Opening DP4.5 files in DP8

[larrysharp11]

Please excuse the elementary question; I searched motu.com knowledge base and this forum but didn't find the answer.

I have a lot of files from DP 4.5 on an old G4 that I'd like to transfer to DP8 - in particular I'm planning to upgrade to DP8 and I assume it's a simple matter of opening the old file and saving in DP8 format, but want to make sure before I plunk down my money.

Is it just that simple (once I get the files from the old machine onto the new one - a rMBP on 10.9.5 if it matters)? Or is there some voodoo involved?

Thanks,
Larry

[mikehalloran]

Do not just copy your files from the G4 to your newer machine or they will not open properly due to header and permission issues. By files I mean project folders.

There are four ways. Pick the one that is most convenient.

Zip (archive) your files on the old machine. You can do it by project folder or create one archive for all of them. Once zipped, you can move them by Ethernet, Dropbox or sneakernet.

You can email the files. This zips the project folders and unzips when you download the attachments.

You can use Migration Assistant to "pull" the files from one machine to the other.

If you were on OS 10.5 on the G4 and used Time Machine, you can go into Time Machine and restore the files to your new Mac.

Done by any of these methods, your files should open fine on your new Mac in DP 8. It's probable that some plugins will no longer be available but there are workarounds and substitutions. Some MOTU plugs have changed so, when you encounter the message window that something you used in 4.5 is no longer available, search these boards first--it's pretty certain someone's seen it before and, if not, ask.

[larrysharp11]

Do not just copy your files from the G4 to your newer machine or they will not open properly due to header and permission issues. By files I mean project folders.

There are four ways. Pick the one that is most convenient...

Done by any of these methods, your files should open fine on your new Mac in DP 8. It's probable that some plugins will no longer be available but there are workarounds and substitutions. Some MOTU plugs have changed so, when you encounter the message window that something you used in 4.5 is no longer available, search these boards first--it's pretty certain someone's seen it before and, if not, ask.

Thanks Mike! I hadn't even thought of old plugins. I don't necessarily want to work on those projects again; they were all "mastered" (in DP using Ozone) and bounced to disk and the main thing I want is the final bounced audio files. Being able to remix/futz with them again would just be a bonus.

ld

[Phil O]

Mike, I have a project coming up where I have to pull some old files I saved to DVD done in V4.something (I think). Do you think I'll run into problems with those? I haven't even located the files yet - I'm just thinking ahead. My old G4 is long gone.

Phil

[ghobish]

If the files get improperly copied you may have to use utilities like Type and Creator Changer to restore file attributes and Sound Hack (which miraculously still runs under Mavericks) to restore SD2 headers to the audio files.

I recently had a client send me a bunch of things recorded in DP3 and his idiot engineer gave hime the sessions on a DOS-formatted flash drive, stripped everything! Was able to recover using the above method.

[mikehalloran]

If the files get improperly copied you may have to use utilities like Type and Creator Changer to restore file attributes and Sound Hack (which miraculously still runs under Mavericks) to restore SD2 headers to the audio files.

To add to Gary's post, first thing is to put them all in one folder. Do Get Info. Add yourself as an administrator (you probably won't be there) and assign all users in the list Read and Write privileges. Then check the drop-down menu and click on Apply to enclosed items

Run Repair Permissions from Disk Utility just in case.

I hadn't even thought of old plugins. I don't necessarily want to work on those projects again; they were all "mastered" (in DP using Ozone) and bounced to disk and the main thing I want is the final bounced audio files. Being able to remix/futz with them again would just be a bonus.

Since you have mastered these already, it shouldn't be an issue unless you reopen the original project files.

Ozone might still work if you boot DP 8 in 32bit and you are able to reauthorize your old version. You will have to re-run the installer if it still works so that the plugs can find your license. Izotope or Sweetwater will be happy to let you upgrade to Ozone 5–the price is the same no matter the old version.

My Ozone3 and 4 presets were still good in DP8 32bit but nowhere to be found in 64bit. There's probably a workaround but I just redo such files in 5 Advanced.

With Mavericks, you will have to change the security settings to allow the installation of old software.

[wvandyck]

DP 4.5 projects that I archived to CD, then DVD, and finally to a hard drive open in DP 8 without issues other than outdated plug-ins.

But follow the recommendations given above to be on the safe side.

[mikehalloran]

If they opened fine and you can work with them that's great. A quick search will reveal that many weren't so lucky.

The advice about zipping must be followed if you move these again–say you are sharing these through Dropbox etc. Archive the entire project folder. This happens automatically if you email the file.

Believe it or not, when I went through those issues, my old files done on other Macs opened in DP 5-7.01 without problems. Some of them opened in DP 8 just fine but not very many.

None of them opened properly in DP 7.24 and after fixing a few by hand, I moved them all to my G4, assigned privileges in Get Info, zipped them and moved them back to my iMac where they now behaved.

I prefer to keep DP 7.24 as my default 32bit and DP 8 as 64bit only.

[Phil O]

Well in my case, I just finished retrieving the files I need. Get Info reveals they were created in DP 4.61. They all open fine in DP 8.07. Guess I got lucky.

Phil

[Shooshie]

I have always kept my projects on Mac-formatted drives for this reason, to avoid losing the resources. Since the early days, it made sense to use MOTU devices with MOTU software when possible, and to stay with Apple recommendations when possible. It has paid off in things like file preservation, bug prevention, longer-lasting equipment (doesn't go obsolete so quickly).

Shoosh

[ramadev]

I had a project in DP 4.61 that wasn't opening in DP 7, so I opened it in DP 5.13, saved that, then successfully opened the 5.13 version in 7.

I imagine the DP 7 version would open in DP 8.

[mikehalloran]

I had a project in DP 4.61 that wasn't opening in DP 7, so I opened it in DP 5.13, saved that, then successfully opened the 5.13 version in 7.

I imagine the DP 7 version would open in DP 8.

There may be plugin issues but generally, yes.

When I had problems, all my old files opened in 7.01. All crashed 7.24. It was while seeing "Access Denied" on process after process in 7.12 (it didn't crash and I was able to view the process monitor) that I figured out one of my big issues must have been permissions. This turned out to be correct. It was weird that the same files behaved differently in all three versions of 7 but I was glad that all three ran without conflict on my iMac so I could see it.

Most had started life on my G3 and had been copied over to my G5 manually. I used Migration Assistant to pull them from my G5. I had no troubles at all in DP 5.13 on my iMac.

Those files that began life on my G5 or iMac gave me no grief except for plugs that were incompatible in OS 10.6 and later.