Manage Macros

Edit Chains allows you to edit, remove or rename existing Chains or add a new Chain.
Chains may be applied to either the current project, or to a selection of files, using the Apply Chain command.

Accessed by: File > Edit Chains...

For help with what the Chain effects do and how to set their parameters, see Effect Menu

Chains

Chains contains a list of already defined chains. You can define the name of a new chain and select which chain is active.

• Add: Add a new chain to the list.
• Remove: Remove the selected chain from the list.
• Rename: Rename the selected chain.

Chain

Chain lists the sequence of commands in order of first to last (End) for the chain selected in the "Chains" box to left. Here you can add or remove commands for the selected chain, change the order in which the commands execute in the chain, or edit the parameters for some effects in the chain.

To edit an existing command, double-click it, or use <up> or <down> arrow to select it then press Space. The "Select Command" dialog appears as below, but with the command name and any current parameters displayed and editable (using the "Edit Parameters" button). If you want to replace the current command in its current order in the sequence with another command, double-click the new command (or select it then use Space) then choose "OK".

• Insert: To insert a new command in a Chain, left-click or use <up> or <down> arrow to select the command before which you want to insert the new command. Then press Insert.
  • The "Select Command" dialog appears. Double-click a command from the list to insert it in the "Command" box. Alternatively, use <up> or <down> arrow to select the command, then press Space.

    

  • If the command has editable parameters, the "Edit Parameters" button will be active. Clicking the "Edit Parameters" button will bring up the dialog box for the effect where you can set the parameters as if you were applying the standalone effect.
  • Choose "OK" in the effect dialog to accept the parameters you entered, or "Cancel" to revert to the default parameters.
  • Choose "OK" in the "Select Command" dialog to add the command to the chain.
• Delete: Delete the currently selected command from the list.
• Move Up: Move the currently selected command up in the list.
• Move Down: Move the currently selected command down in the list.
• Defaults: This button is only active when the "CleanSpeech" or "MP3 Conversion" chains are selected in the "Chain" list on the left, and will reset these chains to their default values.

Tips:

• The "Import" command is non-functional at present: To apply a chain to a group of files which are not yet imported, create your chain, choose File > Apply Chain... then choose Apply to Files....
• Parameters for export formats cannot be set in "Edit Chains: To configure export parameters for the chain, click File > Export... to access the File Export Dialog, click "Options" to set and save the parameters, then cancel the export.
• Add a single Nyquist command set to the Chain: If you click the "Edit Parameters" button in the "Select Command" window with no command selected in the list, this opens a "Nyquist Prompt" window identical to that accessed at Effect > Nyquist Prompt....
  • This window can contain a single set of code instructions which will be used both in the Chain and in the Effect menu. Any other empty Chain commands will use that same instruction set.
  • The contents of the "Nyquist Prompt" window are not retained when you start a new Audacity session.
  • If you insert an empty command in the Chain by accident with no parameters, there will be an error and the Chain will not be executed.