# File Management

> Manage your iRacing telemetry files in Braking Lab Capture with the IBT File Browser.

Capture includes a full-featured file manager for your `.ibt` telemetry files. Use it to browse, process, skip, or retry files individually or in bulk.

## IBT File Browser

Open the File Browser from the main window to see all discovered telemetry files. Each file shows:

- **File name** — Includes track, car, and date information
- **File size** and date modified
- **Estimated laps** — Approximate lap count based on file size
- **Status** — Current processing state (see below)

The browser supports pagination (50 files per page), search, and sorting by date, name, or status.

## File Statuses

Each file progresses through a series of states:

| Status | Meaning |
|--------|---------|
| **New** | Discovered by the file watcher, not yet processed |
| **Processing** | Currently being parsed and analyzed |
| **Ready** | Successfully processed, waiting to sync |
| **Syncing** | Currently uploading to the cloud |
| **Synced** | Successfully uploaded to your Braking Lab account |
| **Parse Error** | Failed to process (see [Troubleshooting](#recovering-from-errors)) |
| **Sync Error** | Processed but failed to upload (will retry) |
| **Skipped** | Manually skipped by you |

In automatic mode, files flow from New → Processing → Ready → Syncing → Synced without intervention.

## Manual vs Automatic Processing

### Automatic Mode

When auto-process and auto-sync are enabled (recommended):

- New files are processed as soon as they're detected
- Processed files sync to the cloud immediately
- No manual action needed

### Manual Mode

If you prefer more control, disable auto-process in Settings:

- New files stay in "New" status until you act
- Select files individually or in bulk
- Click **Process** to start parsing
- Click **Sync** to upload ready files

## Bulk Operations

The File Browser supports several bulk actions:

### Process Selected
Select multiple files and click **Process** to parse them all. A progress indicator shows:
- Current file being processed
- Success and failure counts
- Option to cancel mid-operation

### Sync Selected
Select processed files and click **Sync** to upload them to the cloud.

### Skip Files
If there are files you don't want to process:
- Select individual files and click **Skip**
- Or use **Skip All** to skip all discovered files at once

Skipped files won't be processed or synced, but remain visible in the browser.

### Undo Skip
Accidentally skipped something? Use **Ctrl+Z** or the undo button to reverse the last skip operation.

## Selective Import by Date

When you have a large backlog of telemetry files, you can import selectively:

- **Last 7 days** — Only process recent sessions
- **Last 30 days** — Cover the current season
- **Last 90 days** — Broader historical import

This is especially useful during initial setup if you have months of accumulated `.ibt` files.

## Tabs: All Files vs Errors

The File Browser has two tabs:

### All Files
Shows every discovered file regardless of status. Use this for browsing and bulk operations.

### Errors Only
Filters to show only files with parse or sync errors. Useful for quickly identifying and fixing problems.

## Recovering from Errors

### Parse Errors

A parse error means the `.ibt` file couldn't be read properly. Common causes:

- **Corrupted file** — The session ended abnormally (crash, disconnect)
- **Incomplete file** — iRacing didn't finish writing (very short session)
- **Unsupported format** — Very old iRacing version

To retry: select the file and click **Retry Parse**. This resets the file to "New" status and processes it again.

### Sync Errors

A sync error means the file was processed but couldn't upload. Common causes:

- **No internet connection** — Wait for connectivity to resume
- **Authentication expired** — Re-sign in (see [Cloud Sync](/en/docs/capture/cloud-sync))
- **Server issue** — Temporary, will retry automatically

To retry: select the file and click **Retry Sync**. This resets the file to "Ready" status.

Capture also retries sync errors automatically with increasing delays.

## Tips

- **Let auto-mode handle it** — Manual management is there if you need it, but auto-process + auto-sync is the easiest workflow
- **Use date filters for first import** — If you have hundreds of old files, start with recent ones
- **Check Errors tab periodically** — A quick look catches any failed files
- **Don't delete `.ibt` files manually** while Capture is running — use Skip instead