What PreSpin Does to Your Files
What PreSpin Reads
| Source | What | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Audio files (.mp3, .aif, .flac, .wav) | Audio data | Beat detection, energy analysis, vocal separation, key detection |
| Audio files | Existing ID3 tags | Display metadata, detect existing cue points |
| Audio files | Serato GEOB tags | Read existing Serato cue points, loops, colors |
| ~/Music/_Serato_/ | Serato database and crates | Import Serato library and playlists (read-only) |
| ~/Library/Pioneer/rekordbox/ | Rekordbox database | Import Rekordbox library and playlists (read-only) |
What PreSpin Writes
| Target | What | When |
|---|---|---|
| Audio file ID3 tags | BPM, key (Camelot), energy, comment, grouping | During processing |
| Audio file GEOB tags | Serato cue points (positions, colors, labels) | During cue placement |
| Audio file TXXX tag | PreSpinAnalysis JSON (analysis results, version) | During processing |
| Audio file name | Rename per template (e.g., “Artist - Title.mp3”) | If rename is enabled |
| USB export directory | Pioneer/Rekordbox export structure | During USB export |
What PreSpin Does NOT Write
- _Serato_/ directory — PreSpin never writes to Serato's database, crates, or subcrates on disk. All Serato data exchange happens via GEOB tags embedded in audio files.
- Rekordbox master.db — PreSpin reads the Rekordbox database for import but does not modify it directly.
- Audio content — PreSpin never modifies the audio data itself, only metadata tags.
Backup and Recovery
Before modifying any file, PreSpin automatically:
- Creates a vault snapshot — the first time PreSpin touches a file, the original is copied to a secure vault (
~/.prespin/vault/) - Creates a session backup — a .bak copy is made before each processing session
To restore a file to its original state:
- Use the Restore Original button in the track detail panel
- Or use the API endpoint
POST /restore-original
Backups are retained based on your settings (default: 30 days, max 10 GB vault).