MP3 Export Crash

[ozboomer]

All you need to do is follow the instructions on the FAQ that the LAME download button in Audacity takes you to.
[...]
Follow the instructions right down to the bottom including removing the lines in audacity.cfg starting with

[MP3]
MP3LibPath=

When you restart Audacity, select LAME again using the "Locate LAME" dialogue that pops up when you click "Locate" in the Import / Export preferences. If there is any problem, the best thing is to click the "Browse" button, navigate to where lame_enc.dll is and select and open it.

Done to the letter... and the same problems as I originally described exist - Audacity does not recognize the 3.98-2 encoder (after selecting the "Locate..." button and selecting lame_enc.dll from the default 'Program FilesLame for Audacity' location, the Option window shows "MP3 Library Version: MP3 export library not found") whereas it does recognize the 3.97 encoder ("MP3 Library Version: LAME 3.97")... but using 3.97 crashes Audacity.

Out of interest, I also tried loading a couple of (binary) 3.98 versions that the LAME distribution web site refers to... and the following dialog was consistently displayed:

Code: Select all

You are linking to lame_enc.dll v3.98.  This version is not compatible with Audacity 1.3.7.  
Please download the latest version of the LAME MP3 library.

So it seems that, at the least, there is something awry with the LAME version detection in Audacity 1.3.7.

Back to finding extra disk space and using CLI LAME and manual encoding, methinks...

[Gale Andrews]

So how about if you delete the entire contents of audacity.cfg (not the file itself) and replace the contents with just this line at the top:

Code: Select all

 NewPrefsInitialized=1

It means losing all your old preferences so you might want to make a renamed copy of the file first.

Other than that, our problem is replicating the issue. You can by all means zip the v3.97 lame_enc.dll that Audacity recognises with the v3.98 one it does not and send it to me. I will grant that it's widely reported that 3.97 versions of lame_enc.dll will crash on export in 1.3.7, but they won't do it for us because Audacity reports them as invalid and won't try to use them. Getting rid of the path to the old .dll in the .cfg file has fixed the problem for everyone else we know about so far. You are definitely using the "Browse" button in LocateLame aren't you? And you are sure you have not still got an old .dll in C:Program FilesLame for Audacity, or the Audacity installation folder, or in the Plug-Ins folder inside that (that is, where Audacity will look for it)?

http://lame.buanzo.com.ar/Lame_v3.98.2_ ... indows.exe installs LAME.exe in C:Program FilesLame for Audacity, so will enable you to export as MP3 in Audacity by selecting "(external program)" in the "Save as type" dropdown instead of "MP3 files". Click the "Options" button if you want to customise the command.


Gale

[ozboomer]

So how about if you delete the entire contents of audacity.cfg (not the file itself) and replace the contents with just this line at the top:

Code: Select all

 NewPrefsInitialized=1

It means losing all your old preferences so you might want to make a renamed copy of the file first.

Nope, no joy with that, either.

Other than that, our problem is replicating the issue. You can by all means zip the v3.97 lame_enc.dll that Audacity recognises with the v3.98 one it does not and send it to me.

See details in a PM I'm about to send.

FYI, I've done a search on the entire system disk (where Windows is installed) and there are no other lame_enc.dll files anywhere on there other than the one in 'Lame for Audacity'.

'tis (still) a puzzlement...

[Gale Andrews]

Other than that, our problem is replicating the issue. You can by all means zip the v3.97 lame_enc.dll that Audacity recognises with the v3.98 one it does not and send it to me.

See details in a PM I'm about to send.

FYI, I've done a search on the entire system disk (where Windows is installed) and there are no other lame_enc.dll files anywhere on there other than the one in 'Lame for Audacity'.

Thanks for the zip file with the two LAME files. I reset my 1.3.8 Preferences by removing all except "NewPrefsInitialized=1" from audacity.cfg, put the 3.97 dll in the Audacity installation folder then launched Audacity. The 3.97 dll crashes on export here too, so we'll try and figure out why Audacity does not just reject it. It does reject other 3.97 copies I have here.

Now I deleted the 3.97 dll from the Audacity installation folder and replaced it with the 3.98 one from your zip. I launched Audacity (audacity cfg did not need resetting as the crash prevented it being written to on exit). I opened preferences and saw LAME had already been recognised and exported an MP3 fine. Note that the file must be called "lame_enc.dll" - it will not work if the underscore is missing or there is some other renaming.

Other than "distributing" the dll to you inside an Audacity development build, plus a replacement audacity.cfg, I am not sure what else I can do. I had to do that with someone else who swore he could not get the dll recognised, but it was recognised in the build I sent him when he tried it.


Gale

[ozboomer]

'lo again...

Thanks for the zip file with the two LAME files. I reset my 1.3.8 Preferences by removing all except "NewPrefsInitialized=1" from audacity.cfg, put the 3.97 dll in the Audacity installation folder then launched Audacity.

Hang on... the Program FilesAudacity folder OR the Program FilesLame for Audacity!?!? ...not that it really makes any difference. Note that the actual installer for 1.3.7 installs to a folder called Program FilesAudacity 1.3.7Beta or something similar -- I even tried changing the name of that folder in the hope it may make a difference...)

I collected the file Lame_v3.98.2_for_Audacity_on_Windows.exe and ran it and it created Program FilesLame for Audacity... and in that folder was the lame_enc.dll file (the v3.98-2 version). Now, if I left it there, in its installed directory... OR if I moved it to Program FilesAudacity ... OR Program FilesAudacityPlug-Ins ... at no time, did Audacity 'automatically' detect it (although it DID automatically detect v3.97 when it was in the Program FilesAudacity folder or in the Program FilesAudacityPlug-Ins folder). Neither was it recognized when I Browsed to it and loaded it...

One very interesting thing.. I tried using regsrv32.exe to load each version of the .dll ... and I got totally different errors (useless, I am, that I didn't capture the error messages!)... and this, after fiddling with restore points, rebooting, trying regsvr32 on 3.97... ERROR... restore... regsrv32 on 3.98-2... and totally different error... so the behaviour (and probably the build parameters) of each of the .dll files are different.

If you have the OLE Viewer from the development kit, it might show something in each of the .dll files -- I don't have that utility but I understand it can give some clues on .dll files.

[Gale Andrews]

Thanks for the zip file with the two LAME files. I reset my 1.3.8 Preferences by removing all except "NewPrefsInitialized=1" from audacity.cfg, put the 3.97 dll in the Audacity installation folder then launched Audacity.

Hang on... the Program FilesAudacity folder OR the Program FilesLame for Audacity!?!? ...not that it really makes any difference. Note that the actual installer for 1.3.7 installs to a folder called Program FilesAudacity 1.3.7Beta or something similar -- I even tried changing the name of that folder in the hope it may make a difference...)

I meant the Audacity installation folder, as I said, which is fine for the purposes of testing. If lame_enc.dll is in C:Program FilesLame for Audacity (where the LAME installer puts it) or in the Audacity installation folder, or in the Plug-Ins folder inside that, the dll should be autodetected without browsing for it, as long as it's called "lame_enc.dll". The Audacity installation folder can be wherever you like (though by default the Audacity installer will install to "C:Program FilesAudacity 1.3 Beta (Unicode)".

I collected the file Lame_v3.98.2_for_Audacity_on_Windows.exe and ran it and it created Program FilesLame for Audacity... and in that folder was the lame_enc.dll file (the v3.98-2 version). Now, if I left it there, in its installed directory... OR if I moved it to Program FilesAudacity ... OR Program FilesAudacityPlug-Ins ... at no time, did Audacity 'automatically' detect it (although it DID automatically detect v3.97 when it was in the Program FilesAudacity folder or in the Program FilesAudacityPlug-Ins folder). Neither was it recognized when I Browsed to it and loaded it...

One very interesting thing.. I tried using regsrv32.exe to load each version of the .dll ... and I got totally different errors (useless, I am, that I didn't capture the error messages!)... and this, after fiddling with restore points, rebooting, trying regsvr32 on 3.97... ERROR... restore... regsrv32 on 3.98-2... and totally different error... so the behaviour (and probably the build parameters) of each of the .dll files are different.

If you have the OLE Viewer from the development kit, it might show something in each of the .dll files -- I don't have that utility but I understand it can give some clues on .dll files.

None of these hoops should be necessary and as I keep trying to reiterate, until we can recreate the correct 3.98.2 dll not being recognised as you seem to be experiencing, we can't rectify it. I've asked Leland (who knows the most about the internal workings of lame_enc.dll) to cast an eye over this thread.

Meantime (at least here), we have fixed the crash with the 3.97 dll in your zip. This 3.97 dll is built in a way Audacity is able to use, which is why it detects it. So if you want to grab this:
http://www.gaclrecords.org.uk/audacity- ... -alpha.zip

you might find that you can now export MP3s using the 3.97 dll you put in your zip.

Thanks

Gale

[Leland]

For those that are having problems loading the 3.98.2 version of the lame library, could you tell me what operating system your running? I don't suspect that has anything to do with it, but I'd like to test on a clean install of the same one where the issue is occurring.

So far, I've run testing using an ANSI build of Audacity on Win98 using the latest Audacity and lame libraries from http://www.gaclrecords.org.uk/audacity.html. And a self built Audacity on Windows XP. The library has been recognized everytime.

Thanks,

Leland

[ozboomer]

Hi all, once more...

First up, I took the standard installation of the 1.3.7 Beta and copied the files and structure into a different directory. The audacity-win-1.3.8-alpha.zip archive seems to just be a zipped-up directory structure so I assume I can drop it into the 1.3.7 beta directory with no dramas...

If lame_enc.dll is in C:Program FilesLame for Audacity (where the LAME installer puts it) or in the Audacity installation folder, or in the Plug-Ins folder inside that, the dll should be autodetected without browsing for it, as long as it's called "lame_enc.dll".

Well, that certainly happens... although, the same old problems occur when any encoding is required; that is, a v3.98-2 lame_enc.dll is not found (at encode time) even though the FILE is automatically found or browsed and found. A v3.97 lame_enc.dll file IS both found automatically AND is used Ok at encode time... and the v3.97 lame_enc.dll included in audacity-win-1.3.8-alpha.zip does its encoding now without crashing Audacity... however, there are other problems.

A v3.98-2 lame_enc.dll still doesn't work in any fashion. The revised v3.97 lame_enc.dll, when used 'out of the box', produces an MP3 file that sounds horrible. I've uploaded an archive of some examples - ex1.zip ... link

There are a few files in this archive:

• EX1-Wav-a.wav is a .wav format file created by this version of Audacity. It sounds clear and has no problems. ffmpeg reports:
  

  Code: Select all

  Input #0, wav, from 'EX1-Wav-a.wav':
    Duration: 00:00:10.0, start: 0.000000, bitrate: 1411 kb/s
    Stream #0.0: Audio: pcm_s16le, 44100 Hz, stereo, 1411 kb/s

• EX1-WLame-a.mp3 is an MP3 format version of the .wav file encoded with WinLAME. To my ear, this sounds every bit as clear as the .wav. ffmpeg reports:
  

  Code: Select all

  Input #0, mp3, from 'EX1-WLame-a.mp3':
    Duration: 00:00:10.4, start: 0.000000, bitrate: 128 kb/s
    Stream #0.0: Audio: mp3, 44100 Hz, stereo, 128 kb/s

• EX1-Aud-a.mp3 is the MP3 format file created by the 'revised' v3.97 lame_enc.dll when selected from the 1.3.8 Alpha installation... and it sounds pretty awful. There seems to be all sorts of nasty artefacts in the file. ffmpeg reports:
  

  Code: Select all

  Input #0, mp3, from 'EX1-Aud-a.mp3':
    Duration: 00:00:10.1, start: 0.000000, bitrate: 128 kb/s
    Stream #0.0: Audio: mp3, 44100 Hz, stereo, 128 kb/s

To the other questions:

For those that are having problems loading the 3.98.2 version of the lame library, could you tell me what operating system your running?

I'm using Windows XP Professional 2002 with no service packs installed (no direct internet connectivity for that PC)... and another PC that is using Windows XP Professional 2002 with Service Pack 2.

Some other thoughts..

I've tried using these new versions on a couple of PCs now and I keep having the same troubles... but one trivial thing that might be interesting to try as well -- I've also installed Audacity on an 'E:' drive as well as on 'C:' and I get the same problems... but it might be worthwhile seeing if that makes any difference from your (development) side; I've seen weird behaviour like this in other applications where a path only is checked and not a device.

[Gale Andrews]

If lame_enc.dll is in C:Program FilesLame for Audacity (where the LAME installer puts it) or in the Audacity installation folder, or in the Plug-Ins folder inside that, the dll should be autodetected without browsing for it, as long as it's called "lame_enc.dll".

Well, that certainly happens... although, the same old problems occur when any encoding is required; that is, a v3.98-2 lame_enc.dll is not found (at encode time) even though the FILE is automatically found or browsed and found. A v3.97 lame_enc.dll file IS both found automatically AND is used Ok at encode time... and the v3.97 lame_enc.dll included in audacity-win-1.3.8-alpha.zip does its encoding now without crashing Audacity.

So you are saying that when you export as MP3 using 3.98.2, instead of export occurring, the "Locate LAME" dialogue pops up, or some other behaviour, if so, what exactly?

The revised v3.97 lame_enc.dll, when used 'out of the box', produces an MP3 file that sounds horrible... EX1-Aud-a.mp3[/b] is the MP3 format file created by the 'revised' v3.97 lame_enc.dll when selected from the 1.3.8 Alpha installation... and it sounds pretty awful. There seems to be all sorts of nasty artefacts in the file. ffmpeg reports: 44100 Hz, stereo, 128 kb/s

We don't support v3.97 in Audacity any longer - you just happen to have a 3.97 version that Audacity accepts. LAME v3.97 is well known to suffer from "warbling" distortion unless you use higher bit rates (circa 192 kbps or higher). To avoid this you need a non-beta LAME 3.98.

I'm using Windows XP Professional 2002 with no service packs installed (no direct internet connectivity for that PC)... and another PC that is using Windows XP Professional 2002 with Service Pack 2. I've tried using these new versions on a couple of PCs now and I keep having the same troubles... but one trivial thing that might be interesting to try as well -- I've also installed Audacity on an 'E:' drive as well as on 'C:' and I get the same problems... but it might be worthwhile seeing if that makes any difference from your (development) side; I've seen weird behaviour like this in other applications where a path only is checked and not a device.

If Audacity autodetects lame_enc.dll from a clean audacity.cfg (meaning it has no contents other than "NewPrefsInitialized=1") then no path is ever read or written anywhere, except the internal one that apparently allows detection to work.

You could try some other angles. Right-click over audacity.exe and try running as administrator (if you are not already doing so). Try right-clicking over audacity.exe > Properties and using other compatibility modes.

Otherwise, unless Leland can think of some obscure reason for what you alone are seeing, or until we can reproduce it, then probably you should use the other alternatives such as WinLAME, or export MP3 with Audacity via the command line (external program) option, purely because chasing a bug that only one person can reproduce really isn't time-effective from anyone's point of view.



Gale

[ozboomer]

[Otherwise, unless Leland can think of some obscure reason for what you alone are seeing, or until we can reproduce it, then probably you should use the other alternatives such as WinLAME, or export MP3 with Audacity via the command line (external program) option, purely because chasing a bug that only one person can reproduce really isn't time-effective from anyone's point of view.

I think that's fair... Heck, I've developed enough software over the decades to understand that thinking ...and I wouldn't want you fiddling about with something peculiar if I am! the only dill who's having these troubles given that you have 1000s of other users who aren't!

I'll roll-back to using 1.2.x/LAME 3.9x and/or using the new version with the WinLAME workaround for now... and Thanks! for the efforts.