ffmpeg library loading logic needs to be updated
Posted: Sun Feb 01, 2015 10:15 pm
Using Audacity 2.0.6 on Windows 7 SP1 x64. Wasted a lot of time trying to get it to accept ffmpeg-2.5.2-win32-shared package containing avformat-56.dll. I could browse to the DLL, select it, and click OK, but the message in the window remained "FFmpeg not found".
Finally I tried an older version, 2.2.3 which apparently has avformat-55.dll and that worked. It appears someone hardcoded library version 55 into the logic which I believe is a mistake. Typically when a version of ffmpeg is specified by dependent software, it should be a minimum version, not the only acceptable version, because libraries such as these normally have API backware compatibility, at least within major versions.
Even if a decision was made not to allow this newer version, we should be presented with an error dialog like, "Found ffmpeg library too new. Ignoring" or something.
Finally I tried an older version, 2.2.3 which apparently has avformat-55.dll and that worked. It appears someone hardcoded library version 55 into the logic which I believe is a mistake. Typically when a version of ffmpeg is specified by dependent software, it should be a minimum version, not the only acceptable version, because libraries such as these normally have API backware compatibility, at least within major versions.
Even if a decision was made not to allow this newer version, we should be presented with an error dialog like, "Found ffmpeg library too new. Ignoring" or something.