Bug Report: SF8 Batch Converter -Sound Forge - PC - MAGIX Community Forums Archive

Subject:Bug Report: SF8 Batch Converter Posted by: Vocalpoint Date:3/15/2005 7:20:28 AM I put the new SF8 to work last night on a standard VO project and came across a couple of things that I would like Dev or someone else to look into. 1. VST Plugins in Process Tab. For my session last night - I wanted to use my standard gate for VO - my UAD-1 GateComp with the Noise Blocker preset selected. I was bale to add this effect and the Batch Processor displayed the correct preset, but when I ran my 3 files through the batch - the effect (which should have been very obvious on the final files) was not applied at all. The batched files were converted to MP3 correctly but no noise gate was present on the files. Oddly - switching to the VST UltraFunk Sonitus Gate, the effect worked perfectly. I rechecked the UAD-1 gate - and to my ears - it's seemed that the Batch processor did use the UAD-1 gate but just would only use the very first preset - which was "Default". This preset does block some noise but most of the file content gets thru. At least that's what the result files sounded like. 2. Metadata Tab While I must admit - it took me a long while to clue into the direct connection between the metadata that can be set via File->Properties->Extended and the metadata which can be accessed via the MetaData Tab in the Batch processor - I found the Metadata Tab in the BP and it's save function to be super flaky. Example - for my very first batch process - I stepped thru the tabs left to right filling in the required elements and adding effects etc as required. Then I saved the batch job by clicking the Save File icon. That worked great. Except when I want to change some attributes of the batch job. So I reloaded the Batch Processor (which opens empty everytime...maybe an option here to load last job at startup?), clicked the Open icon and reloaded my first saved batch. I went to the Metadat tab and changed some things like Title and Genre...then I click Save and ran the batch. Well - the metadat that appeared in my converted files was the same as when I first saved the batch job...NOT using the updated metadat elements that I though I saved. I ran thru this a bunch of times to see if I was seeing thing...but I can repro every time. The best was to get around this I found was to go into the File->Properties->Extended as mentioned earlier - once in there - I set all the metadata fields to the values that I wanted and then clicked Default to save these choices as a global default for all files. Once this was done - I could load 3 or 10 or 50 files in to the Batch Processor and all my metadat was correct for all files. If anyone from Dev or anyone using SF8 can comment on this - I would appreciate it. So far - this new version is most excellent! Cheers!
Subject:RE: Bug Report: SF8 Batch Converter Reply by: Sonic Date:3/15/2005 7:41:54 AM For (1), I don't have a UAD handy, but we'll look into it. You might try tweaking a knob or two after selecting the preset to help isolate the problem a bit. For (2), unless you have Overwrite enabled, the existing metadata in the file takes precedence. Is it possible that you were re-running the loaded batch job on files that already had their metadata filled in? J.
Subject:RE: Bug Report: SF8 Batch Converter Reply by: Vocalpoint Date:3/15/2005 8:13:01 AM Sonic, "For (1), I don't have a UAD handy, but we'll look into it. You might try tweaking a knob or two after selecting the preset to help isolate the problem a bit." Will do. I will report back after a session tonight. "For (2), unless you have Overwrite enabled, the existing metadata in the file takes precedence. Is it possible that you were re-running the loaded batch job on files that already had their metadata filled in?" I fooled around with Overwrite and became familar with what it was doing...however - this issue was more about creating a batch job with certain metadata set...then saving it. Then coming back into BC and re-opening that job...changing some metadata and resaving the job as a .bj file. In my tests - I was finding the changed metadata was not saved/updated as it should be. I was getting so massively confused with the metadata within the processed files that I gave up creating new files and just concentrated on seeing whether or not my actual batch job was being saved correctly. One of my biggest reasons for reconsidering SF into my workflow (I switched to Wavelab after SF 6.0 fell way short for me) is the inclusion of the new Batch Processor. My usage of SF and this BC tool is strictly for broadcast voiceover where I plant the same metadata into resultant files for every session I batch...your main competitor - WaveLab uses nifty placeholders like %FileName% in metadata fields like Title to allow it's batch processor to place the actual filename into the metadata title field. Huge time saver and very slick. With respect to the BC MetaData tab - is there/will there be any way to use wildcards etc in the fields. If there is any way to put placeholders into the metadata tab - there really no reason for me not to return to SF as my main editor. Cheers! VP

Subject:Bug Report: SF8 Batch Converter

Posted by: Vocalpoint

Date:3/15/2005 7:20:28 AM

I put the new SF8 to work last night on a standard VO project and came across a couple of things that I would like Dev or someone else to look into.

1. VST Plugins in Process Tab.

For my session last night - I wanted to use my standard gate for VO - my UAD-1 GateComp with the Noise Blocker preset selected. I was bale to add this effect and the Batch Processor displayed the correct preset, but when I ran my 3 files through the batch - the effect (which should have been very obvious on the final files) was not applied at all. The batched files were converted to MP3 correctly but no noise gate was present on the files.

Oddly - switching to the VST UltraFunk Sonitus Gate, the effect worked perfectly. I rechecked the UAD-1 gate - and to my ears - it's seemed that the Batch processor did use the UAD-1 gate but just would only use the very first preset - which was "Default". This preset does block some noise but most of the file content gets thru. At least that's what the result files sounded like.

2. Metadata Tab

While I must admit - it took me a long while to clue into the direct connection between the metadata that can be set via File->Properties->Extended and the metadata which can be accessed via the MetaData Tab in the Batch processor - I found the Metadata Tab in the BP and it's save function to be super flaky.

Example - for my very first batch process - I stepped thru the tabs left to right filling in the required elements and adding effects etc as required. Then I saved the batch job by clicking the Save File icon. That worked great. Except when I want to change some attributes of the batch job. So I reloaded the Batch Processor (which opens empty everytime...maybe an option here to load last job at startup?), clicked the Open icon and reloaded my first saved batch. I went to the Metadat tab and changed some things like Title and Genre...then I click Save and ran the batch. Well - the metadat that appeared in my converted files was the same as when I first saved the batch job...NOT using the updated metadat elements that I though I saved.

I ran thru this a bunch of times to see if I was seeing thing...but I can repro every time.

The best was to get around this I found was to go into the File->Properties->Extended as mentioned earlier - once in there - I set all the metadata fields to the values that I wanted and then clicked Default to save these choices as a global default for all files. Once this was done - I could load 3 or 10 or 50 files in to the Batch Processor and all my metadat was correct for all files.

If anyone from Dev or anyone using SF8 can comment on this - I would appreciate it.

So far - this new version is most excellent!

Cheers!

Subject:RE: Bug Report: SF8 Batch Converter

Reply by: Sonic

Date:3/15/2005 7:41:54 AM

For (1), I don't have a UAD handy, but we'll look into it. You might try tweaking a knob or two after selecting the preset to help isolate the problem a bit.

For (2), unless you have Overwrite enabled, the existing metadata in the file takes precedence. Is it possible that you were re-running the loaded batch job on files that already had their metadata filled in?

J.

Subject:RE: Bug Report: SF8 Batch Converter

Reply by: Vocalpoint

Date:3/15/2005 8:13:01 AM

Sonic,

"For (1), I don't have a UAD handy, but we'll look into it. You might try tweaking a knob or two after selecting the preset to help isolate the problem a bit."

Will do. I will report back after a session tonight.

"For (2), unless you have Overwrite enabled, the existing metadata in the file takes precedence. Is it possible that you were re-running the loaded batch job on files that already had their metadata filled in?"

I fooled around with Overwrite and became familar with what it was doing...however - this issue was more about creating a batch job with certain metadata set...then saving it. Then coming back into BC and re-opening that job...changing some metadata and resaving the job as a .bj file. In my tests - I was finding the changed metadata was not saved/updated as it should be.

I was getting so massively confused with the metadata within the processed files that I gave up creating new files and just concentrated on seeing whether or not my actual batch job was being saved correctly.

One of my biggest reasons for reconsidering SF into my workflow (I switched to Wavelab after SF 6.0 fell way short for me) is the inclusion of the new Batch Processor.

My usage of SF and this BC tool is strictly for broadcast voiceover where I plant the same metadata into resultant files for every session I batch...your main competitor - WaveLab uses nifty placeholders like %FileName% in metadata fields like Title to allow it's batch processor to place the actual filename into the metadata title field. Huge time saver and very slick.

With respect to the BC MetaData tab - is there/will there be any way to use wildcards etc in the fields. If there is any way to put placeholders into the metadata tab - there really no reason for me not to return to SF as my main editor.

Cheers!

VP