Question about error message

[drystream]

I recorded 3 hours of a music DVD but when I went to edit the file I got this error message: Cannot open file:....~side1.m4a error 1685348671 (dta?)

I was recording the entire thing as side 1 in ALAC format at 24/48 resolution.  Is there some limit on file size that caused the problem?  The unedited m4a file is 2.32 GB.  On the Record tab the file has the annotation (bad file) in the yellow box after the artist/title.

[Paul Sanders (AlpineSoft)]

Hi,

There's no problem with the file size that I know of.  Can iTunes read the file?  I'd like to examine the file but it's too large for our server.  Where in the world are you?  Is there any prospect of burning it to a DVD and posting it to us (UK)?

[Paul Sanders (AlpineSoft)]

Update: looking at the code, I think VinylStudio will mess up with file sizes greater than 2GB.  This is something we will fix in the next release, when the limit will be raised to 4GB (a limit imposed by the MP4 file format itself).  In the meantime, perhaps you could record your DVD at 16/48.  You should then sneak in under the current 2GB limit.

[drystream]

Thanks for looking into it Paul.  I probably should have recorded each of the 2 discs separately and wouldn't have run into the problem.  I'm always a little uneasy when recording multiple LPs in one file too--I anticipate getting to the last side and messing up somehow and having to re-do the whole works.  It's just a little easier to edit the albums in one file.  BTW, I'm in Colorado in the U.S.

Also, FYI, I tried opening the file with Audacity and Quick Time, and they both also reported problems and wouldn't open it.  Lesson learned => don't put all your eggs in one basket!

[drystream]

Paul,
In passing you mentioned the 'next release'.  There's one thing in the current release that has been mildly annoying--the big red squares in the middle of the track break markers.

I've been re-recording some albums and frequently have to adjust all the track markers a little, by holding down the Option key and moving them to the right or left.  Those big red squares make it hard to precisely place the marker at the beginning of the next track. [I don't usually separate the red from the green marker, unless there is a lot of noise between tracks.]

Could the solid squares be made open squares so that the waveform is visible when making the adjustments?  Or maybe move them up or down along the track marker?  I guess I'm not really sure what purpose the squares serve, other than to let you know you're moving multiple track markers.

[Paul Sanders (AlpineSoft)]

Actually, they are there to let you adjust the faders.  As such they need to be in the middle of the marker because that's where the faders are.  I'll see about making them hollow.

[drystream]

...faders...of course.  I do use them occasionally with live albums.  No need for any changes really--the markers are OK as is--not worth any progamming effort.  BTW, thanks for the tweaks to the faders in that the adjusted values stay put instead of going back to a system-set value.

[Paul Sanders (AlpineSoft)]

Making them hollow is a one line change.  We will do it.