Convert Failure Action

[sparky2]

I know that the temptation when contemplating modifications is to bolt on a whizzo new feature rather than reworking the existing code but could I make one small suggestion. Specifically, could you write to a temporary file and then change the name of the output file iff the conversion works. Thus I would be able to retain full confidence that the tool had performed what I had requested. At present I'm deleting the bad mp3s that I'm being notified about and having to check the durations of all of the others for inexplicable incomplete conversions!

(I'm not dealing with rights problems, just trying to make those flacs/shns playable)

- thanks in advance.

[Spoon]

Re: Convert Failure Action

If a conversion fails then the output will not be overwritten, so you could sort on date.

[sparky2]

Re: Convert Failure Action

I must congratulate you on an extremely fast response. Writing to temporary files and indeed the 'fail to safe' principle are standard industry practices. The 'disk full' problems are obviously due to the idiot this end but the incomplete conversions, which are admitedly less frequent since I've stopped using high priority, are a nuisance. Converting all the files for a second time so as to be able to distinguish the incompletes seems to me a little silly and still not water-tight.

I obviously believe that my suggestion is a good one, but I'm content to leave it up to you guys to consider at your leisure. Let me add, thanks for a very useful, tidily implemented and mostly flawless program.

[sparky2]

Re: Convert Failure Action

I'm unaware as to how my problem is being addressed back in programming HQ but I feel that I should pass on what I have learnt about this problem. I'm converting SHNs and FLACs to mp3s using the lame plug-in & preserving ID tags and I'm encountering an 100% repeatable bug when short of diskspace. The convertor, though ostensibly writing to an .mp3 output file does at the death create a small .xxxxx file. I suspect that there is a logic error in the way that these files are juggled and that a write failure is missed by the 'on failure' routines.

[xoas]

Re: Convert Failure Action

I'm unaware as to how my problem is being addressed back in programming HQ

Programming HQ would be Spoon. For version 12 he is rewriting large sections of code. Many users have encountered the situation that (I believe) you are describing wherein
dMC (dbpowerAMP Music Converter) will fail a conversion but end up creating a small shell file that looks like good outout until you check the file or tag properties and find that the file size is too small (on the order of no more than a few kbs). This seems to be more common during large batch conversions.

You can use Windows Explorer to sort through files by file size to identify such bad files and I routinely advise users who are working with File Explorer and are converting may files at a time to be on the look out for such files.

Your suggestion has some appeal for me as a user though I am not sure what issues this would raise for the operation of dMC (currently for example, it is my understanding that dMC does not create temporary files during conversion except when DSP effects are applied-so the step you mention might slow down dMC or open the door for other problems, for all that I know).

Best wishes,
Bill

[Spoon]

Re: Convert Failure Action

The .xxxxx is used to write a temporay file when tagging an mp3 file, R12 does it differently (all in memory).

[douglasmhurst]

Using older version of AudibleManager

I followed guidelines I found on the web for putting .aa in the DirectShow directory file DSExt.txt. I was able to convert .aa files to .mp3 for awhile, then I made the apparent mistake of upgrading to AudibleManager 5.0.0.5 and now dbPowerAmp says it can no longer convert the .aa files.

I'm not trying to pirate a thing. I have an MP3 CD player in my car (Kenwood) and it will not play the .aa files. So what's a person to do?

I suspect this thread will either not be posted or will not last very long. I think Audible has all converter companies very scared of lawsuits.

[Spoon]

Re: Using older version of AudibleManager

Install the windows 98 version of Audible.