Mac Drive 6

NICK LOWE · Postby **NICK LOWE** » Fri Mar 31, 2006 18:30

Are there issues with Mac Drive 6 and Pyramix? I think we should be told A.S.A.P

lgabiot · Postby **lgabiot** » Fri Mar 31, 2006 21:05

Hello,

I have Macdrive 6 installed since a long time, and it never caused a trouble. It is also more powerful than macdrive 5.

It's a good improvement.

best,

Laurent.

Andy · Postby **Andy** » Fri Mar 31, 2006 22:15

I've been importing lots of ProTools sessions these last few weeks and have discovered much to my dissmay that Macdrive 6 doesn't like the way some sd2 files were named. Trying the same import using Macdrive vers 5.0.8 and had no problems importing these files. So the upgrade for me is one step forward and two back.

NICK LOWE · Postby **NICK LOWE** » Sat Apr 01, 2006 11:22

What about exporting a project as a PT5 session directly to a Mac formatted drive? When I did this, all the SD2 files ended-up with a rather odd .sd2 suffix and when I tried to reimport the PT 5 session, it couldn't find any of the audio files. Not a very useful feature.

maikol · Postby **maikol** » Sun Apr 02, 2006 03:23

I've had something similar while trying to import an openTL session created on a TAscam MX2424 with a HFS drive.
The files already had a .sd2 extension, and pyramix was asking me to point some audio files that did not have an extension.

Thus, the files i was pointing were not recognized...

I found that if you right click on the mac formatted disc with macdrive active, you'll see something like a "display" option where you can choose between 3 types. Choose "transfer/archiving" (or something like that), and you should see all the .sd2 disappear.

This solved the problem i was having with these openTL sessions (which seemed to refer to mac formatted sd2, without extension), so it might work for your PT5 sessions too?

Hope this helps
Maikol

NICK LOWE · Postby **NICK LOWE** » Sun Apr 02, 2006 16:16

Maikol you're dead right! R click on Mac formatted drive, Mac Drive, Show file names for, SELECT 'Back up/File Transfer'. The dopey .SD2 file extensions disappear from the Media and HEY PRESTO! Pyramix can actually now open the PT 5 session. Remarkable! Shame we're the ones who have to figure all this out whilst we're on paying gigs. I guess the next step is to see whether a 'real' Protools can open the same session. If not I think I might go and book into a suitable clinic, preferably in the Swiss Alps.

maikol · Postby **maikol** » Mon Apr 03, 2006 00:26

Happy that it solved your problem!

Actually i haven't looked in the faq/troubleshooting part of the forum, but this might already be there?

If not, it might be nice to add that tip...

i was fortunate enough to have that problem while i was alone, so i could take the time to try everything i could, but i wouldn't have liked to face that on session with people around me!

cheers!

NICK LOWE · Postby **NICK LOWE** » Mon Apr 10, 2006 19:16

Hmm..it does appear to work, but I'm deeply suspicious. Wakey, wakey! Earth calling Merging! What are your words of advice as to how those of us forced to work in Pro Tools land should proceed?

NICK LOWE · Postby **NICK LOWE** » Sat May 27, 2006 21:01

Please would someone from Merging who actually reads posts on this forum give an official, factory recommendation as to what the current wisdom is on this subject. I've got a sneaking suspicion that Macdrive 6 may have something to do with the current lamentable position regarding file interchange.

Postby **Ricardo Ryan** » Wed May 31, 2006 16:37

Hi All,

We are aware that there are differences in the way MacDrive 6 handles certain characters in filenames which are illegal on a PC. Some of these changes are essential (e.g trailing spaces) and earlier versions of MacDrive would not always work correctly. The PT module does include some changes to match the changes to the character maps used by MacDrive 6.

We will investigate your issues. At first, if there are filenames that are causing problems, it would be useful to get a copy of the original Mac filenames (e.g zip up the SD2 file on a Mac and send them to support[at]merging.com).

Thanks,
Ricardo

Merging Technologies

NICK LOWE · Postby **NICK LOWE** » Wed May 31, 2006 17:49

Dear Ricardo,
I'm pretty sure that Mac Drive 6 is not responsible for my current difficulties as I subsequently tested the exports on the drive from which the original material came - this had been Mac formatted on a Pro Tools. I am not using PT5 as my interchange on this project as the chosen file format is BWAV which PT5 does not support. Careful examination of the files resident on my Mac Drive 6 formatted SCSE drive and the originals on the Pro Tools formatted drive revealed no alterations of the file / media names. What I will try and do is to send you is a copy of a PT 5 export I made where Mac Drive added an extra .SD2 suffix to the media files thus making them 'unfindable' to anyone trying to open the session. The workaround for this appears to be to tell Mac Drive to 'show file names for Backup/File Transfer', whatever this means.