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djessel's avatar
djessel
Explorer | Level 4
5 years ago

GarageBand session (.band) files

I exported a .band file (GarageBand project) to Dropbox, then later copied it and tried to open it again on GarageBand. I got an error that GarageBand couldn’t read the file format. When I contacted ...
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Walter's avatar
Walter
Icon for Dropbox Staff rankDropbox Staff
5 years ago

Hi djessel; thanks for joining our Community and sorry to hear about this.

 

Could you please let me know some additional information so we can have a better look into the matter? 

 

For starters, are you on a desktop device or a mobile one? Were/are both apps in play up to date, namely on the latest stable versions of the apps?

 

Also, how exactly did you copy the file after having exported it to Dropbox? Have you tried downloading it and opening it locally on a computer with the appropriate software?

 

Could you check the file's whole name (or better yet, its complete file-path) to see if the extension is missing somehow?

 

If you could include screenshots of the particular error you're getting, I'd appreciate a bunch. 

 

Thanks! 

  • djessel's avatar
    djessel
    Explorer | Level 4
    5 years ago
    Hi Walter - All of this was done from my iPhone. Basically, in order, 1) I needed to backup a GarageBand Project file ("MTWTLA 6.band") so I shared it / saved to Dropbox. 2) It turns out that I lost my original Project file, so I now I needed the backup file (ONLY exists now on Dropbox). So I exported from Dropbox and it took me to "Copy to GarageBand" 3) Opened Garageband on my iPhone, and the file was there, but now it looked different. 4) Tried to open it and got the error message: "the song you are trying to open is damaged or in a format that GarageBand cannot read" Surely there must be some way to retrieve/convert the file back to its original version so that I will be able to open it in Garageband? Please help... I need to recover this file! Thank you.
    • Daphne's avatar
      Daphne
      Icon for Dropbox Staff rankDropbox Staff
      5 years ago

      Thanks for getting back to us here djessel!

       

      When you uploaded the file to Dropbox, it wouldn't have edited or converted the file in anyway.

       

      When you uploaded the file to Dropbox did you perhaps rename the file at all? I'm wondering if perhaps there is a stray space after the extension perhaps.

       

      Otherwise, can you try exporting the file to your device's local storage and then open the file in the GarageBand app from there?

       

      Also, can you let me know which version of the Dropbox app on your iPhone and the device's iOS version?

       

      Keep me posted!

      • djessel's avatar
        djessel
        Explorer | Level 4
        5 years ago
        Hi Daphne, No I did not rename the file when I uploaded it to Dropbox. I already tried exporting the file to my phone's local storage and then opening in GarageBand and it still gave me the same error message. On my iPhone, I am on Dropbox "App Version 202.3.2", and my iPhone 7 Plus is iOS version 13.6.1 Hope that helps. Thank you. Drew

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