Forge and exporting the region data as a text document, the order will not always be the same. I believe "Copy onto Clipboard" sorts the regions in their time line order; exporting them to a text document sorts them in the order they were created. I'm not exactly sure, it could be the other way around, but I do know that they're definitely different orders. Depending on the order you originally created the regions, this can make things extremely difficult. If you have problems, it may be easier to go back and recreate the regions in the order that they appear in the timeline.

This is all from memory, so some of this could be a little off but I'm pretty sure it's all correct. I think Sound Forge really needs an overhaul on the marker/region system. I see no reason that they can't export a text document with accurate values of regions and markers.