Import audio crash

[rrm]

Using 1.3.14-beta with Vista worked well, but suddenly went wrong.
I have "merged" almost 70 audio tracks without any problem. In total 5h:32m.
Trying to import more audio, independent of which mp3 track, audacity is freezes and is forced to shut down with windows message that it doesn't react anymore.

Is there a maximum of files you can import and "merge"?
Or a maximum of total time?

Has anyone experienced the same problem and found a solution?

[kozikowski]

Neither one. There's a limit on the amount of space your computer has. Audacity works internally at uncompressed, very high quality 32-bit floating, not MP3, so your teensy, compressed MP3 file expands to something like 1GB per hour. That's 5-1/2 GB for your show and with editing and UNDO, you could be talking about keeping a 15GB production up in the air. How much memory do you have? How much hard drive space do you have, keeping in mind that you're going to have to save this massive file somewhere. There is a 4GB limit to most Windows machines for a single file.

We tell people there's no theoretical limit to the size of your project, but there are some very practical limits.

Most players have tools that allow you to play musical segments back to back with no gaps. Why would you want to create a massive sound file that nobody will be able to play, and further, you won't be able to export it or transmit it anywhere?

You will not be able to re-export the work as another MP3 without musical damage. Sequential MP3 exports damage music significantly. We warn people constantly not to do production in MP3. If your destination is a Music CD with its uncompressed format, then OK, but the next step is to load it onto your iPod or iPhone, then you may get serious gargling, honking and bubbling in the sound.

Koz

[rrm]

Working with 4Gb RAM, 40Gb of drive space at the C: and 90Gb in a temporary directory at another drive (Vista, 32bit, NTFS).
I use mainly OGG and (insane compressed) MP3.
The reason for this large project is a party in my backyard. Each track is mixed at the end/beginning the way I want and not some software decides.
Until now (the 5h30min), my H340 (Iriver), has no problems in playing it.
I probably will make a second project for the final tracks, export both and merge them with audacity.

[steve]

Is there a maximum of files you can import and "merge"?
Or a maximum of total time?

"Audacity Beta projects containing more than 2^31 samples will re-open empty with the entire data being seen as "orphaned files" (although the data "appears" to be in the correct location expected by the .aup file). Workaround: Before saving or closing the project, export the recordings to audio files of appropriate size, or cut and paste sections of the recording containing less than 2^31 samples to new Audacity projects and save those."

See here for more information: http://wiki.audacityteam.org/wiki/Recording_length

[rrm]

See here for more information: http://wiki.audacityteam.org/wiki/Recording_length

The wiki is clear but still gives me the feeling something else is the problem.
There is more than enough empty disk space and more than half of my RAM is doing "nothing".
I switched all the tracks to 16bit in stead of 32, but it gave exact the same error.
Increasing my swap file to 10Gb instead of the automatically signed 3,5Gb didn't change the error.
Maybe I'm just acting stupid, but I don't completely understand it.

[Edgar]

Using 1.3.14-beta
windows message that it doesn't react anymore.

You might not be waiting long enough. The "(Not Responding)" message does not always mean the app has crashed; it will appear any time an app is taking a long time (in computer terms) to perform a calculation series without checking for messages from Windows.

I just tried something like what you are doing and also had a problem with 1.3.15-alpha. I waited at least 5 minutes and Audacity still seemed "hung". My steps were to Generate 5 hours, 30 minutes & 1 second of default noise in Mono then try to import a 15 minute stereo WAV. I got fed up waiting and clicked the Close button which worked but the WAV audio showed an empty track still.

[rrm]

You might not be waiting long enough. The "(Not Responding)" message does not always mean the app has crashed; it will appear any time an app is taking a long time (in computer terms) to perform a calculation series without checking for messages from Windows.

It is not a freezing problem, audacity is automatically shut down, there is no option of waiting.

[steve]

It is not a freezing problem, audacity is automatically shut down, there is no option of waiting.

audacity is freezes and is forced to shut down with windows message that it doesn't react anymore.

These two statements appear to be contradictory. Can you clarify?

[rrm]

It is not a freezing problem, audacity is automatically shut down, there is no option of waiting.

audacity is freezes and is forced to shut down with windows message that it doesn't react anymore.

These two statements appear to be contradictory. Can you clarify?

Windows instantly gives a notification (after audacity freezes) when I try to import an audio track and automatically shuts down the program.
I've had the problem of not responding, but in that case after a couple of seconds everything was back to normal. This problem doesn't give/have the possibility of waiting, it shuts down immediately.

[steve]

What settings do you have in "Edit menu > Preferences > Quality"?