File names to tracks in Logic 9.02?

Here in 9.1.1. when track naming is set to Auto, the track name is taken from the file name +when the track is created by dragging the file onto it,+ either from the Bin or the Finder.
I get no dialog though... because in my Project Settings/Audio *Automatic Management of Channel Strip Objects* is on .
*Automatic Naming of Channel Strip Objects* is off (it still automatically names them nevertheless, LOL)

...
Ah, remembered that I still have 9.0 in my Unused apps folder and tried it there too - exactly the same behaviour...

I get no dialog though

I think you'll get a dialog if you're dragging two or more files. It looks like this:



And if you select Create new tracks, the new tracks will get the names of the files, as you said. That's the default behavior.

On the other hand, I don't know of a way to make an existing track adopt the name of a file being dragged onto that track. What's mysterious is that on p. 336 of the user manual is an illustration of the same dialog I cited, except the dialog in the illustration also includes this option: "Copy audio file names to track names." And the text in the book indicates that this can work with existing tracks. The older version of the dialog can also be seen in this L7 tutorial.

So it looks like this feature got yanked at some point.

45rpm wrote:

I get no dialog though

I think you'll get a dialog if you're dragging two or more files. It looks like this:

And if you select Create new tracks, the new tracks will get the names of the files, as you said. That's the default behavior.

On the other hand, I don't know of a way to make an existing track adopt the name of a file being dragged onto that track.

But that's exactly what it does in my setup?! When I drag a file from the finder to any audio track, the track name/channel strip name is taken from the file name. This is completely independent from the track naming options that can be set in the project settings. The only way to alter this behaviour is by reconfiguring the track header. But from the default Empty template, this is how it works.

What's mysterious is that on p. 336 of the user manual is an illustration of the same dialog I cited, except the dialog in the illustration also includes this option: "Copy audio file names to track names."

The fact that this (Copy audio file names to track names) now happens by default accounts for it not being in the dialog. It could have been changed at the last minute perhaps?

So it looks like this feature got yanked at some point.

So I've got a rare pre-yank-copyaudiofilenamestotracknames edition of Logic 9.1.1 here? Or is there some semantic misunderstanding? From what I understand, your Logic won't do something, and mine won't not do that same something?

One or both of us is or are missing something...

When I drag a file from the finder to any audio track, the track name/channel strip name is taken from the file name.

Oops, sorry, my mistake. I wasn't clear. Yes, what you said also happens here. But only the first time, and only if I haven't renamed the track. So yes, if I create a new audio track, and then drag a file onto the track, the track gets the name of that file. But not if I have renamed the track. And it also only happens the first time. If I drag a second file onto that track, the track hangs onto the name it took from the first file.

I don't remember the way it used to work, with that mysterious checkbox that they removed. But maybe that gave us the ability to keep renaming the track, as we dragged subsequent files onto it.

Also, it probably gave us the ability to leave the track name alone, and not copy it from the file, even when this file is the first file being dragged onto the track.

Or is there some semantic misunderstanding?

Yes. It was just me being a little careless in my thinking and writing.

45rpm wrote:

When I drag a file from the finder to any audio track, the track name/channel strip name is taken from the file name.

Oops, sorry, my mistake. I wasn't clear. Yes, what you said also happens here. But only the first time, and only if I haven't renamed the track. So yes, if I create a new audio track, and then drag a file onto the track, the track gets the name of that file.

Ok, that's cleared up.

But not if I have renamed the track.

Yes, I can see the same thing here.

And it also only happens the first time. If I drag a second file onto that track, the track hangs onto the name it took from the first file.

Now that doesn't happen here. The track only "holds on" to its name when I have manually renamed it. Everytime I drop a different file on a track that has only been automatically renamed, it neatly assumes the name of the file.

I don't remember the way it used to work, with that mysterious checkbox that they removed. But maybe that gave us the ability to keep renaming the track, as we dragged subsequent files onto it.

Also, it probably gave us the ability to leave the track name alone, and not copy it from the file, even when this file is the first file being dragged onto the track.

The naming convention in Logic isn't very transparent, and filled with conditionalities and ifs and buts and too many scattered settings. I still don't get what "automatic naming of channel strip objects" checkbox in the project settings is supposed to do... no, don't tell me, I'll look it up later anyway... 🙂

Or is there some semantic misunderstanding?

Yes. It was just me being a little careless in my thinking and writing.

Get out the whip! 🙂

Everytime I drop a different file on a track that has only been automatically renamed, it neatly assumes the name of the file.

That's interesting, because I don't see that. And I recently replaced my prefs file. I wonder if you've changed a setting that somehow relates to this? And are you in a fresh project?

Or maybe there's some other factor, like the type of file being dragged in, but that doesn't make much sense.

I still don't get what "automatic naming of channel strip objects" checkbox in the project settings is supposed to do

Like you said, the stuff with naming tracks and strips is a mess. I once got into that here.

It should work with plain vanilla default settings. Did you try a fresh preferences file, and a new, empty project? Create one new audio track. From the Finder, drag an audio file onto that track. The track should take on the name of the file.

If this doesn't work, then maybe it's a problem with 9.0.2. I realize you're using that because you're using the G5. But maybe that's what's causing the difference between what you see and what we see.