Re-associating ASDs

avatar_888 · Post by **avatar_888** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 2:28 pm

I have a problem with a load of tracks (over 100) that I had warped ready for mixing. There's a single folder that contains all the MP3s and ASD files; however for some reason all the MP3s are now corrupt and unplayable (in any software). I assume the ASD files are OK but I'm not sure how to check.

Fortunately I have another copy of all the music - MP3s that are identical with the possible exception of differing ID3 tags.

Is there any way I can force Live to re-associate my existing ASDs with the new, working MP3s. When I simply over-write the corrupt MP3s Live re-scans them and therefore clears the warping data

Any ideas would be much appreciated - that's a lot of warping to re-do!

Thanks in advance

annihilator.1 · Post by **annihilator.1** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 5:45 pm

There is a setting in prefs in the File/Folder to turn off analysis but how you would associate them ???

avatar_888 · Post by **avatar_888** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 5:52 pm

I was hoping that if the filename and playback length were the same then there would be a way of getting Ableton to use that new MP3 with the existing ASD? But it seems to somehow realise that the MP3 has changed

annihilator.1 · Post by **annihilator.1** » Sat Sep 22, 2007 4:25 pm

Just a thought.
Turn off the analysis then drag the ASD in to session view & then drag the new mp3 over the waveform area?

You don't say what you tried!

joewes · Post by **joewes** » Sun Sep 23, 2007 11:03 pm

avatar_888 wrote:MP3s that are identical with the possible exception of differing ID3 tags.

Differing ID3 tags aren't the problem. The problem's rather that Live expects ASD files to be created later than the audio files.
The trick is to somehow manipulate the date of the ASDs so that they appear to be new, for which the terminus technicus is "touch". You can do this using a utility like r-touch (http://sourceforge.net/project/download ... e&36264075) which adds an appropriate right-click command to the Windows explorer when installed. If you're on a Mac: I don't really know but there should be a similar utility.

Jörg

avatar_888 · Post by **avatar_888** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 7:31 am

I'm afraid I can't get that to work. I replaced the MP3, then 'touched' the ASD (I am on Windows btw) but Live still ignores the ASD when I load the MP3 in

joewes · Post by **joewes** » Thu Sep 27, 2007 6:22 am

Damned, I tried it and it worked. Let's see: are you sure the filenames of MP3 and ASD are exactly the same like CoolTitleWithSTRaNgekindSOfusInGCaPITaLletteRS.MP3 and CoolTitleWithSTRaNgekindSOfusInGCaPITaLletteRS.MP3.ASD
Would you mind posting a screenshot of your explorer window?

Jörg

avatar_888 · Post by **avatar_888** » Thu Sep 27, 2007 7:44 am

Sure

Here you can see the corrupt file on the left and the new file on the right.

Then here I have replaced the file, 'touched' the ASD and you can see it's properties.

Still no joy though - Live re-analyses the MP3 and gives it default settings.

I'm beginning to wonder if there's more difference in these MP3s then I'd hoped - there's a bit of a filesize difference there, though I guess that could still be tags. I can't think what else would vary.

joewes · Post by **joewes** » Thu Sep 27, 2007 10:48 am

OK, as I see from the shots the new mp3 is smaller measured in bytes.

Is it also smaller measured in ms? Does changing tags affect the validity of the ASDs? Does extending the MP3 in ms affect it? Does shortening?
To answer the last three questions I tested more deeply. Here's what I did with an MP3 whose ASD had several warp markers:

1. I extended an MP3 by pasting a few seconds of audio at the end, added some tags and saved the result with a smaller bit rate than the original.
Result: The ASD is newly written as I forgot to 'touch' it, but the warp markers are on there original places.
2. I shortened it by cutting one single ms of audio from the end, didn't change any tags and saved the result with the original bit rate.
Result: The ASD is obviously not used because the warp markers are gone.

Now it's up to you to answer the first question. Is the answer "yes" you have to do something about it i. e. by editing the MP3 unless there's some kind of utility to edit ASDs. If it's "no", well, I'm helpless. At least helpless at the moment, I guess I can't help to at least try to invent a solution. Riddles, I just need more and more of you!

Jörg

avatar_888 · Post by **avatar_888** » Thu Sep 27, 2007 10:57 am

The first question is really tricky for me to answer... because the current MP3 is corrupt I can't check it's length (it simply won't open in any audio software). However, I can't think how it's length would have changed from the other file.

I'm at work right now but when I get home I'll experiment with lengthening the new MP3 before replacing the old, which would seem a bit odd but certainly worth trying given your results!

I'll let you know how that goes...

joewes · Post by **joewes** » Thu Sep 27, 2007 12:06 pm

I don't think you have to guess the exact file length because lengthening a file does not affect the ASDs validity. If I were you I'd simply add several ms or maybe a whole second to every MP3.

But the next question is: Why have the lenghts changed? Is it a virus that somehow infected them by hiding itself not in the header but camouflaging (no time to look up the right vocabulary right now, but I think you understand me) as audio, so that by analyzing it, Live produced too long ASDs? And if so: How do you prevent? Does another virus scanner help? Does installing the whole system newly help? Whooaaa you could be in a deep shit, man.

Once I had a virus that impudently displayed something like "You damn pirate, here's what I got for you: all your MP3s are gone." And that's what happened...

Jörg

avatar_888 · Post by **avatar_888** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 8:34 am

I tried lengthening the replacement MP3, but again no success.

I think I'm going to have to conclude that the ASDs are probably just as corrupt as the MP3s (ie, the whole folder got damaged). I don't think there's a way to check the validity of the ASDs though?

As to what caused it - it may well have happened when I upgraded HD and moved all the files around. However that was also about the time I upgraded to Live 6... but I guess it's best to just put that down to coincidence.

A virus seems unlikely to me - I run a scanner regularly and it's only one folder that's an issue.

Many thanks for trying so hard to help though!

joewes · Post by **joewes** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 11:26 am

avatar_888 wrote:Many thanks for trying so hard to help though!

You're always welcome!
But as a last thing would you mind posting one of the unfunctioning ASDs so I can fiddle around with it? Maybe I don't see anything useful but I just can't give up without knowing for sure.

Jörg

avatar_888 · Post by **avatar_888** » Sat Sep 29, 2007 6:31 pm

Sure: http://www.markwheeler.net/private/asd.zip

Thanks again!

joewes · Post by **joewes** » Sat Sep 29, 2007 7:48 pm

Did you notice something about your zip file? It's very small (677 bytes) compared to the asd (more than 369000 bytes), which means it consists of many repetitions of the same data.
In fact, if you look at the (unpacked) asd it in a hex editor, it starts with (all following numbers are hex) in each case 10000 times D5, 46, 9A, F3 and the rest D8. So you are right in assuming your asds are corrupt too.
I've never seen anything like that. Are you sure, you didn't apply some kind of data shredder to your files?
Now I'm relatively sure I can't do anything to help you. Believe it or not: I give up! Now it's time for someone else to help. Annihilator?

I can't await your next problem. Goodbye for now.

Jörg

Re-associating ASDs

Re-associating ASDs

Re: Re-associating ASDs