How to switch off "MetadataCaches"?

[enroe]

If I use the Media Explorer Reaper automatically creates
the folder "MetadataCaches". How can I switch off this?

I don't do any major searches for audio files and I don't
have to somehow categorize or label audio files. So I
don't need the "MetadataCaches"-funcionality and would
like to switch it off. But where?

This is of course not a crucial or decisive question - but
still: It would be nice if you could switch off unnecessary
folder creation.

[schwa]

The caches (which are stored in REAPER's resource folder) store the media length, sample rate, and other metadata for files you have looked at in the media explorer. The caches do speed up searching on those fields but the primary use is to save time when browsing, so the files themselves don't need to be scanned.

If you have all of the fields in the media explorer hidden except for the file name, date, and disk size, then you aren't benefiting from the cache, but I'm afraid this functionality can't be turned off. FWIW the cache is only populated for files that you have actually looked at. If you open a folder with 1000 files in the media explorer, the cache will only be populated for the 15 or so files that are visible in the list.

[enroe]

OK, I see the "MetadataChaches"-Folder belongs to a
permanent, inevitable feature that, after all, also
makes file browsing faster. Thank you schwa!

[Tim Rideout]

Originally Posted by schwa

The caches (which are stored in REAPER's resource folder) store the media length, sample rate, and other metadata for files you have looked at in the media explorer. The caches do speed up searching on those fields but the primary use is to save time when browsing, so the files themselves don't need to be scanned.

If one were using Reaper for a number of years, would one benefit from clearing this cache from time to time?

[mabian]

Indeed, is there any harm in deleting these files other than having a slower media explorer experience when applicable?

Thanks,
Mario

[schwa]

If you have edited any metadata for files (while viewing in the filesystem folder view in the Media Explorer, not the database view) but not written the edited metadata back to the file, so that the metadata field appears in blue in the Media explorer, then the edited data would be lost if you delete the metadata cache. Also, searching will either not search metadata fields, or if you have "read file metadata if not already cached" enabled, then searching will be very slow. If you don't care about the performance and you don't have any edited metadata, you can delete the cache files.

[mabian]

Thanks!

- Mario

[Tim Rideout]

Interesting!

And if one were to delete the cache, would it rebuild over time? Is there a way to invoke this? Would it not repopulate with Meta Data from said files (for example on my LOOPS Library)?

Originally Posted by schwa

If you have edited any metadata for files (while viewing in the filesystem folder view in the Media Explorer, not the database view) but not written the edited metadata back to the file, so that the metadata field appears in blue in the Media explorer, then the edited data would be lost if you delete the metadata cache. Also, searching will either not search metadata fields, or if you have "read file metadata if not already cached" enabled, then searching will be very slow. If you don't care about the performance and you don't have any edited metadata, you can delete the cache files.