Subject:wav associations screwed up after 7.0a update

Posted by: sk

Date:10/28/2003 2:36:26 PM

This happened before with some of the SoFo 6 updates, and while I was able to finally get that straight, I have not been able to straighten this one out yet. Everything was working fine before the update to 7.0a. I prefer to double click on files via Windows Explorer, and open them that way. After the update, I kept getting the error message saying that there was no program associated with the .wav file, etc. I have the option in "File Associations" in SoFo 7 checked and SoFo IS the program associated with .wav files. It registers in Windows Explorer/File Types as well. What now happens is that SoFo opens when I double click on a wav file, but an error message comes up saying the item was not found.

Whining or not, it is a pain in the ass to keep running into this same problem every time there's a SoFo update. I think it's time that this stupid bug got fixed once and for all. In the meantime, I think Sony had better at least provide some sort of make-shift workaround until it can be totally fixed.

sk

Subject:RE: wav associations screwed up after 7.0a update

Reply by: MJhig

Date:10/28/2003 2:47:45 PM

I gave you the work-around last time... Right-click > Send To > Sound Forge.

If the Sound Forge 7 shortcut is not in your Send To folder, create one and put it there.

MJ

Subject:RE: wav associations screwed up after 7.0a update

Reply by: sk

Date:10/28/2003 3:38:29 PM

Yes, in fact you did. Thanks again. And I used it until SoFo fixed that bug in 6.0e. I just didn't expect it to resurface a full upgrade and an update later. I will use that workaround again, but in the meantime it's just inconceivable to me that such a stupid bug has YET to be fixed.

sk

Subject:RE: wav associations screwed up after 7.0a update

Reply by: Sonic

Date:10/28/2003 4:24:08 PM

Strange. I just tried it and it worked fine. Maybe the 8.3 pref? Does it give you the filename in the error message? If so, in 8.3 or long form?

J.

Subject:RE: wav associations screwed up after 7.0a update

Reply by: sk

Date:10/28/2003 7:45:14 PM

It looks like it gives the long filename, Sonic. I'm sorry, though, I do not understand what you mean by the "8.3 pref". I checked every option/preference and did not see a reference to "8.3" . (I do understand that 8.3 is a reference to the old limitation on file naming size; I just don't know how that relates to SoFo 7.)

sk

Below is a copy/paste of the message:

The file F:\My could not be opened.
The file F:\My Music\12_Gestalt\Music\12_Gestalt\LindaRonstadt-GoodbyeMyFriend[20-3db]_10-28-03.wav could not be opened.

Maybe it would help if you went back and checked with whatever fix SoFo came up with to fix this before. At one point I had to uninstall and reinstall everything and never had the problem again. I think it has something to do with an interaction between Windows Explorer and SoFo. I think the problem only started once that option to have "file associations" integrated into SoFo.

It is worth noting that I can open any file I want from within SoFo. The problem only occurs when I double click on a wav file or else use the "Open With" right click menu option. As mjhig pointed out, a workaround is to use "Send To" instead. But as I stated, this is a problem that needs to be - and should have already been - resolved by now.

sk

Subject:RE: wav associations screwed up after 7.0a update

Reply by: sk

Date:10/29/2003 5:00:25 PM

OK, SoFo - we're making some progress here, at least in terms of narrowing down the scope of the problem. I uninstalled/reinstalled 7.0a, and deleted the Sony Setup Sound Forge 7.0 folder; but that didn't do a thing.

I then decided to test out the "8.3" parameter. At first I thought it was a dead end, because after renaming a copy of a wav file Copy.wav, I still got the same error message. THEN...I moved that file so that it was directly off of the drive, and not in any folders. VOILA! It then opened with no error messages. Apparently, something is going in when SoFo tries to open a long named file that's a couple of folders deep off of a drive. (I also tested trying to open the file CopyCopyCopyCopyCopyCopy.wav situated directly off of the drive like Copy.wav, and it would NOT open that file. After renaming it back to just Copy.wav, it DID reopen it.)

Hopefully, this info will help you pinpoint exactly what/where the problem lies. I have no idea why it was fine in 7.0, but not in 7.0a. But between the 100% CPU problem in 7.0, and this problem in 7.0a, I'll keep using 7.0a and the workaround provided by mjhig until you devise a fix. I'm just surprised that no one else is noticing this problem.

sk

Subject:RE: wav associations screwed up after 7.0a update

Reply by: sk

Date:11/1/2003 6:00:41 PM

Well, at the risk of sounding "whiney", I feel it's important to report back that after having filed a detailed tech support request to SoFo directly to receive help with this, I got, in return, a ridiculous blow off response that reminded me of why I started lookiung for another sound editor almost two years ago. At least this time, it only took 2 days to get a response, instead of the month it took the last time. (Yup - the whopping two month tech support offered by a $500 + program was used up with TWO questions - each of which took one solid month to get a response!)

Fortunately or unfortunately, I never did find a program that could do what SoFo can - but the tech support appears to need some serious catching up to the program itself.

sk

Subject:RE: wav associations screwed up after 7.0a update

Reply by: Rednroll

Date:11/4/2003 7:38:39 AM

SK,
You're actually getting some pretty good tech support on this forum. "Sonic" is a Sound Forge engineering programmer. After reading through your messages they seem pretty confusing trying to understand what you are doing to create the problem you are seeing. The best way to get something fixed is to be able to list the steps so that Sony can easily reproduce them. Once they can do that, then they can spend more time on understanding the problem and fixing it. Right now, I have a feeling they're struggling with reproducing the problem, and since it's not a major issue, they're probably not going to spend a lot of time trying to figure out what you are saying.

Please, write the steps down in cronological order so everyone can easily understand how to reproduce this problem. I've done this many times with bugs I've seen in Sound Forge/Vegas and all the bugs I've reported have gotten fixed......well except for one.....uhhhhmm (cough)..certain MP3 file not recognized.

Subject:RE: wav associations screwed up after 7.0a update

Reply by: sk

Date:11/4/2003 1:53:58 PM

What exactly is confusing to you, Red? Every time I double click on a .wav file in Windows Explorer, despite the fact that .wav files are clearly associated with SoFo 7 in both Windows Explorer and SoFo's "File"/"Associate Sound File Extentions", SoFo 7 opens up but there is no wavform in the SoFo main window; only an error message stating it can't find the file, pretty much exactly as I stated in my initial post. The specific error message is posted in the 5th post of this thread; the one that is in response to Sonic's reply.

For someone who bemoans "long-winded" posts, I'm somewhat surprised that you can't quite find the simple, clear communication of what I've already posted. Maybe because it's not happening on your system, you can't "picture" it; but I don't know how to state any more succintly the nature of the problem. Maybe if you could state specifically what it is that you don't understand, I can help you over that hurdle.

This has been a problem in the past, which you should also know as you have been an active member here longer than I have. The problem was finally fixed in 6.0e, was not a problem with 7.0, but reappeared in 7.0a after the update. mjhig remembered the issue, because he was one of the members here who provided the workaround then and again now - using "Send To" rather than either double clicking or "Open With". (NOTE: The Open With right click/context menu is also not working in 7.0a, but it IS still working in 6.0, which is still on my system.)

Maybe you could take your own advice, Red, and do a search for the identical problem that I originally posted about a year ago when it appeared in 6.0x, and be a bit better informed. I didn't think it was necessary to totally "reinvent the wheel" for such a long-standing SoFo problem.

sk

Subject:RE: wav associations screwed up after 7.0a update

Reply by: Rednroll

Date:11/4/2003 4:54:17 PM

Well excuuuuuuuuuuuuuse me. I guess I just find it more productive to help in being concise when I find a bug, instead of stomping my feet on the ground, making demands and pouting like a 3 yr old.

"Whining or not, it is a pain in the ass to keep running into this same problem every time there's a SoFo update. I think it's time that this stupid bug got fixed once and for all. In the meantime, I think Sony had better at least provide some sort of make-shift workaround until it can be totally fixed."

Subject:RE: wav associations screwed up after 7.0a update

Reply by: Sonic

Date:11/4/2003 6:10:18 PM

While you guys duke it out, that reminds me.

The integrated explorer (View->Explorer) is an obvious workaround if Sound Forge is already open. If real-estate is an issue, you can undock it or use F11 and variants to toggle the dock area.

J.

Subject:RE: wav associations screwed up after 7.0a update

Reply by: MJhig

Date:11/4/2003 6:10:28 PM

I'm not sure it is a bug. Although I suspect associating all *.wav files with Sound Forge is not common, I've never seen another post complaining of this problem. Seems to be something typical of this one machine.

SK, did you apply 8.3 flle name fix as suggested?

MJ

Subject:RE: wav associations screwed up after 7.0a update

Reply by: sk

Date:11/4/2003 9:17:19 PM

1. It was an acknowledged bug back in 6.x. "Proof" that it is a bug is that it did NOT happen with 7.0; and everything still works perfectly with 6.0e. The bogus notion that just because it's difficult to track down so it must not be a bug is just that - bogus.
2. I applied the fix as an experiment, but no, I am not going to rename 250 wav files and folders when 6.0e works perfectly well "as is". Either SoFo will fix it, or they won't.

Subject:RE: wav associations screwed up after 7.0a update

Reply by: sk

Date:11/4/2003 9:19:20 PM

That's something, at least, Sonic. It's probably a little faster going that route than the File/Open, etc. route. But I still prefer working directly out of Windows Explorer. Though it does offer a constructive alternative. Thanks.

Subject:RE: wav associations screwed up after 7.0a update

Reply by: sk

Date:11/4/2003 9:20:25 PM

As usual, Red, your total lack of ability to respond to something concrete: i.e. What exactly don't you understand about what I posted originally" is just so typical for you that it doesn't even merit a further response.

sk

Subject:RE: wav associations screwed up after 7.0a update

Reply by: Rednroll

Date:11/5/2003 8:20:44 AM

oK, Arshole. Obviously you have little understandings about PC's, Windows and Sound Forge, yet keep criticizing me for trying to assist you. Duhhh...the explorer window in Sound Forge, have you ever opened the menus in Sound Forge yet....or are you too busy just double clicking on .WAV files and hitting the play button? Obviously, you have a chip on your shoulder with me.

Since you think you've answered all the questions already, and everything is easily understood, here's a few I have for you. They MATTER with file association...yet you left all these details out.

1. When updating from v7.0 to v7.0a, did you uninstall v7.0 first then install v7.0a or did you just do an update and overwrite v7.0.
2. Did you install v7.0a to a different location on your hardrive as v7.0 previously was?
3. How did you associate the .WAV file when using v7.0?
4. Have you tried using Windows to associate .WAV files extentions to see if that fixes the problem? I bet that one is no, you wouldn't know how too.

If there's a bug in Sound Forge that you've proven, is that Sony can't make Sound Forge idiot proof.

Subject:RE: wav associations screwed up after 7.0a update

Reply by: sk

Date:11/5/2003 12:24:45 PM

Go off your medication again, Red?

Subject:RE: wav associations screwed up after 7.0a update

Reply by: Sonic

Date:11/5/2003 12:32:33 PM

OK, I'm still unable to reproduce the problem after trying about 10 different scenarios so let's start at the top:

1) Win2k or WinXP?

2) Start->Run->"regedit" and navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem and see what the values are for:

NtfsDisable8dot3NameCreation
Win31FileSystem
Win95TruncatedExtensions

3) Once Sound Forge was installed, which method did you use to associate .wav files?

a) Sound Forge preferences only
b) Windows Explorer->Open With... and selected forge.exe
c) Windows Explorer->Folder Options->File Types
d) something else or some combination of the above

4) Are (or were) any other applications associated with .wav?

5) Is it true that Sound Forge launches or takes focus and *then* you get an error in Sound Forge that the file could not be opened?

6) Is it true that the feature works with anything of short 8.3 name format (e.g. "c:\media\myfile.wav") but not with any long format like:

"c:\media\my long filename.wav"
"c:\media folder\myfile.wav"
"c:\media folder\my long filename.wav"

I have a feeling that Windows is simply not passing a fully qualified pathname to Sound Forge in this case, but I'm not sure how it gets to that state, particularly since Send to... and Open with... yield different results.

Really, the easiest way for us to find it is for you to uninstall Sound Forge, restore any default .wav associations (like MediaPlayer or what-have-you), then restart, note the registry settings from (1), and
then re-install and re-associate, logging the steps as you go to get to the problem state.

If you lurkers out there have a concise repro, please chime in.

J.

Subject:RE: wav associations screwed up after 7.0a update

Reply by: Rednroll

Date:11/5/2003 12:42:43 PM

Come on J. didn't you get all that information from the first post?

"What exactly is confusing to you, (edit)___Sonic? "

"What exactly don't you understand about what I posted originally" is just so typical for you that it doesn't even merit a further response."

Hey SK, isn't this the type of information I suggested, that Sonic is looking for?
Keep up the good work. Go back to insulting me, and maybe this problem will be fixed for you.

Subject:I think I found the solution

Reply by: sk

Date:11/5/2003 1:37:18 PM

1. W2K

2. NtfsDisable8dot3NameCreation (0)
Win31FileSystem (0)
Win95TruncatedExtensions (1)

3. Once Sound Forge was installed, which method did you use to associate .wav files?

(a), initially when I installed 7.0. The box was still checked after the 7.0a update, so I didn't change anything.

4. Are (or were) any other applications associated with .wav?

The only other application associated with .wav files was 6.0e.

5. Is it true that Sound Forge launches or takes focus and *then* you get an error in Sound Forge that the file could not be opened?

Yes, when double clicking on a .wav file in Windows Explorer.


I think I found it. The main folder off of my "F" drive, from which all the .wav files emanate is My Music exactly like that; with a space between My and Music. When I eliminate the space, making it MyMusic all the problems disappear.

Play around with that and see if you can reproduce the problem that way.

Thanks, Sonic.

sk

Subject:RE: I think I found the solution

Reply by: Sonic

Date:11/5/2003 1:43:59 PM

Well, that's more of a workaround than a *solution* per se, since spaces are legal for both folder and file names, and I've been using such paths in my testing since it is the most probable repro.

Have you tried re-associating .wav since installing 7.0a?

Subject:RE: I think I found the solution

Reply by: sk

Date:11/6/2003 1:01:16 PM

I think you missed the point, Sonic. It's not up to me to figure out the actual solution. I think that by providing the direction in which to look, I've done more than my share as far as trying to trouble shoot the bug. And it IS in fact a bug, as evidenced by your statement noting that spaces ARE a part of normal windows file naming protocol. (I'm not suggesting or expecting you to solve the problem, Sonic. I've passed this info along to the SoFo tech thread that I started in an attempt to resolve this issue. I'm just stating that as an end use who has both identified a legitimate problem as well as having provided the direction in which to go as far as solving the problem, I have done more than my share as far as constructively working toward the solution.)

sk

Subject:RE: I think I found the solution

Reply by: MJhig

Date:11/6/2003 5:25:24 PM

Sheesh, "How To Make Friends And Influence People" doesn't enter into this thread unfortunately.

SK, I don't think you get the point.

Sonic states "Well, that's more of a workaround than a *solution* per se, since spaces are legal for both folder and file names," leads me to believe your statement is not a solution but a workaround AND WOULD NOT BE SATISFACTORY TO THEM AS A CURE, indicating they will have to pursue this further but thanks for the observation and the effort.

I don't get the impression they expected you to do anything but post the exact steps involved with the circumstances.

I am still of the opinion that a "bug" must affect more than one *or a significant minority* of systems to be a bug. I commend Sony for their efforts in chasing this problem for SK down and if it were me I would be extremely thankful that they would address my seemingly insignifacant problem rather than insult them.

I beg anyone else who is experiencing this association problem to post their specifics to aid Sony in solving this and if there are others with this problem I will be more than happy to apologize to SK for assuming this is not a bug.

MJ

Subject:RE: I think I found the solution

Reply by: hrjordan

Date:1/4/2006 3:40:04 AM

For information purposes only:

I use Sound Forge 7.0, Build 262 on Windows XP, SP2.

I have associated the .wav extension with Sound Forge in Windows.

I have also experienced the issue raise bys sk, specifically

1. I cannot open .wav files when double-clicking the file in Windows Explorer

2. I cannot open .wav files when I "Send To" Sound Forge

3. I cannot open .wav files when I "Open With" Sound Forge, unless Sound Forge is already open

4. The only consistent method that works for me is to use "File > Open" from Sound Forge

Subject:RE: I think I found the solution

Reply by: ForumAdmin

Date:1/4/2006 8:30:10 PM

Try using Options | Preferences | File tab. and click the Associate File Extensions button. Put a check mark in any of the file formats you want to be associated with Sound Forge, click OK, then click OK again.

I just tried this in Sound Forge 7.0b build 301 and it worked for me. WAV was previously associated with wmplayer.exe (Windows Media Player). Double clicking on a WAV file in the Windows Explorer now opens Sound Forge 7.0 with that file loaded.

Important - you must have Administrator permission when you do this if you are running in Win2K or WinXP. If necessary, log in as Administrator, run Sound Forge to do the above steps, then exit and log in to your regular user account.

Incidentally, you might want to update to 7.0b, there were a number of bug fixes in that update. You'll find it in Support | Software Updates at the top of this page.


Edit - My test WAV file did contain spaces in the filename so I know Sound Forge 7.0b set the file association properly. I suspect the problem in the original post was due to missing double quotes around the file path shortcut used by the Windows Explorer. These tell Windows to consider everything between the quotes as one file name. Otherwise, when there are spaces in the path each group of characters separated by a space are treated as a separate file (which likely doesn't even exist).

You can check this as follows:
1. Windows Explorer | Tools | Folder Options
2. Select the File Types tab
3. Click the WAV extension in the list
4. Click the Advanced button
5. Choose open from the options and click Edit
6. The setting for "Application used to perform action" should look something like this:

C:\Program Files\Sony\Sound Forge 7.0\forge70.exe "%1"

If there are no double quotes around the %1 put some there and save it.