I cannot believe this keeps happening to me. This is the third time in two months 3 out of the 6 times I have tried to edit a podcast. I’ve removed and re-downloaded Audacity each time, and it continues to happen. This is so incredibly frustrating because hours of editing have now been wasted because the only option is to treat the missing audio as silence. Why does this happen, and why isn’t this being fixed? I realize the program is free, but come on, it should at least be usable.
Here is a little bit of the log. What can I do to keep this from happening, and wasting my time?
[[ 15:04:21: Audacity 2.2.1
15:04:21: Trying to load FFmpeg libraries...
15:04:21: Trying to load FFmpeg libraries from system paths. File name is 'avformat-55.dll'.
15:04:21: Looking up PATH environment variable...
15:04:21: PATH = 'C:\Program Files (x86)\Intel\iCLS Client\;C:\Program Files\Intel\iCLS Client\;C:\WINDOWS\system32;C:\WINDOWS;C:\WINDOWS\System32\Wbem;C:\WINDOWS\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\;C:\Program Files (x86)\Intel\UCRT\;C:\Program Files\Intel\UCRT\;C:\Program Files (x86)\Intel\Intel(R) Management Engine Components\DAL;C:\Program Files\Intel\Intel(R) Management Engine Components\DAL;C:\Program Files (x86)\Intel\Intel(R) Management Engine Components\IPT;C:\Program Files\Intel\Intel(R) Management Engine Components\IPT;C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Live\Shared;C:\Users\anyone\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WindowsApps;'
15:04:21: Checking that '' is in PATH...
15:04:21: FFmpeg directory is in PATH.
15:04:21: Checking for monolithic avformat from 'avformat-55.dll'.
15:04:21: Error: Failed to load shared library 'avformat-55.dll' (error 126: the specified module could not be found.)
15:04:21: Loading avutil from ''.
15:04:21: Error: Failed to load shared library '.dll' (error 126: the specified module could not be found.)
15:04:21: Loading avcodec from ''.
15:04:21: Error: Failed to load shared library '.dll' (error 126: the specified module could not be found.)
15:04:21: Loading avformat from 'avformat-55.dll'.
15:04:21: Error: Failed to load shared library 'avformat-55.dll' (error 126: the specified module could not be found.)
15:04:21: Error: Failed to load FFmpeg libraries.
15:04:21: Error: Failed to find compatible FFmpeg libraries.
15:04:22: Warning: Missing data block file: 'C:\Users\anyone\Desktop\Fans of Podcast\crums1work_data\e00\d09\e0009a88.au'
15:04:22: Warning: Missing data block file: 'C:\Users\anyone\Desktop\Fans of Podcast\crums1work_data\e00\d09\e000914b.au'
15:04:22: Warning: Missing data block file: 'C:\Users\anyone\Desktop\Fans of Podcast\crums1work_data\e00\d09\e00090ea.au'
15:04:23: Warning: Missing data block file: 'C:\Users\anyone\Desktop\Fans of Podcast\crums1work_data\e00\d09\e00090fb.au'
15:04:23: Warning: Missing data block file: 'C:\Users\anyone\Desktop\Fans of Podcast\crums1work_data\e00\d09\e0009def.au'
15:04:23: Warning: Missing data block file: 'C:\Users\anyone\Desktop\Fans of Podcast\crums1work_data\e00\d09\e0009e77.au'
15:04:23: Warning: Missing data block file: 'C:\Users\anyone\Desktop\Fans of Podcast\crums1work_data\e00\d09\e0009d85.au'
15:04:24: Warning: Missing data block file: 'C:\Users\anyone\Desktop\Fans of Podcast\crums1work_data\e00\d09\e0009855.au'
15:04:24: Warning: Missing data block file: 'C:\Users\anyone\Desktop\Fans of Podcast\crums1work_data\e00\d09\e0009b9c.au'
15:04:24: Warning: Missing data block file: 'C:\Users\anyone\Desktop\Fans of Podcast\crums1work_data\e00\d0a\e000a64e.au'
15:04:25: Warning: Missing data block file: 'C:\Users\anyone\Desktop\Fans of Podcast\crums1work_data\e00\d09\e0009608.au'
15:04:25: Warning: Missing data block file: 'C:\Users\anyone\Desktop\Fans of Podcast\crums1work_data\e00\d09\e0009bc7.au'
15:04:25: Warning: Missing data block file: 'C:\Users\anyone\Desktop\Fans of Podcast\crums1work_data\e00\d09\e0009b75.au'
15:04:25: Warning: Missing data block file: 'C:\Users\anyone\Desktop\Fans of Podcast\crums1work_data\e00\d09\e00094af.au'
15:04:25: Warning: Missing data block file: 'C:\Users\anyone\Desktop\Fans of Podcast\crums1work_data\e00\d09\e0009fb9.au'
15:04:25: Warning: Missing data block file: 'C:\Users\anyone\Desktop\Fans of Podcast\crums1work_data\e00\d09\e00096ec.au'
15:04:25: Warning: Missing data block file: 'C:\Users\anyone\Desktop\Fans of Podcast\crums1work_data\e00\d09\e0009b0c.au'
15:04:25: Warning: Missing data block file: 'C:\Users\anyone\Desktop\Fans of Podcast\crums1work_data\e00\d09\e0009a00.au'
15:04:26: Warning: Missing data block file: 'C:\Users\anyone\Desktop\Fans of Podcast\crums1work_data\e00\d09\e00090c9.au'
15:04:26: Warning: Missing data block file: 'C:\Users\anyone\Desktop\Fans of Podcast\crums1work_data\e00\d0a\e000a893.au'
15:04:26: Warning: Missing data block file: 'C:\Users\anyone\Desktop\Fans of Podcast\crums1work_data\e00\d09\e0009c5d.au'
15:04:26: Warning: Missing data block file: 'C:\Users\anyone\Desktop\Fans of Podcast\crums1work_data\e00\d09\e0009d96.au'
15:04:26: Warning: Missing data block file: 'C:\Users\anyone\Desktop\Fans of Podcast\crums1work_data\e00\d09\e0009bfc.au'
15:04:26: Warning: Missing data block file: 'C:\Users\anyone\Desktop\Fans of Podcast\crums1work_data\e00\d09\e0009a47.au'
15:04:26: Warning: Missing data block file: 'C:\Users\anyone\Desktop\Fans of Podcast\crums1work_data\e00\d09\e0009425.au'
15:04:27: Warning: Missing data block file: 'C:\Users\anyone\Desktop\Fans of Podcast\crums1work_data\e00\d09\e000953f.au'
15:04:27: Warning: Missing data block file: 'C:\Users\anyone\Desktop\Fans of Podcast\crums1work_data\e00\d09\e000936c.au'
15:04:27: Warning: Missing data block file: 'C:\Users\anyone\Desktop\Fans of Podcast\crums1work_data\e00\d0a\e000a443.au'
15:04:27: Warning: Missing data block file: 'C:\Users\anyone\Desktop\Fans of Podcast\crums1work_data\e00\d09\e000986a.au'
15:04:27: Warning: Missing data block file: 'C:\Users\anyone\Desktop\Fans of Podcast\crums1work_data\e00\d09\e000917f.au'
15:04:27: Warning: Missing data block file: 'C:\Users\anyone\Desktop\Fans of Podcast\crums1work_data\e00\d09\e0009b88.au'
15:04:27: Warning: Missing data block file: 'C:\Users\anyone\Desktop\Fans of Podcast\crums1work_data\e00\d09\e000924c.au'
15:04:29: Warning: Missing data block file: 'C:\Users\anyone\Desktop\Fans of Podcast\crums1work_data\e00\d09\e0009e09.au'
15:04:29: Warning: Missing data block file: 'C:\Users\anyone\Desktop\Fans of Podcast\crums1work_data\e00\d09\e00090ff.au'
15:04:30: Warning: Missing data block file: 'C:\Users\anyone\Desktop\Fans of Podcast\crums1work_data\e00\d09\e0009956.au' ]]
Because the defect has to happen to a Windows developer reliably enough to identify the problem. Without that, it’s pure guesswork.
I’ve removed and re-downloaded Audacity each time
Did you reset Audacity? Audacity keeps preferences and settings in a separate location from the main program to make upgrades easier. I think Windows has a setting to reset everything when you install or reinstall it.
Odd missing data can be caused by an overactive virus protection program or a mis-behaving external plugin, effect or filter. It can also be caused by a drive filling up although that’s a lot less likely. Is the machine doing anything else while you’re editing?
Are you editing on an external USB drive, network connected drive, or cloud drive? None of those is recommended.
to edit a podcast.
Can we assume you are editing a copy of the podcast? It is recommended to export a WAV (Microsoft) of the raw recording before you do anything else to it. There should never be a “we have to record it again.”
Not saving it externally. Everything is in the same folder. If I save it as a wave first, doesn’t that save everything into one channel instead of the 4 separate channels it was recorded on? If so, this doesn’t help me because I. We’d to be able to edit the channels jndividally.
It has recently been discovered that in Audacity 2.2.1, if you overwrite the current project (the project having been saved previously) using “Save Project As…”, then data loss can occur.
This issue has been fixed in the soon to be released Audacity 2.2.2.
The workaround for people using Audacity 2.2.1, is to use “Save Project” (or “Ctrl + S”) when updating the current saved project, rather than “Save Project As”.
doesn’t that save everything into one channel instead of the 4 separate channels it was recorded on?
Correct. Best you can do is stereo that I know of.
I would still go to the effort to export in a standard sound format rather than save a live show as a Project. Projects for original work is not recommended.
I’m going to grab my coffee and take a step back. I’m not a Windows elf.
That is one heck of a Huge Bug. I would imagine almost all users use the “Save Project As” function because they want to preserve the original recording. With a bug this big 2.2.1 should be taken down until fixed or should come with a humongous warning so people understand that saving their work could botch the whole thing.
Thanks for everyone’s time. I have no idea what to do next because saving it as a WAV, in the beginning, is not a workaround when you have 4 channels that need to be edited separately, and neither is overwriting the original file by simply saving because “Save Project As” doesn’t work.
No, but you can make a unique show folder and copy the AUP file and _DATA folder into it. I personally would move the copy to another drive. Another variation is a ZIP archive of both file and folder.
Do Not change the names of either the AUP file or _DATA folder.
Koz
And just when wer’e getting all excited about this, how long is the show? Stereo WAV classic limit is 3 hours. Most times you can put up with the risk and save 6 hours.
That’s the file size limit. The classic limit is 2GB and three hours comes in about 1.91GB. Most systems are fine with 4GB and that will allow you to manage six hours. I mention this because I have two stand-alone recorders of modern vintage that still insist on 2GB file foldovers—switching to a new recorded sound file at the 2GB boundary.
It is “one heck of a Huge Bug” that is why the developers and QA have been working on it
The bug only arises if you use Save As rather than simply Save (repeatedly) to save to the existing project name.
If you use Save Project to save the current project (as intended) and Save Project As to save a copy to a different project name (as intended) then all will be well.
The good news is that the bug is already fixed (I tested it as OK on both Windows and macOS) and the fix will be in the soon upcoming 2.2.2 - we accelerated 2.2.2 development to fix this as soon as humanly poissible.
The bug only arises if you use Save As rather than simply Save (repeatedly) to save to the existing project name.
If you use Save Project to save the current project (as intended) and Save Project As to save a copy to a different project name (as intended) then all will be well.
So it occurs from non-standard use of the tool which is why there was no test for it.
And yes it is a “B” bug. Evil, unexpected behavior experienced by multiple people on multiple different machines.
Correct me, it does fail one requirement in that it be repeatable. Is it? My opinion based on postings it’s not. “Fails three times out of six.”
How did we find it and do we know the mechanism of failure?
Nope, utterly consistent failure when you follow the Steps to reproduce in the bugzilla log - tested on Windows 10 and macOS
The first Save As is OK it is the subsequent Save As after edits that cause the failure and data loss
From the original user posting on the Forum - and subsequent testing to confirm.
The Steps to reproduce in the Bugzilla entry were built to emulate what the user reported they had done.
I don’t but I’m sure Paul does - he wrote the fix for it - but I confirm it works, I tested on both platforms - so the fix will be in the soon to be upcoming 2.2.1
Indeed - all of us QA bods and developers use “Save” and “Save As” for their intended purpose - never using “Save As” as a direct replacement for “Save” - in fact I’m guessing that most of us just uses Ctrl+S/Cmd+S shortcuts.
Bill and I both recommended blocking the use of “Save As” to save to the currently open project - but Paul rejected that idea, wanting instead to fix the underlying problem.
BTW we have a parallel situation elsewhere in Audacity where we allow “File>Open” to open an audio file - except it doesn’t actually do that.
What it actually does is “Open” a new project and then silently and invisibly to the user “Imports” the audio file (making the user unaware of the mechanisms and leading them to believe wrongly that they are operating directly on their audio file). One again this is a mechanism that devs are QAers are unlikely to use (and thus test).
Fortunately there have been no bugs arising from this AFAIK - but there has been, as we know from the Forum, user confusion.
That is one heck of a Huge Bug. I would imagine almost all users use the “Save Project As” function because they want to preserve the original recording.
That’s not the bug. Save Project As sets you up to save the Project under a different name. Save Project sets you up for overwriting the original project. The bug is people using Save Project As and not introducing a new name.
That’s why it took so long to find. Who is their right mind would cross the commands like that? And again, as above, it doesn’t always happen.
Everyone agrees it’s a bug, but technically it’s not. A bug has to be easily reproducible on multiple different machines by multiple different users.
It’s far from easily reproducible. Further, it’s the result of people using the program wrong. You can’t check for all incorrect variations.
Indeed, I agree - and Bill proposed that as a solution we make Audacity inhibit the use of Save As to to overwrite the existing project (and I supported that) - nut Paul, As Release Manager, rejected that idea as he was determined to analyze and fix the underlying programming faults “under the hood”
The bug as logged in Bugzilla was perfectly reproducible every time, on Windows, on Mac an on all QA testers machines, if you follow the listed "Steps to reproduce: http://bugzilla.audacityteam.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1811
It didn’t actually take very long - my understanding was that this bug was only introduced very recently in 2.2.0 - and was only discovered by a user early after the release of 2.2.1 (which was itself a shot-term bug-fix release). After that report it took only a couple of days of QA team testing to isolate reproducibe causes - and the Paul went into action to fix the bug - fixed now in 2.2.2
Well plenty of other apps allow you to do this - Microsoft Word does it without complaint or warning - Excel does it with a warning
Personally I still think that we should inhibit the use of Save As in Audacity for the current project - and restrict it to the purpose for which it was designed - namely saving to an alternative project name. But there appears to be no support for that from among the developers (who are the only people that can make it happen).
What I will do, now that James is RM, is to canvass him to see if he is prepared to make this change. Can I assume, Koz, that I can add your support for this when I do?
he was determined to analyze and fix the underlying programming faults “under the hood”
So he wants to make Save As revert to Save actions safely and correctly if you don’t put a new filename in?
I think that’s dangerous. At least one poster assumed he was somehow getting separate, isolated versions of the show when he did that.
I can think of one variation. Save As will not allow any action without a filename, but will safely allow you to type in the same filename.
That allows maximum deniability and safety.
“Yes, poster, typing the original name is awkward, but you can use Save and get the same result much quicker.”
/or/
“It overwrote the original file because you explicitly told it to. It doesn’t work any other way.”