Subject:Apply Effects to large number of files

Posted by: daphyd

Date:1/18/2011 6:50:43 AM

Hi There,

I have a script / plugin I've developed which is very similar in nature to the batch processor.

Essentially, I have a long (long) list of files, and for each one I open it, apply a chain of effects, then save and close it.

The issue I am having is that as the script runs through the list of files, it get's slower and slower to open / close the files. Eventually it crashes with an out of memory exception.

Is there any way to tell SF via the API to do a cleanup, like a garbage collection, and release handles to files to have been closed?

I am releasing resources (setting to null) and reguarly calling GC.Collect() on my side of the API, but I can't find anything to tell SF to do some memory housekeeping.

Thanks in advance.

Subject:RE: Apply Effects to large number of files

Reply by: roblesinge

Date:1/19/2011 6:13:53 AM

What version of SF are you using? How many files are we talking about here? I've had a similar problem before with a batch merge script. I would never fully run out of memory, but it sure would chug slowly until I could close out some of the files in the script. You've got drawing turned off on the open file calls, right?

Rob.

Subject:RE: Apply Effects to large number of files

Reply by: daphyd

Date:1/19/2011 10:00:44 AM

Hi

Thanks for your reply.

I'm using the very latest version 10.0c.

We're talking in the region of 10,500 files.

I'm turning drawing off (NoWindow flag):

fileObj = AudioEngine.SoundForgeInstance.OpenFile(filePath, false, true);

Applying effects:

fileObj.DoEffect(effect.Description, effect.Settings, audioSelection, EffectOptions.EffectOnly);
fileObj.WaitForDoneOrCancel();

and then closing the file and releasing my local handle:

fileObj.Save(SaveOptions.WaitForDoneOrCancel);
fileObj.Close(CloseOptions.SaveChanges);
fileObj.WaitForDoneOrCancel();
fileObj = null;

Also, every 100 files, I'm running a cleanup routine:

AudioEngine.SoundForgeInstance.DoEvents(AudioEngine.SoundForgeInstance.Win32Window.Handle);
AudioEngine.SoundForgeInstance.WaitForDoneOrCancel();
AudioEngine.Window.ProgressMessage.Text = "Having a Rest!";
Application.DoEvents();
GC.Collect();
GC.WaitForPendingFinalizers();
cleanupCounter = 0;
Thread.Sleep(5000);

I thought this would be enough. However, it still get's slower and slower. I've stepped through my code, and the delays are happening on the calls to OpenFile and Save / Close.

It get's progressively slower as it get's further through the batch.

Not sure what else to try, but any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks.

Subject:RE: Apply Effects to large number of files

Reply by: beckman

Date:7/8/2011 3:11:34 AM

Such along time ago...

Hello,
this is a kind of reply, but no real help I guess.

In Excel there is an option "application.screenupdating = false".
If there will be a similar possibility in SF, preventing from making the opening-processing-closing activity visible, it will help improving the performance. The moaning of the graphic board, performing an awful flickering is everything else than classy.

Sony developers should have a look to the old bath-converter as a stand alone tool. Maybe there is some source code which can help.

But this of course is only an additional effect to your problem.

I think you don’t need direct hints like these: Dimensioning the variables with the smallest size will reduce occupying memory. Byte bites decimal.

With best regards from Germany,
beckman