Logic Pro X: About working with projects from previous versions of Logic
Opening older projects saves a new version
When you open an older project in Logic Pro X it does not change the original project in any way. Instead, a new copy in the Logic Pro X project format is created which leaves the original project in place. You can continue to work with the original project in the version of Logic it was last saved in if you want.
When Logic Pro X opens the older project:
- It will present a Save As dialog:
- You can save the Logic Pro X project to the same location, and even the same name as the old project, or you can designate a different name and/or location for the new project. In the example below you can see both an old and new version of a project in the same location. You can tell them apart by their respective icons:
Saving the new project as a package or as a folder
Besides deciding what to name and where to store your Logic Pro X project, you also have the choice of saving it as a package or as a folder.
- Saving as a folder creates a project structure similar to that of Logic 9, where there are sub-folders within the project folder for audio files, sampler instruments, samples, and other assets the project may include.
- Saving as a package puts all the assets inside the project package.
There are pros and cons to each approach:
As a folder
There are advantages to choosing to save as a folder and saving the project to the same location as the old project file. In this case, the new project will use the existing folder structure for audio and video assets. Saving projects as folders is also a good idea if you reuse the same audio files in multiple projects, because they are more easily accessible in the Finder and to Spotlight. If you choose the folder option but save the project to a different location, then a new folder structure will be created and assets are copied as determined by your settings in the Save As dialog.
As a package
If you prefer your projects to be self-contained, then the package format may be a better choice. This allows you to copy or move a project by simply grabbing a single file (really a package). When opening and converting older projects to packages, this means that your audio files, and whatever other assets you designate in the Save As dialog will be duplicated into the package, increasing the disk space accordingly.