How many files can I convert at one time?

**LtData** · October 19, 2005, 10:10 PM

Re: How many files can I convert at one time?

What are FLA files, out of curiosity?

And File Selector should be able to convert that number of files, but I'm not sure.

**ChristinaS** · October 19, 2005, 11:31 PM

Re: How many files can I convert at one time?

I sure hope those .fla files aren't FLASH source files - that won't work in dB

Anyway, I'd not attempt to convert 16000 files in one shot.

Maybe 1000 at a time with a break to cool down in between, and even then. But that's just me :p

**neilthecellist** · October 20, 2005, 01:19 AM

Re: How many files can I convert at one time?

I'm pretty sure FLA files are Flash Source Files.... In any case, it can't be converted by dMC. Try Auxiliary Input if you just want the audio. Or Audacity

**Tomb** · October 20, 2005, 09:26 AM

Re: How many files can I convert at one time?

Originally posted by neilthecellist

I'm pretty sure FLA files are Flash Source Files.... In any case, it can't be converted by dMC. Try Auxiliary Input if you just want the audio. Or Audacity

FLA is also used as an extension for FLAC files. See here for more.

**xoas** · October 20, 2005, 11:28 AM

Re: How many files can I convert at one time?

In theory, I believe that by using File Selector you should be able to convert all your files at once. However, I would urge you to use a certain amount of caution and I would also like to draw your attention to a few other issues involving this project.

First, the current Flac Codec (available from Codec Central) has had some problems converting id tags. Assuming you want to convert id tags, you may well want to use the new Flac codec available from the Beta section of the forum here:

Beta: Flac 5.3 (using flac 1.1.2) - dBpoweramp Forum

http://forum.dbpoweramp.com/showthread.php?t=9035

An update to flac (ok decoder was rewritten from scratch), to solve the IDTag crashing problem. Also .fla files are only decoded as an option (conflicts with Flash files). Download: http://www.dbpoweramp.com/beta/dBpowerAMP-codec-flac.exe 538KB If you were having crashing problems with ID Tag writing, please post your

There is an alternative to converting with the standard Flac Codec: turn off the option to preserve id tags, and then use the Tag From File Name utility codec to create new tags for your mp3 files after they are created. This depends on the file name actually containing tag information. The resulting tags may well contain fewer details than your original tags.

Second, there is the issue of your .FLA files. This extension is used by Macromedia Flash files and by some programs for Flac files. If you are certain that the .FLA files on your Audio Request Tera Pro are ONLY Flac files, that is ok. However, if any are not Flac, then you need to either ditch the Flash files or leave their folders out of the conversion process, or change the extension of your Flac files with .FLA to .FLAC.

Further, although the standard FLAC codec will automatically try to read .FLA files (it will crash on a Flash file) the beta Flac codec referred to above will only try to read .FLA as an option in dMC Music Configuration (Start>All Programs>dBpowerAMP Music Converter>Configuration>dBpowerAMP Music Converter Configuration). You will access this through an Options tab. You need to have the Release version of dBpowerAMP Music Converter to access this option. Otherwise, you will need to re-name your .FLA files to .FLAC. (There is a Re-Name File Extension utility codec that will facilitate this, but you need to make sure you are not converting the extension for Flash files as well).

Third, dBpowerAMP Music Converter cannot handle Unicode file information. It also does not convert folder art in file tags and cannot handle tag comments beyond a certain length.

Now for the really big (and your original) question. I have not personally dealt with very large batch conversions so my understanding comes from what is reported here. This biases my understanding in the sense that what is reported here are problems, so I do not know how representative these are of all user's experiences. But certain problems have been reported and you should be prepared for these. The problems briefly are these:
1. When a batch conversion fails it may leave out some files it cannot convert and proceed with converting others and at some point it may stop converting altogether;
2. dBpowerAMP Music Converter does not provide a log of what files convert and which do not, meaning that it can take quite a bit of time trying to figure out which files have been converted and which do not.

It is this problem that makes it highly advisable to limit the number of files you try to convert at any one time, as Christina has suggested. To facilitate trying to track both the overall conversion process and also to assist with error tracking, I would urge you to convert in groups by folder structure. As to the rough number of files you try to convert at once, you could start with Christina's suggestion of around a thousand files or so. I would recommend that you first start smaller (perhaps a 100 files or so) for the first batches, especially if you are unfamiliar with dBpowerAMP Music Converter and/or its File Selector feature. This should help prevent crashes related to Newbie errors and help you identify and work out problems bedore you get involved in larger conversions. Then you can work up to progressively larger batches as you gain confidence, experience and expertise in the process and can better predict and head off potential problems before they occur. Especially as your batches get larger, your are best advised not to add DSP effects (such as Volume Normalization) when batch converting. You want your converting priority set to "Below Normal" (set in the window that shows the conversion progress for the individual file being converted, available only if you have the Power Pack).

Finally, if you encounter a crash or incomplete conversion you need to check for 2 things. First, for missing files (checking the number of files in folders through file properties and comparing this with the corresponding information for your source folders should facilitate this). Second, you may also need to check for very small files among your converted files since sometimes a failed conversion will result in the creation of a file shell that is 0 to 2 kb and which is unplayable. So be sure to check for these as well.

DO NOT enable the option to delete source files after conversion. A failed conversion may also deletet those source files, and/or if you run into problems with tag information you do not really want to lose that prematurely either.
Hope this helps.

Best wishes and good luck.
Bill

**xoas** · October 20, 2005, 04:52 PM

Re: How many files can I convert at one time?

Above post was edited to add several tips which I will briefly cover here for anyone who read the original:

In addition to not reading Unicode tags, dMC cannot handle album art information contained in tags. It also cannot handle tag Comments beyond a certain length.

Especially as your batches get larger, your are best advised not to add DSP effects (such as Volume Normalization) when batch converting. You want your converting priority set to "Below Normal" (set in the window that shows the conversion progress for the individual file being converted, available only if you have the Power Pack).

DO NOT enable the option to delete source files after conversion. A failed conversion may also deletet those source files, and/or if you run into problems with tag information you do not really want to lose that prematurely either.

Best wishes,
Bill