Emptying the Cakewalk Picture Cache

DFreqTIP - Automatically Empty the Cakewalk Picture Cache



Copyright 2003 by Scott R. Garrigus. Reprinted with permission.



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The Cakewalk Picture Cache is a special folder on your hard drive

that is created when you install any of the Cakewalk sequencing

applications, such as Sonar. After working with your Cakewalk

software for a while, you'll find the Picture Cache folder filled

with lots of different files all having the same .WOV extension.



These .WOV files have nothing to do with any of your project data,

so if you delete them by accident there's no need to worry. The

files simply contain 'pictures' of the waveforms from any and all

the audio data contained in your Cakewalk projects. Keeping these

'pictures' on file allows your Cakewalk software to quickly 'draw'

your audio waveforms on the screen, which would otherwise take much

longer.



I've heard from many people wondering why this folder is never emptied.

The good people at Cakewalk tell me that the oldest files are

automatically deleted (once the Picture Cache limit is met - the

default is 20MB) to make room for any new files that are needed. This

limit is set via the PicCacheMB variable in the Aud section of the

AUD.INI file. You can change this limit if you'd like. And there's

really no reason to delete the files yourself. But if you like to keep

your hard drive clean, or need to free up some extra space, you can do

the following...



[Please note: I'm using Windows XP, but the procedure should also

work in other versions. There may be some slight differences that

you'll need to figure out on your own.]



1. Open Windows Notepad.

2. Type the following text exactly as shown:

DEL /Q "C:CAKEWALK PROJECTSPICTURE CACHE*.WOV"



[NOTE: If your Picture Cache folder is located in a different

location on your hard drive, be sure to type the correct path in

place of the one shown above. - ALL .WOV FILES IN THIS DIRECTORY

WILL BE DELETED PERMANENTY.]



3. Choose File > Save As. For the File Name type: DELWOV.BAT

Also make note of the location in which the file is saved. Then

close Windows Notepad.

4. Open the Windows Task Scheduler, usually by choosing Start > All

Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Scheduled Tasks.

5. Double-click on Add Scheduled Task, and click Next.

6. Click Browse, and find the DELWOV.BAT file you created earlier.

Select the file and click Open.

7. Choose how often you would like the task performed. Click Next.

8. Choose the month, day, and time when the task should be

performed. Click Next.

9. Type in a username and password for your current Windows XP

account. Click Next.

10. Click Finish.



Now as long as you have the Task Scheduler running in the

background, it will perform this task for you on the designated

month/day/time you chose. If you don't have the Task Scheduler

running automatically when you start your PC, just place a shortcut

to it in the Startup folder under the Start menu.



--

Scott R. Garrigus - Author of Cakewalk, Sound Forge and Sound Forge 6, SONAR and SONAR 2 Power! books; Publisher of DigiFreq. Win a free copy of WaveArts' Power Couple Effects Bundle and learn more cool music technology tips and techniques by getting a FREE subscription to DigiFreq... go to:

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