Media Manager settings

Click the gear button in the Media Manager toolbar to choose how folders are scanned, what conversion produces, which backups are kept and which Finder tags are used.

Media Manager settings are separate from the rest of StudioTools: changing them never restarts your studio automation.

Scanning

Include subfolders

Also list files in folders inside the chosen folder. Also available in the toolbar.

Analyze dual mono automatically (on)

Check stereo files for dual mono right after scanning. This reads all audio of dual-mono files; turn it off for very large folders or slow disks, and use Actions › Analyze Dual Mono when you need it.

Display

Duration format (HH:MM:SS.mmm)

How the Duration column is shown: Seconds, Milliseconds or HH:MM:SS.mmm. The export has its own setting.

Dual mono conversion

Converted file (Replaces the original)

Replaces the original — the mono file takes the original's name and place.
Is saved as a new file — the original stays and a mono copy is written next to it.

File name suffix (_mono)

For new files: Kick.wav → Kick_mono.wav. Files whose output already exists are skipped.

Keep the original (As .bak next to the file)

When replacing, what happens to the stereo original:

• As .bak next to the file — Kick.wav.bak (.bak-2, … if one exists).
• In a subfolder — moved into a folder next to each file, Originals by default (Subfolder name). That folder is skipped when scanning.
• In the Trash.
• Don't keep it — no backup; can't be undone.

Add a line to the Broadcast Wave coding history (on)

For files with Broadcast Wave metadata, records the conversion in the coding history, e.g. A=PCM,F=48000,W=24,M=mono,T=StudioTools Media Manager.

Metadata editing

Keep the original (Don't keep it — recommended)

Whether to keep a copy of the file from before a metadata save. Metadata is always written to a copy that replaces the file only when it is complete, so a backup isn't needed to protect the audio. The same choices as for conversion are available; In a subfolder uses the folder name set under Dual mono conversion.

Finder tags

Tag files when converting (on)

Tag originals and mono files during conversion.

Dual-mono originals (Red)

Name and color of the tag for dual-mono files. Actions › Tag Dual-Mono Files always uses this tag, even when tagging during conversion is off.

Converted files (Green)

Name and color of the tag for mono files written by the conversion.

Use your own tag names — e.g. “Dual Mono” and “Converted” — to find them easily with Finder search or in sidebar tag lists. Tags are never written while scanning.