Conversion Errors

[AR48]

Hi there. I've just finished converting 10000 tracks from FLAC to ALAC. I've got countless errors stating "error opening 'xxxx' file, check no other program has it open" (approx). I copied these onto a note, to go through them, but there must be thousands. I've tried a couple of the ALAC tracks which show an error and they seem fine played in iTunes.

At one point in the conversion process a network cable got pulled out, would this have thrown up this error? If so I don't think I need to worry....

Second question - FLAC library had about 21 tracks more in it than has been converted. How can I identify which tracks have been ommitted and why might this have happened?

[mville]

I would run the conversion again. It should complete, without errors.

During Conversion make sure all flacs are selected. The conversion window tells you how many files are converting.

When complete without errors, the no. of flac files should equal the no. of alac files.

[mville]

FLAC library had about 21 tracks more in it than has been converted. How can I identify which tracks have been ommitted and why might this have happened?

Before running the flac to alac conversion, first, try running Test Conversion on your flac library. If there are any corrupt flac files, Test Convesrion will report this.

[AR48]

Hi mville. Ok, well unfortunately I'll have to leave that for a bit - I'm doing this with my laptop and I can't afford to have it stuck to the Ethernet cable for another 12 hours.

I guess if I run the test conversion on my flac library I'll see then if there's any corrupt files, might try that thanks.

[mville]

FYI, I just ran a Test Conversion on 10,662 local flac files (not over the network).

Batch Converter >> Generating Conversion List... took 2 minutes. Then the Test Conversion took 22 minutes, total running time 24 minutes.

[AR48]

Sorry to be thick, but where's the option to do a test conversion? I've completed Batch Converter>>Then clicked on the List button, can't see an option for test conversion.
Oh I'm using Mac OS by the way.....

[mville]

Sorry to be thick, but where's the option to do a test conversion? I've completed Batch Converter>>Then clicked on the List button, can't see an option for test conversion.
Oh I'm using Mac OS by the way.....

It is not under the List button options. Click the Convert button and in the following window, select Text Conversion from the Encoding drop-down menu.

[AR48]

Ok, many thanks, see that now. Just tried it but it's estimating over 30,000 seconds so I'll do it later when my ipod has finished syncing as that's using up the network bandwidth right now.

[AR48]

Ok, well my test conversion has just finished. I have loads of errors showing, but most of them are along the lines of this;

"Error converting to Test Conversion, '/Volumes/music/Archive of Lossless Rips/Bob Marley & The Wailers/Legend; The Best Of Bob Marley & The Wailers/03 - Could You Be Loved.flac'
Error opening file '/Volumes/music/Archive of Lossless Rips/Bob Marley & The Wailers/Legend; The Best Of Bob Marley & The Wailers/03 - Could You Be Loved.flac' check no other program has it open. [Open]"

I only have 2 corrupt files and I've checked them - they are indeed corrupt and need to be re-ripped or re-sourced from another CD.

What causes the File Opening error?

[Dat Ei]

What causes the File Opening error?

From my point of view you have a another process running which locks the file. Any software that controls or watches that path?


Dat Ei

[mville]

I only have 2 corrupt files and I've checked them - they are indeed corrupt and need to be re-ripped or re-sourced from another CD.

What causes the File Opening error?

Dat Ei is correct. You'll need to find out which application(s) is accessing your flac files and locking them and rectify the situation.

Then, I suggest you re-run Test Conversion.

[Dat Ei]

Could be a security software on a low performance maschine, or a music software that automatically scans that path and updates ist library.


Dat Ei

[Spoon]

Also try:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201639

[AR48]

I honestly don't know what software could be doing this.

Going back to my original conversion from FLAC to ALAC, the errors don't seem to have stopped the files from being converted - they all seem to be present and correct.

I also have half a dozen or so "Unable to tag file" errors - but they look and play ok in iTunes - what does this error mean?

Is it possible that the software is reporting errors incorrectly? As I say, it has written the files correctly, even the corrupt file is written and plays 2 mins of it's 4 mins.

To put this into context - I have 100s or error messages (I think, it doesn't make it easy to count them) and somehow 21 missing files.

I have to say I'm a little disappointed in this software. I would expect it to clearly state which files it's converted and which it hasn't. If it's experienced an error which it's subsequently corrected, it should show that also.

[Spoon]

You have 3 different types of errors, firstly:

Error opening file '/Volumes/music/Archive of Lossless Rips/Bob Marley & The Wailers/Legend; The Best Of Bob Marley & The Wailers/03 - Could You Be Loved.flac' check no other program has it open. [Open]"

This error is a reading error from the source file, take a look at the flac file, can anything play it?

The 'Unable to write tags', this would give files which are the correct length and will play, after the encoding, dBpoweramp re-opens the file (and retries for about 1 second, 50 times) to add ID tags to the file. If another program jumps in and takes over the file (or moves it somewhere else, such as if converting direct to the iTunes Automatically add folder) then the file cannot be tagged.

The third type of error is a real corruption of the FLAC files which would be reported as such.

The errors are real, and correctly reported.