Copyright 2003 by Scott R. Garrigus. Reprinted with permission.

The Cakewalk Picture Cache is a special folder on your hard drive that is created when you install any of the Cakewalk sequencing applications, such as Sonar. After working with your Cakewalk software for a while, you'll find the Picture Cache folder filled with lots of different files all having the same .WOV extension.

These .WOV files have nothing to do with any of your project data, so if you delete them by accident there's no need to worry. The files simply contain 'pictures' of the waveforms from any and all the audio data contained in your Cakewalk projects. Keeping these 'pictures' on file allows your Cakewalk software to quickly 'draw' your audio waveforms on the screen, which would otherwise take much longer.

The problem is that the files in the Picture Cache folder are never deleted, unless you do it manually by opening the folder with Windows Explorer, selecting all the files, and choosing to delete them. I've heard from many people who find this annoying, so I took it upon myself to devise a way for the files to be deleted automatically.

[Please note: I'm using Windows XP, but the procedure should also work in other versions. There may be some slight differences that you'll need to figure out on your own.]

1. Open Windows Notepad.

2. Type the following text exactly as shown:
DEL /Q "C:\CAKEWALK PROJECTS\PICTURE CACHE\*.WOV"
[NOTE: If your Picture Cache folder is located in a different location on your hard drive, be sure to type the correct path in place of the one shown above. - ALL WOV FILES IN THIS DIRECTORY WILL BE DELETED PERMANENTY.]

3. Choose File > Save As. For the File Name type: DELWOV.BAT Also make note of the location in which the file is saved. Then close Windows Notepad.

4. Open the Windows Task Scheduler, usually by choosing Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Scheduled Tasks.

5. Double-click on Add Scheduled Task, and click Next.

6. Click Browse, and find the DELWOV.BAT file you created earlier. Select the file and click Open.

7. Choose how often you would like the task performed. Click Next.

8. Choose the month, day, and time when the task should be performed. Click Next.

9. Type in a username and password for your current Windows XP account. Click Next.

10. Click Finish.

Now as long as you have the Task Scheduler running in the background, it will perform this task for you on the designated month/day/time you chose. If you don't have the Task Scheduler running automatically when you start your PC, just place a shortcut to it in the Startup folder under the Start menu.

Scott R. Garrigus is the author of Cakewalk Power!, Sound Forge Power!, and SONAR Power! He is also the publisher of the DigiFreq music technology newsletter. Learn about more cool music technology tips and techniques and have the chance to win free music products by getting a FREE subscription to DigiFreq... go to: http://www.digifreq.com/digifreq/

© 2003 Any unauthorized copying or reproduction of this article or part of it without the permission of the author is prohibited.