MPC X, MPC Live, MPC One & MPC Key 61 Forum: Support and discussion for the MPC X, MPC Live, MPC Live II, MPC One & MPC Key 61; Akai's current generation of standalone MPCs.
By D. M. Mon Nov 21, 2022 3:36 pm
Hello. How do I removed unused/unwanted programs from a project? Purging only removed unused samples (actually, lots of unused samples still stay after purging, thought the programs they belong to are not being used in any tracks…)

The load on the system memory is immense if each program loads into memory just by previewing it, and then stays eternally. Thanks in advance.
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By DeaDeus Wed Nov 23, 2022 5:42 pm
D. M. wrote:Hello. How do I removed unused/unwanted programs from a project? Purging only removed unused samples (actually, lots of unused samples still stay after purging, thought the programs they belong to are not being used in any tracks…)

The load on the system memory is immense if each program loads into memory just by previewing it, and then stays eternally. Thanks in advance.


Well, as long as you did not save the data beforehand is the way as the Tutor explained right.
If you've saved it already, you need to go through a few steps:
Menu > Browser > Places > identify or search for Project name > Click the little cog-wheel icon top right and make sure the option "Hide Project Data Folders" is disabled > Now you see the folder ending [ProjectData] Open the folder > you see WAV files
- you can play each of them before deleting
- the other files, I am not sure whether you should touch them, as it might end in Projects not opening!

But this way you can remove the rather disk filling WAV files if not needed. (e.g. live recordings can be really big = vocals)
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By DeaDeus Wed Nov 23, 2022 5:51 pm
D. M. wrote:Hello. How do I removed unused/unwanted programs from a project? Purging only removed unused samples (actually, lots of unused samples still stay after purging, thought the programs they belong to are not being used in any tracks…)

The load on the system memory is immense if each program loads into memory just by previewing it, and then stays eternally. Thanks in advance.


Oh - yes: Deleting Projects without deleting the appropriate [ProjectData] folder will leave you with "tons" of dead files.....or was there a change in software - at least a couple of years ago it was that way.
By jamos Thu Dec 01, 2022 6:22 pm
The business about "dead" files could be considered a safety feature - even if you delete a sample from memory, you can still get it back, In this day of yotabyte-class SSDs, that's not necessarily a bad thing.
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By DeaDeus Fri Dec 02, 2022 3:47 pm
jaymack wrote:I'm pretty sure they changed it so that the files are in fact now deleted from the project folder when you purge.

If so - I did not check but keep your words in mind - they've done good.
By Rocky Sat Dec 17, 2022 5:33 am
DeaDeus wrote:
jaymack wrote:I'm pretty sure they changed it so that the files are in fact now deleted from the project folder when you purge.

If so - I did not check but keep your words in mind - they've done good.


I just came here to check this.. and this is my first post... Hi everyone!!

I had a project with a dozen or so programs saved in it, and I just deleted most of the programs, and did a purge unused samples. This successfully removed the programs and the orphaned samples from memory.

However, all the programs I'd removed and their associated samples are still in the project folder..

So, no - unfortunately this issue has not been fixed yet.

I had a quick look at the XML of the project file, and it lists the files it thinks are associated with the project. That list is correct and reflects only the program and sample files that still exist in the project.

Akai would need to build a housekeeping routine to run upon Project Save, to scan the project folder and remove any files that are not in its project file list. A stupidly simple process for their developers to write into the software in my experience.

I'll use Save-as to get around this issue for now.
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By MPC-Tutor Sat Dec 17, 2022 10:37 am
Rocky wrote:
So, no - unfortunately this issue has not been fixed yet.


I don't think this is considered to be an issue so it's unlikely to be fixed, MPCs have always worked like this; the project folder is like an archive of all files ever saved in that project over time. If you need your project folder to only ever contain the actual 'active' contents of a project, the 'save as' method is the one to go for.
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By DeaDeus Sat Dec 17, 2022 2:24 pm
"Akai would need to build a housekeeping routine" - absolute correct!

Sorry Tutor to be offensive, but this is like driving a steam engine and tell people "we've done it always this way...." .
AKAI must considerate the 21st century as much as other companies - or they will lose.
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By HanHuman Sat Dec 17, 2022 2:57 pm
Yea managing programs, deleting stuff and the overall file management system is very very archaic. It's not forbidden for AKAI to improve it. Maybe not as sexy as a new plugin or functionality in terms of marketing, but I bet at this point this is what people want to see the most. We read people legitimately complaining about it all the time, it may be time to address the issue for AKAI.
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By MPC-Tutor Sat Dec 17, 2022 4:32 pm
DeaDeus wrote:"Akai would need to build a housekeeping routine" - absolute correct!

Sorry Tutor to be offensive, but this is like driving a steam engine and tell people "we've done it always this way...." .
AKAI must considerate the 21st century as much as other companies - or they will lose.


That is not what I was saying. I was pointing out that this is not necessarily seen as an issue in the first place. Keeping a copy of every sample means you have an 'archive' of all the samples used and created within the project over time, which is a good thing IMO. That is likely why the MPC has retained that way of working. In the same way that it has retained relative file paths (using copies of a master sample) as opposed to absolute file paths (which just point to a master file in your sound library).

Some things are just the way they are, not everything needs 'fixing'. I don't for one minute disagree that the file management system of the MPC could do with vast improvements (e.g. proper tagging, copy/paste/move/rename etc), but this particular aspect doesn't seem that big a deal, especially when there is an easy workaround should you need to clean up the project folder. This is not about being stuck in the 19th century and pining for horse and carts. It's just about accepting that sometimes the MPC is the MPC, it can't be everything, some things are just unique and part of the charm of working in a standalone groovebox.
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By DeaDeus Sat Dec 17, 2022 5:02 pm
..fair enough...I got your point.