Skip to main content

Sessions and showfiles

New, open, save

ActionMenuNotes
New sessionFile → New SessionEmpty cuelist; resets cue id allocator
OpenFile → Open…Loads a .c2 file
SaveFile → SaveWrites current session
Save asFile → Save As…Choose a new path

Showfile format (.c2)

Showfiles are versioned dictionaries stamped with:

FieldMeaning
formatVersionSchema version for migrations (currently 1)
appVersionSemantic app version that last fully owned the save
appVersionFullHuman-readable version string

If you open a file from a newer schema than your build understands, Cue2 may warn and ask before loading. Opening without migrating does not claim schema ownership (an openedByAppVersion diagnostic may be stored). See Showfile format.

What is inside a showfile

  • Cuelist structure and every cue’s shell + component data
  • Show settings slices: general scalars, cue/component defaults, audio patches, open devices, displays/canvas, OSC/MIDI show input maps, playback prefs
  • Media paths (absolute or show-relative)

Not in the showfile:

  • Keyboard Input Map (app preference)
  • UI locale
  • User cue library (user://library/)

Media paths and portability

By default, media backup can copy used audio/video/images into folders next to the showfile and rewrite cues to relative paths such as Audio/song.wav. That makes the show folder movable as a unit.

ToolLocation
Toggle backupSettings → General → media backup
Force copyShow Files → Copy Media into Show Folder
VerifyShow Files → Check File Presence
RevealShow Files → Open Show Folder

See Media backup tutorial and Media backup layout.

Moving a show between machines

  1. Prefer a show folder with backup-enabled relative media.
  2. Copy the entire folder.
  3. Open the .c2 on the destination.
  4. Re-check audio devices, MIDI devices, and display layout — hardware names differ per machine.
  5. Re-open required audio devices and confirm patches.