Abstract: Disclosed is a system having a robotic welding apparatus configured to weld metal sections together along a seam, an input device configured to produce positioning input for the robotic welding apparatus while welding, and a controller configured to control the robotic welding apparatus in accordance with (i) a recording state in which operation of the robotic welding apparatus is controlled and recorded while welding in a root pass based on the positioning input to produce recorded positioning data, and (ii) an automatic state in which operation of the robotic welding apparatus is automatically controlled while welding in a subsequent pass based on the recorded positioning data. In accordance with an embodiment, motion of the robotic welding apparatus is selectively recorded such that the recorded positioning data utilized in the automatic state omits (i) initial transient motions of the robotic welding apparatus and/or (ii) stop-start motions of the robotic welding apparatus.