ovw files

Question

ovw files

Whenever Logic draws a graphical waveform (i.e Audio WIndow or Project Manager) it automatically creates an ovw file that contains the waveform data of that specific audio file. This clutters the folder where the audio file(s) is stored with all those ovw files.

Logic doesn’t seem to draw the waveform much faster, regardless if it reads it from the ovw file or creating it new. In the Project Manager, it always redraws the waveform (when you click on the triangle of an audio file), if the ovw file is there or not.

Anybody else is annoyed by that or has different observations?
If Logic needs those files, maybe we could send some Feedback to Apple to ask them to make the files at least invisible. It doesn't seem that there is any advantage for the user to know about the existence of those files.

G5 Dual 2.5G - 4.5GB RAM, Mac OS X (10.4.7), Logic 7.2.1

Posted on Jul 28, 2006 12:56 PM

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Answer 1

iSchwartz

Level 5

4,321 points

Jul 28, 2006 3:10 PM in response to EdgarRothermich

Edgar,

I can't recall ever having see an .owv file visible on my system. I just did a search across all of my HD's for "ovw" and came up with zilch, and I've got tons of projects on my system. Wondering if you somehow have some sort of system config that allows (normally) hidden files to be seen.

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Answer 2

Jul 28, 2006 3:39 PM in response to iSchwartz

My system has three .ovw files, and there's nothing special about how it's set up.

One thing I notice is that the few .ovw files I have seem to all be on songs where I've dropped a .m4a file from iTunes directly into the Arrange window.

I have no .ovw files for any of the .aif files on my hard drive.

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Answer 3

iSchwartz

Level 5

4,321 points

Jul 28, 2006 3:45 PM in response to tele_player

So we're basically reporting the same thing then... that there is not a preponderance of .ovw files visible in our audio folders.

Also, if I read Edgar's post correctly, I'll say that I rarely experience a situation where Logic re-renders the display of audio files after they've been recorded and a session re-opened.

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Answer 4

Jul 28, 2006 4:23 PM in response to iSchwartz

Right, I don't see it. So, I enabled 'faster overview generation', and that didn't make it happen, either.

As for his suggestion of hidden overview files - I don't like hidden files, I'd prefer (if it was really producing many of these normally) if they created a folder for overviews.

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Answer 5

Jul 28, 2006 5:05 PM in response to iSchwartz

Really interesting:

I ran some quick tests and here is what I found so far.

If my project file is saved on the local machine: no .ovw files
But if my project file is saved on a network volume: there are the .ovw files.

I run pretty much everything over the network: Logic files (projct folders), EXS Library, Plug-in data, Loops. I keep only the files that Logic needs locally (Plug-in settings, Channel Strip settings) on Logic machines. Everything else is sitting on an Xserve RAID connected through Fiber to an OSX Server that I access through Gigabit Ethernet. It seems that Logic creates those overview fies (.ovw) only when it accesse that audio file on a serve and not remotely.

If someone can verify the network procedure:
1) Have the project folder saved an a network volume
2) Bounce an audio file "TestBounce.aif" to that Project folder (with Project Manager running!)
3) In the Project Manager, navigate to the "TestBounce.aif" file and open the waveform overview by clicking on the disclosure triangle
4) When you have the Finder window open where the "BounceTest.aif" file is stored, you should see at that moment a new file "BounceTest.ovw"
5) Even if you delete the ove file, every-time you click on the Project Manager, the file will be recreated.

I guess that whole .ovw file thing is a network issue.
I rely heavily on network-ability in my Studio setup and found that Logic has quite some issues when it comes to network communications. I mentioned in a different post, that Logic gives me an error message when I try to use a crossfade between two audio files that are on a network volume. This problem occurs only with the afp protocol. If I mount the network volume using the smb protocol then it works. It also works when the file is sitting on my iDisk across the internet (I know playing Logic off your .Mac account is a little bit of a stretch, but I had to try it)

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