How to limit the Save as... file types?

gary-o wrote on 4/24/2021, 1:14 AM

I save my files in only two formats: WAV or MP3.

I'd like to make the default save as WAV (same as original file).

But I'd also like to be able to select an already-customized MP3 format, but NOT for it to become the new default when I save a new file later.

I don't want to see the whole list of save types because it's quite hard to find WAV or MP3 in the long list of types available. I'd just like to limit them to the two types: WAV or MP3.

Is there some way of doing this?

 

One workaround seems to be to never change the save-as... format, but only to export the file as an MP3 instead. But I can't get this to work. I have to select only the file I want to save (and unselect all the other open files). I've created an MP3 preset. But the active parts of the dialog aren't visible, so I don't know if I'm clicking on the right parts. When I click on the Export button, nothing happens. Does it have to "light up" or something when all the selections have been made? It's hard to know if it's grayed out or not.

The dialog also always seems to be truncated - you have to move it into view and resize it in order to see the Export button at the bottom. Sometimes I click on Export button and nothing happens at all. Other times, the dialog box just closes (and nothing is exported). Normally, I would expect something to appear on the status bar at the bottom - and to see a file created somewhere!

Something that needs to be fixed/redesigned in the next release, methinks! :o

Comments

rraud wrote on 4/24/2021, 10:37 AM

In the 'Save as' dialog window, you can create a 'default' template and multiple custom templates, which are quick and easy to select.

gary-o wrote on 4/24/2021, 1:03 PM

Thanks again, but I already created a few custom templates, but you can't change the default one.

I still have about 30 save-as types, each with a dozen templates. How do I get rid of the ones I don't want to see?

rraud wrote on 4/24/2021, 1:49 PM

You can go into the Program files > SOUND FORGE> Sound Forge # "FileIO Plug-Ins" folder and move the codec <.dll> files (or folders) you do not want to a non-system file location. However, I would advise against it and doing so would be at your own risk. I cannot guarantee SF will open files and work properly afterwards.

gary-o wrote on 4/24/2021, 7:53 PM

I tried that, but when I re-started SF, the full list of codecs was still there, even though I removed all but WAV and MP3 from FileIO Plug-ins.

Update. All the subfolders in this folder are also empty. :o

Update. Oh I see that # means the version number. There's another FileIO Plug-ins folder in Sound Forge Pro 15.0. Moving out the unwanted folders did the trick.

Question now is, can I still import and edit media files with these codecs? (I'll try to do a little test to see if I can find out for myself.)

rraud wrote on 4/25/2021, 10:46 AM

Each SF version # has it's own 'FileIO Plug-ins' directory folder. If you also have the 32 bit version # installed you may also have to remove the same codec folders from the 32 bit version #'s FileIO Plug-ins' as well, but I am not sure about that, and cannot currently test it (iPhone). Otherwise, I did test a 64bit only version and it removed the items from the format menu.

can I still import and edit media files with these codecs?

No.. and I do not think you be able to even see the (removed format) files in SF's explorer.