Decoding cache deleting files at random.

[Gtrance]

Hello.

I've already had my fair share of bugs with jumping warp markers etc and after finally thinking I had it all working ok I now have a new problem. for no apparent reason different files from my decoding cache keep disaapearing meaning i have to keep scanning them again.

When I go to drag a tune from browser into track I sometimes (but not always!!) get a serious error message telling me to save under a different name and restart the application. if this happens then the tune that caused the message to pop up wont be in the cache folder. (i have found that when error message comes up if i preview the track first in browser it will then let me bring it in without the error message but it still needs to be scanned) Though even if I dont get error message some tunes still have to be rescanned. I can even bring one in, scan it then delete the clip and bring it in again and it has to scan again.

It all seems very random, cant think why its happening. Has anybody else had this problem or know what i need to do.

Thought I should add that I dont have a limit on my decoding cache size.

[Ralf]

Hi Gtrance,

for the serious error, do you get a stack trace in Log.txt?

Files which were not in use for 30 days (by opening
Songs in which they are contained or by dragging them into
a song, or prehearing them) are cleaned up from the cache.
This is done to avoid an ever growing decoding cache.

For the cache size limitation, even if you turn it off,
there is still the "minimum free space" limitation.

For the preview, its normal that the decoding is
cancelled when preview is stopped, whatever comes next.
It's not clear where the difference in crashing is, though.

Do you have QuickTime installed? I'm still trying to reproduce
the jumping waveform bug, it and the crash may have to do with
each other. Do you have a third-party application installed
of which the test period or something timed out lately?

Thanks,
Ralf

[Gtrance]

I have quick time installed. instaled it after i was getting the jumping waveform bug. Plenty of free space on my hard drive so that wont be a factor. Wasnt aware of the 30 day thing which will account for a few tunes but not many. With the preview thing i meant that I wasnt able to drag a file into a clip without the error message stopping me from doing so. but if i previewed the file first then the error message went away. Not sure what you mean by log.text but no i dont think i get this.

Like i say one weird thing is that even a tune that has just been scanned, if i delete the clip and then bring it back in it has to scan again. but this time the waveform is there but greyed out until it is scanned.

[Gtrance]

Do you have a third-party application installed
of which the test period or something timed out lately?

Thanks,
Ralf

What do you mean exactly??

[Ralf]

With the preview thing i meant that I wasnt able to drag a file into a clip without the error message stopping me from doing so. but if i previewed the file first then the error message went away.

Understand. The error message should log something into
Log.txt, from which I'll try understand what kind of error it is, etc.

Not sure what you mean by log.text but no i dont think i get this.

Its in something like

C:\Documents and Settings\Your Username\Application Data\Ableton\Live 5.0.3\Preferences\Log.txt

"Application Data" is hidden by default, open Windows explorer
in C:\Documents and Settings\Your Username
open the Menu Tools->FolderOptions, in the View tab select
"Show hidden files and folders".

Like i say one weird thing is that even a tune that has just been scanned, if i delete the clip and then bring it back in it has to scan again. but this time the waveform is there but greyed out until it is scanned.

You mean, the first time it was not grey? This means it could not
read the asd file, or didn't use it. Could you please send me
- the mp3 file
- the asd file
- the decoded .wav file from the Decoding Cache in the Recordings folder
- modification dates of all 3 files

Thanks,
Ralf

[Ralf]

Do you have a third-party application installed
of which the test period or something timed out lately?

What do you mean exactly??

Applications can break mp3 decoding, for example the
soundforge demo from sony is known to break mp3 in
Live (unless you have installed QuickTime)
when the demo period is over, until you uninstall it.

Ralf

[serotoninsteve]

Hi all,
I can second that Live redecoded different files in the past for no reason before the problem with the jumping waveform appeared, and this in a gap of a few minutes with enough discspace. Makes about the same as when you remove them manually from the cache, then the bug appears. Well for the moment it doesn´t redecode from itself so no idea.

Hey Gtrance, could you try this set and see if you can reproduce?

http://www.ableton.com/forum/viewtopic. ... 1&start=15

Greetings

[Gtrance]

Ok. have realised some more stuff now. the setup i have is as follows. I have a folder with all my mp3's in it and their asd file. I always save file once ive done all warping etc. I then have another collection of folders labelled by genre which i drag clip from session view into live browser in the appropriate folder. Therfore at this point i have two asd files for each tune, one next to the mp3 and one in my genre folder. both asd files should be identical. it is then these genre folders that i browse when bringing a tune into a clip.

in the past this has all worked fine for me. BUT i've now discovered that all the original asd files contain none of my warping information. Its as though they are all blank. the asd files in the genre folders DO have all my warping information but they now constantly need to be scanned in even if there is a wav file in decoding cache folder. I presume this is because the asd files no longer match.

Why have all my original asd's been wiped of information. Im tempted to use seretonin steves method and just replace all mp3's with wavs. I have the hard drive space and if this solves all bugs for good then it will be worht it. however when I replace file with one from decoding cache i often get message saying unrecognised file format. God knows why. If I quit live and reboot message goes away and I can then replace file. (i know this cause there are couple of buggy tunes i have done this with in the past) However with this new problem, everytime i reboot I have to rescan file and this means that everytime it comes up unrecognised file format when i go to replace file.

So im beginning to think that i will need to delete all genre folder asds, completely rewarp ALL my tunes and replace them with the wav files as I go along. The thought of this makes me want to give up on the whole thing.

Gtrance

PS seretonin steve i tried that mp3 download. buggy asd caused wav file to jump. non buggy didnt jump but first marker wasnt on the downbeat.

[serotoninsteve]

Thanx Gtrance for checking the files.
Indeed, the track I´ve choosen is a bit tricky, there is always a hit to the left of the bassdrum, but it´s the bigger right hit wich is the correct one. Just for the case that´s that what you mean with "wasn on the downbeat". If you listen to the metronome or a drumloop it should be ok so. Or was it really off?

Greetings

[Ralf]

So im beginning to think that i will need to delete all genre folder asds, completely rewarp ALL my tunes and replace them with the wav files as I go along. The thought of this makes me want to give up on the whole thing.

Gtrance,

there is always a fixed offset of a multiply of 26 ms, so you should
not need to rewarp everything, but drop the *copied* .wav which
has no .asd file onto the waveform, possibly Undo (Ctrl-Z) to
undo the autowarp, then select all warp markers (select one,
then Ctrl-A) and move them into place. I'm sorry for the
inconvenience.

Now that I have reproduced the problem I'm optimistic,
that the reason of the problem will be identified and a fix found.

Ralf