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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jul 2012
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Hi, I just noticed that BIAB seems to want to change the extension part of the file name when I change a style and press ctrl + S to save the file. Is there a way to keep the file name including the extension of the file name the same. If not it means I have to go back and delete the file. It seems like work that the user really should not have to do so I am thinking they must have programmed a way to make it easier for the user.
Thanks,
John
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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John,
I take your post to mean that your file starts out with an SGU extension and then it gets changed to MGU. Is that correct?
If so, MGU is the normal extension if there is midi data on either the Melody or Soloist tracks. SGU is the standard extension for a song that only has backing chords and nothing on either the Melody or Soloist tracks. This is normal behaviour.
If you want a file to save as SGU, you will need to delete whatever is on the Melody or Soloist track. (Sometimes changing styles will add data to these tracks.)
Hope I've interpreted your post correctly,
Noel
MY SONGS...Audiophile BIAB 2026
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Noel is correct, and what he describes is normal. There are also numbers that you might see used in the file types. If that's what you are asking about, let us know.
BIAB 2025 Win Audiophile. Software: Studio One 7 Pro, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Presonus 192 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Slate VSX, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Hi guys. Thanks for the info. I can't remember exactly what the original extension was and the new extension was. I just tried changing one which was MGU and it kept it. I tried another and it did not change it. I tried changing an MG1 to a waltz and it created an MGH.
So I guess the answer is there is no option to force BIAB to always keep the same file extension name. I guess for some it is not a problem but it is unfortunate for me since this creates a lot of extra work (I won't bore you withe details as to why unless you ask). What I will probably end up doing is almost never change a style because to be honest with you I won't have the time to deal with all these extra files which it will leave kicking around and which are never again used.
Last edited by bowlesj; 03/13/16 03:11 AM.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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From the Help:
Explanation of the Extension that Band-in-a-Box adds for you
- If the song has a melody, the extension will begin with M (otherwise S).
- The second letter of the song name is G.
- The third letter is the style of the song (1-9 and A-N for built in styles and U for a User style).
BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Windows 10 Pro & Windows 11, Cakewalk Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Session Keys Grand S & Electric R, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M, Pioneer Active Monitors.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Maybe some like it because they have the same song with different styles and they can more easily know. At the same time two styles may have the same extension type so I think this idea is very limited.
This is not about BIAB but some may find it interesting. Because I am a programmer I pull the songs up with a database which I can search (file name is in the database). I can do all sorts of things with the database. For example I can loop through the songs in a rotation using last date and time played to make sure I am playing them enough to maintain them. This is useful when I can't get through them all within a day as is the case now. As another example I can score my performance in different areas (melody, rhythm, comps, solos, whatever) and then do a filter to come back to it for specialized practice during an allocated time of day for this specific type of focused practice. If I wanted to find songs by style I could program that into the database too using a drop down to select style or even a search. I am trying to set up jams with BIAB providing potential backing tracks. I might just become an expert at BIAB some day with the need for regular upgrades too :-) I can see this database becoming very useful when others submit their files to me so they can use their FAV backing tracks at the jam. In other words I could have 5 versions of the song for different people all of different styles so I need to find the song based upon person. I could see them wanting to change styles here and there and I would start having a concern as to disk space and what BIAB files to eliminate if I did not do it right away. I may need to try and figure out some programming to help me speed all of this up so I can do it during the jams without causing people long wait times.
Last edited by bowlesj; 03/13/16 07:38 AM.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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I know you probably think you have a good reason for keeping the filename the same. But having that info in the extension tells you a lot about the content of the file. I suggest you think about working with the experience that went into designing that naming system. :-)
Band-in-a-Box PlusPAK Upgrade (2018) on Windows 10
Live instruments: Schecter Solo-6 Custom, Fender Mustang III v2.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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It's been this way as far back as I can remember.
John Laptop-HP Omen I7 Win11Pro 32GB 12TB SSD Desktop-ASUS-I7 Win10Pro 32GB 12TB SATA BB2026/UMC204HD&404HD/Casios/Cakewalk/Reaper/Studio One/Notion/Dorico/Noteworthy/NI/Halion/IK http://www.sus4chord.com (under rehosting/construction)
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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I am dealing with this now for the live jams that use BIAB often. I need to be able to get the new name into my database fast. When I hit control S to save the file after changing a style it does not tell me the new name from what I can see (still shows me the old name as if it wrote it out under that name). So my database next time around calls the same file and I do not pick up the new style that I used the last time. So I guess I have to write some software to figure out what is new on the system and then update my fast access database. It is php software and will have to read all the files with the song name into a table then when I save it the software will have to search for the new name and automatically update my database with the new name.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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I think I have found the solution to these problems. I am converting all my midi styles to real track styles. It turns out that when I do this all the BIAB files end in a U (so far touch wood). So that means that if I switch to a different style (since it will always be a real track style) it will never switch the BIAB file extension on me so I have no problem now.
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