Reaper Offset Changer

Set new timecode offsets for a whole folder of Reaper projects at once. Only the timecode generator and the name of its track change.

TL;DR

“Quickly update every song’s timecode offset in one step.”

What it does

• Gives every project its own timecode
  Each project gets an offset that steps up from the one before, for example one hour apart for every song.
• Names the generator track after its offset
  The track with the timecode generator gets a name such as TC 01:30:00:00, so you see the timecode at a glance in Reaper.
• Changes nothing else
  Only the start time of the first timecode generator (MTC or LTC) and the name of its track change. Other tracks, items, settings and line endings stay exactly as they are.

A music show with 30 songs needs a Reaper project per song that runs on the same timecode as the playback system. When the running order or the playback timecodes change, update all projects at once instead of one by one.

How to use it

1. Scan the folder:
   • Scan Folder reads all Reaper projects (.RPP) in the folder you choose.
     You can also drag a folder of Reaper projects straight onto the window.
2. Set the options:
   • Set the first offset, the increment and the track label. If you change an option, the table updates right away.
3. Check the result:
   • The table shows the current and the new timecode and track name of every project.
   • Look for projects marked No timecode generator and for offsets past 24 hours.
4. Export the projects:
   • Export To Folder asks for the destination folder.
   • Choose a different folder first. Open the projects there in Reaper and check them.
   • If you want to overwrite the projects, close them in Reaper first. Then choose the scanned folder as the destination.

Caution

Reaper saves open projects again, for example when it autosaves. If a project is still open in Reaper, Reaper can write over the new offset.

The screen explained

Import

• Scan Folder: reads the Reaper projects (.RPP) in a folder. Subfolders and Reaper backup files (.RPP-bak) are skipped. Below the button you see the folder name and the number of projects found.

Options

• First Timecode Offset: the timecode offset for the first project.
• Increment Offset per File: how much the offset grows from one project to the next.
• Track Label: the new name for the generator track. #TIMECODE is replaced with the new offset. Clear the field to keep the track names as they are.

Export

• Export To Folder: writes the projects to the folder you choose. The folder dialog opens on the scanned folder. Projects without a timecode generator are not written.
• Send To Macro Generator: opens the Macro Generator with the new offsets. See Build macros from the offsets.

Table columns

• Name: the file name of the Reaper project.
• Framerate: the frame rate of the timecode generator. The tool converts the offset to seconds with this frame rate.
• Timecode: the current start time of the generator, an arrow, and the new start time. If the start time stays the same, you see it only once. A project without a timecode generator shows No timecode generator.
• Track Name: the current name of the generator track, an arrow, and the new name. If the name stays the same, you see it only once.

Order of the projects

The projects get their offsets in the order of their file names. Numbers count as numbers, so 2 Song comes before 10 Song.

Start your file names with the running order of the show (01 Intro, 02 Opening, …) to get the offsets in that order.

A project without a timecode generator still takes its place in the order. The next project gets the offset after it.

Offsets past 24 hours

Timecode counts up to 24 hours. If an 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 Scan Folder. The projects are still exported with the offset that starts again from 00:00:00:00. 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 position of the project in the folder, from 1
Name	the file name of the Reaper project, without .RPP
Offset	the new timecode offset

Projects without a timecode generator are left out. They keep their place in the count, so the ID matches the position used for the 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.

What gets changed

Only the first timecode generator in each project changes. If a project has more than one, the others stay as they are.

The tool writes each project to a temporary file first and then renames it. A failed export never leaves a half-written project behind.