Reaper File Maker

Build many Reaper projects at once from a data table or a folder of audio files. Each project can hold a timecode generator and its audio file.

TL;DR

“Auto-create multiple Reaper Projects from a table or directory of audio files.”

What it does

• Builds one Reaper project per entry
  Import a list of names — scenes, tracks, songs — from a CSV file, from the clipboard (for example out of Excel), or by scanning a folder of audio files.
• Sets the timecode start for you
  Take the start time from each track’s timecode offset, or set a start time that steps up with every file.
• Uses your own project template
  Import your own Reaper project file (.RPP) and mark the tracks with placeholders. The tool fills in the data from your table or folder.

How to use it

1. Prepare your data:
   • Write a list in Excel or any other program, or put your audio files in one folder.
2. Import the data:
   • Import File reads a CSV file. Import Clipboard pastes from Excel and similar programs. Scan Folder reads the audio files in a folder.
     Set the delimiter and the column names on the Settings page. To check the format of your file, open it in a text editor and read the first line.
     You can also drag a .csv file, or a whole folder of audio files straight onto the window.
3. Set the options:
   • Set the first offset, the increment and the default length. If you change an option, the table updates right away.
   • Add a path prefix if the audio files will sit in a subfolder next to the project files.
4. Export the projects:
   • Export all Reaper project files into the folder you choose.

The screen explained

Template

• Import Template (*.RPP): load a Reaper project file to use as the template. The app asks you to confirm before it replaces a template you already have. See Use your own template.
  You can also drag a .rpp file to load it as the template straight onto the window.
• Download (icon): download the template in use.
• Reset (icon): delete your template and go back to the built-in one.

Options

• First Timecode Offset: the timecode offset for the first file. Files with a timecode in your table keep it.
• Increment Offset per File: how much the offset grows from one file to the next.
• Default Audio Item Length: the length used when no length is given or detected.

Export

• Add Path Prefix to Audio File: puts a path prefix in front of the audio file path inside the generated project. Use it when the audio files sit in a subfolder next to the project files.
• Audio File Path Prefix: the prefix itself. Leave off the trailing slash — the tool adds it.
• Export To Folder: writes one Reaper project per row into the folder you choose.
• Send To Macro Generator: opens the Macro Generator with the table. See Build macros from the offsets.

Table columns

• Name: the name of the Reaper project file.
• Timecode: the imported or generated timecode offset. Generator tracks start here.
• Audio File: the audio file added to the project. Optional.
• Length: the length of the audio file. Optional.

Offsets past 24 hours

Timecode counts up to 24 hours. If a generated offset reaches 24 hours or more, it starts again from 00:00:00:00.

The table marks these offsets with a wavy underline, and a warning appears below the import buttons. Lower the first offset or the increment to stay below 24 hours.

Build macros from the offsets

Send To Macro Generator opens the Macro Generator and replaces its table with these columns:

Column	Holds
ID	the row number, starting at 1
Name	the name of the Reaper project file
Offset	the imported or generated timecode offset

Use the column names in the macro template, for example {{Offset|tcString}} for the offset in grandMA notation. If Set Name from Filename on Import is on, the macro name becomes Timecode Offset.

Tip

To set the offset of many timecode objects at once, pick the built-in template Set Timecode offset from the Template dropdown. It uses ID as the timecode number and sets each offset 3 frames earlier, at 30 fps. It has one line for grandMA2 and one for grandMA3.

Use your own template

The tool copies your template for every project and replaces the placeholders with values from your table or folder scan.

Mark the tracks in your template with these tags:

Tag	Put it in the name of	The track must have
#TIMECODE	the timecode generator track	exactly one generator item
#AUDIOFILE	the track that gets the audio file	no items at all

Tip

Download the built-in template and change it to your needs. That is the quickest start.

Timecode generator track

Add a timecode generator track to your template and set it up the way you want: MTC or LTC, user bits, and so on.

On export, the tool sets the generator start time to the timecode offset. It also replaces the #TIMECODE tag with that offset, so the track name stays readable.

Audio file track

Add an empty track to your template.

On export, the tool inserts the audio file into that track and removes the #AUDIOFILE tag.