Getting "Couldn't find the project data folder" error. What to do?

Hi all,

I’ve read through many similar posts here but nothing seems to be working.

A long project was recorded, and while saving at the end the computer restarted. I was left with e00>d01,d02,d03 etc, each with hundreds of .au files, but no .aup file.

After being able to recover the .aup file and putting it in the same folder as the data file, I tried to open it but get “Error opening project” "Couldn’t find the project data folder:___"

Both the project.aup and project_data folders both within the same folder (nothing else in there). I also opened the project.aup file in a text editor and updated the projectname attribute to be identical to that of the .aup file. So now what I have in the same folder is:
/project.aup (the file), and
/project_data (the folder containing the above mentioned folders and files)

Here is that project code block

<project xmlns="http://audacity.sourceforge.net/xml/" projname="project_data" version="1.3.0" audacityversion="2.2.2" sel0="6986.2806349206" sel1="6986.2806349206" vpos="0" h="6979.7558276644" zoom="86.1328125000" rate="44100.0" snapto="off" selectionformat="hh:mm:ss + milliseconds" frequencyformat="Hz" bandwidthformat="octaves">

That said, this appears to have been recorded in 2.2.2 (according to this block) and I’m working on Audacity 3.1.3, if this means anything.
I’m also running MacOS 10.15.7.
I also tried to download 2.2.2 to see if opening it in that would help, but it continually crashed and I downloaded 2.4.2, also with no luck opening it. I get the same error messages but a different log.

Here are the error codes from the 3.1.3 log along with the support data generated:

13:56:12: File name is /path/project.aup
13:56:12: Mime type is *
13:56:12: Opening with legacyaup
13:56:12: Open(/path/project.aup) succeeded
13:56:13: Error: Internal error in importer...tag not recognized



13:49:19: Audacity 3.1.3
13:49:19: sqlite3 message: (1) no such table: project in "SELECT 1 FROM project LIMIT 1;"
13:49:19: Error: dlopen(/Library/Application Support/audacity/libs/ffmpeg.58.64bit.dylib, 2): image not found
13:49:19: Error: dlopen(/usr/local/lib/audacity/ffmpeg.58.64bit.dylib, 2): image not found
13:49:19: Error: dlopen(ffmpeg.58.64bit.dylib, 2): image not found
13:49:19: Error: Failed to load ffmpeg.58.64bit.dylib ((null))
13:49:19: Error: dlopen(/Library/Application Support/audacity/libs/libavformat.58.dylib, 2): image not found
13:49:19: Error: dlopen(/usr/local/lib/audacity/libavformat.58.dylib, 2): image not found
13:49:19: Error: dlopen(libavformat.58.dylib, 2): image not found
13:49:19: Error: Failed to load libavformat.58.dylib ((null))
13:49:19: Error: dlopen(/Library/Application Support/audacity/libs/ffmpeg.57.64bit.dylib, 2): image not found
13:49:19: Error: dlopen(/usr/local/lib/audacity/ffmpeg.57.64bit.dylib, 2): image not found
13:49:19: Error: dlopen(ffmpeg.57.64bit.dylib, 2): image not found
13:49:19: Error: Failed to load ffmpeg.57.64bit.dylib ((null))
13:49:19: Error: dlopen(/Library/Application Support/audacity/libs/libavformat.57.dylib, 2): image not found
13:49:19: Error: dlopen(/usr/local/lib/audacity/libavformat.57.dylib, 2): image not found
13:49:19: Error: dlopen(libavformat.57.dylib, 2): image not found
13:49:19: Error: Failed to load libavformat.57.dylib ((null))
13:49:19: Error: dlopen(/Library/Application Support/audacity/libs/ffmpeg.55.64bit.dylib, 2): image not found
13:49:19: Error: dlopen(/usr/local/lib/audacity/ffmpeg.55.64bit.dylib, 2): image not found
13:49:19: Error: dlopen(ffmpeg.55.64bit.dylib, 2): image not found
13:49:19: Error: Failed to load ffmpeg.55.64bit.dylib ((null))
13:49:19: Error: dlopen(/Library/Application Support/audacity/libs/libavformat.55.dylib, 2): image not found
13:49:19: Error: dlopen(/usr/local/lib/audacity/libavformat.55.dylib, 2): image not found
13:49:19: Error: dlopen(libavformat.55.dylib, 2): image not found
13:49:19: Error: Failed to load libavformat.55.dylib ((null))
13:49:19: File name is /path/project.aup
13:49:19: Mime type is *
13:49:19: Opening with legacyaup
13:49:19: Open(/path/project.aup) succeeded
13:49:22: Error: Internal error in importer...tag not recognized
13:49:48: sqlite3 message: (1) no such table: project in "SELECT 1 FROM project LIMIT 1;"
13:52:46: File name is /path/project.aup
13:52:46: Mime type is *
13:52:46: Opening with legacyaup
13:52:46: Open(/path/project.aup) succeeded
13:52:48: Error: Internal error in importer...tag not recognized
13:53:37: File name is /path/project.aup
13:53:37: Mime type is *
13:53:37: Opening with legacyaup
13:53:37: Open(/path/project.aup) succeeded
13:53:38: Error: Internal error in importer...tag not recognized
13:54:22: File name is /path/project.aup
13:54:22: Mime type is *
13:54:22: Opening with legacyaup
13:54:22: Open(/path/project.aup) succeeded
13:54:24: Error: Internal error in importer...tag not recognized
13:56:12: File name is /path/project.aup
13:56:12: Mime type is *
13:56:12: Opening with legacyaup
13:56:12: Open(/path/project.aup) succeeded
13:56:13: Error: Internal error in importer...tag not recognized

Here are the logs from 2.4.2:

13:29:10: Audacity 2.4.2
13:29:10: Trying to load FFmpeg libraries...
13:29:10: Trying to load FFmpeg libraries from default path, '/Library/Application Support/audacity/libs/ffmpeg.55.64bit.dylib'.
13:29:10: Checking for monolithic avformat from '/Library/Application Support/audacity/libs/ffmpeg.55.64bit.dylib'.
13:29:10: Error: dlopen(/Library/Application Support/audacity/libs/ffmpeg.55.64bit.dylib, 1): image not found
13:29:10: Loading avutil from ''.
13:29:10: Error: dlopen(.bundle, 1): image not found
13:29:10: Loading avcodec from ''.
13:29:10: Error: dlopen(.bundle, 1): image not found
13:29:10: Loading avformat from '/Library/Application Support/audacity/libs/ffmpeg.55.64bit.dylib'.
13:29:10: Error: dlopen(/Library/Application Support/audacity/libs/ffmpeg.55.64bit.dylib, 1): image not found
13:29:10: Error: Failed to load FFmpeg libraries.
13:29:10: Trying to load FFmpeg libraries from legacy path, '/usr/local/lib/audacity/ffmpeg.55.64bit.dylib'.
13:29:10: Checking for monolithic avformat from '/usr/local/lib/audacity/ffmpeg.55.64bit.dylib'.
13:29:10: Error: dlopen(/usr/local/lib/audacity/ffmpeg.55.64bit.dylib, 1): image not found
13:29:10: Loading avutil from ''.
13:29:10: Error: dlopen(.bundle, 1): image not found
13:29:10: Loading avcodec from ''.
13:29:10: Error: dlopen(.bundle, 1): image not found
13:29:10: Loading avformat from '/usr/local/lib/audacity/ffmpeg.55.64bit.dylib'.
13:29:10: Error: dlopen(/usr/local/lib/audacity/ffmpeg.55.64bit.dylib, 1): image not found
13:29:10: Error: Failed to load FFmpeg libraries.
13:29:10: Trying to load FFmpeg libraries from system paths. File name is 'ffmpeg.55.64bit.dylib'.
13:29:10: Checking for monolithic avformat from 'ffmpeg.55.64bit.dylib'.
13:29:10: Error: dlopen(ffmpeg.55.64bit.dylib, 1): image not found
13:29:10: Loading avutil from ''.
13:29:10: Error: dlopen(.bundle, 1): image not found
13:29:10: Loading avcodec from ''.
13:29:10: Error: dlopen(.bundle, 1): image not found
13:29:10: Loading avformat from 'ffmpeg.55.64bit.dylib'.
13:29:10: Error: dlopen(ffmpeg.55.64bit.dylib, 1): image not found
13:29:10: Error: Failed to load FFmpeg libraries.
13:29:10: Error: Failed to find compatible FFmpeg libraries.
13:29:14: Error: Could not parse file "/path/project.aup". 
Error: Could not load file: "/path/project.aup"

I hope this isn’t information overload, but I tried to provide more rather than less.
I also changed exact path names to just /path/ in the logs to not divulge personal info here.

What might my recourse here be?

Thanks a lot!

That’s fine. Better too much info than not enough.

That’s probably the clue.
Try looking in the .aup file for a malformed tag. If you post the .aup file then we can look too. (see here for how to attach a file to a forum post: https://forum.audacityteam.org/t/how-to-attach-files-to-forum-posts/24026/1)

Thanks for the speedy reply. project.aup file attached here.
Not sure what to be looking for so I didn’t find any apparent malformed tags.
project.aup (361 KB)

Neither did I.

Is “/path/” a normal read/write local disc location?

It should be. Hopefully this screenshot paints a complete picture (permissions on bottom-left)

Try moving the entire project (.aup and _data folder) out of the dropbox folder into a normal folder.

I tried that with no luck, then tried again from another location that has no backups/syncing at all. Log attached, which shows the multiple attempts.

15:20:18: Audacity 3.1.3
15:20:18: sqlite3 message: (1) no such table: project in "SELECT 1 FROM project LIMIT 1;"
15:20:18: Error: dlopen(/Library/Application Support/audacity/libs/ffmpeg.58.64bit.dylib, 2): image not found
15:20:18: Error: dlopen(/usr/local/lib/audacity/ffmpeg.58.64bit.dylib, 2): image not found
15:20:18: Error: dlopen(ffmpeg.58.64bit.dylib, 2): image not found
15:20:18: Error: Failed to load ffmpeg.58.64bit.dylib ((null))
15:20:18: Error: dlopen(/Library/Application Support/audacity/libs/libavformat.58.dylib, 2): image not found
15:20:18: Error: dlopen(/usr/local/lib/audacity/libavformat.58.dylib, 2): image not found
15:20:18: Error: dlopen(libavformat.58.dylib, 2): image not found
15:20:18: Error: Failed to load libavformat.58.dylib ((null))
15:20:18: Error: dlopen(/Library/Application Support/audacity/libs/ffmpeg.57.64bit.dylib, 2): image not found
15:20:18: Error: dlopen(/usr/local/lib/audacity/ffmpeg.57.64bit.dylib, 2): image not found
15:20:18: Error: dlopen(ffmpeg.57.64bit.dylib, 2): image not found
15:20:18: Error: Failed to load ffmpeg.57.64bit.dylib ((null))
15:20:18: Error: dlopen(/Library/Application Support/audacity/libs/libavformat.57.dylib, 2): image not found
15:20:18: Error: dlopen(/usr/local/lib/audacity/libavformat.57.dylib, 2): image not found
15:20:18: Error: dlopen(libavformat.57.dylib, 2): image not found
15:20:18: Error: Failed to load libavformat.57.dylib ((null))
15:20:18: Error: dlopen(/Library/Application Support/audacity/libs/ffmpeg.55.64bit.dylib, 2): image not found
15:20:18: Error: dlopen(/usr/local/lib/audacity/ffmpeg.55.64bit.dylib, 2): image not found
15:20:18: Error: dlopen(ffmpeg.55.64bit.dylib, 2): image not found
15:20:18: Error: Failed to load ffmpeg.55.64bit.dylib ((null))
15:20:18: Error: dlopen(/Library/Application Support/audacity/libs/libavformat.55.dylib, 2): image not found
15:20:18: Error: dlopen(/usr/local/lib/audacity/libavformat.55.dylib, 2): image not found
15:20:18: Error: dlopen(libavformat.55.dylib, 2): image not found
15:20:18: Error: Failed to load libavformat.55.dylib ((null))
15:20:19: File name is /Users/name/Documents/Misc Folder/Audio Project/project.aup
15:20:19: Mime type is *
15:20:19: Opening with legacyaup
15:20:19: Open(/Users/name/Documents/Misc Folder/Audio Project/project.aup) succeeded
15:20:21: Error: Internal error in importer...tag not recognized
15:21:19: sqlite3 message: (1) no such table: project in "SELECT 1 FROM project LIMIT 1;"
15:21:19: File name is /Users/name/NoSync/Audio Project/project.aup
15:21:19: Mime type is *
15:21:19: Opening with legacyaup
15:21:19: Open(/Users/name/NoSync/Audio Project/project.aup) succeeded
15:21:23: Error: Internal error in importer...tag not recognized
15:21:35: sqlite3 message: (1) no such table: project in "SELECT 1 FROM project LIMIT 1;"
15:21:35: File name is /Users/name/NoSync/Audio Project/project.aup
15:21:35: Mime type is *
15:21:35: Opening with legacyaup
15:21:35: Open(/Users/name/NoSync/Audio Project/project.aup) succeeded
15:21:37: Error: Internal error in importer...tag not recognized
15:21:44: sqlite3 message: (1) no such table: project in "SELECT 1 FROM project LIMIT 1;"

Is it possible there is a compatibility issue given that this was recorded on 2.2.2 and I’m trying to open in 3.1.4?

I’m also happy to share the entire project with you to see if you can open it, simply to confirm the issue is within the project itself, and not something else.

I have an update and I’m not sure if it’s good or bad.

I found the issue that may have been at fault for the initial problem. Turns out the _data file had an extension tacked onto it, no idea how. The extension didn’t show on the file name in Finder, rather only when I “got info” on the file. Getting rid of that extension allowed me to update file names accordingly and the project could open!

However, some files may have gotten lost or been corrupted unfortunately, so now onto the journey to fix that.

Let me ask though:
I downloaded an earlier version of Audacity to assist with Troubleshooting (2.4.1), and I also have 3.1.4. What’s odd is that I get different error messages when I try to open the file in each version.

2.4.1 error messages:
First this: https://i.gyazo.com/573d71aa9c93a7f6cf8490c1310f4437.png
And then after I select the second option I see this: https://i.gyazo.com/b8a15df468f865ddb0fe2b789cfac283.png

And the 3.1.4 error message is just this: https://i.gyazo.com/90c4d4d4dba81819cf7654ea527fc327.png
Following which the project opens and has long gaps of silence.

What is this saying? And does this discrepancy between the error messages mean anything?

Also, I very much appreciate your help in this!

You know 3.1.4 is not the current, stable, supported Audacity version, right? 3.1.3 is current.

You’re complaining about having problems with experimental software.

Koz

There is and never will be a 3.1.4 - the next release and the one that is in alpha test (or pre-alpha even and very experimental) is 3.2.0

Peter.

There is and never will be a 3.1.4

At least not from Audacity. If you do have a 3.1.4, you may have gotten it from someone else. You can ask them if you have problems.

Koz

My mistake, it is 3.1.3 I’m running, not 3.1.4.

I’m running, not 3.1.4.

We have to build your case with a minimum of information (across multiple time zones), so having a mistake anywhere can cause a lot of confusion.

I also opened the project.aup file in a text editor and updated the projectname attribute to be identical to that of the .aup file.

Did you get all of them? That’s not recommended. You should use the listing at the top of the AUP file (the original, real name) and change the name of the AUP file and the name of the _DATA folder to match.

You are correct. They have to be in the same location or folder. They have to be named the same and it has to be the name you gave them inside Audacity (or you have to get lucky).

Did you keep all the original files in case you had to back up and start the rescue process over?

Audacity hates external, network, and cloud drives. It’s not arbitrary. Audacity assumes that whatever drive you assign to it can handle the most important, critical, time-constrained jobs. That’s not possible if your cloud drive is in the next time zone. So if you do have actual data damage that’s probably where it came from. Audacity doesn’t understand network collision detection and resend management. Stay on your internal drive until you’re finished.

Was this job an edit? If it was then the possibility of total rescue is zero. Sometimes, under certain circumstances, and with the proper magic spells, you can rescue most of a damaged, unedited recording. There have been shows posted on the forum which came back. But those are unicorns.

You should decide what you’re going to do if the show doesn’t come back in a usable form.

Koz

I liked Audacity 2.4.2 and went from that to 3.1.3. I sent a number of successful shows through 2.4.2.

3.1.3 is expected to open healthy Audacity 2 shows.

Koz