X3 Audio Tracks 2 & 3 Not Saved

[Bruceqld]

Hi Ken.

Having read Justins solution (uninstalling x2) I uninstalled both X2 and X3, then reinstalled X3 on my windows 7 machine. This made no difference to the problem in my large project - the tracks still dissapeared. It occurs to me though that the original version of the project was made in VS pro X2 running xp, although it has been resaved under new versions in X3. If I create a new project In X3 running windows 7 the additional audio tracks are saved. Perhaps the problem lies in the fact that the original project was created using X2 on and XP machine and the porting of the project to X3 running windows 7 is the issue.

I will transfer the project back to my XP machine and see what happens.

[Bruceqld]

Unfortunately all of our machines have been upgraded to Windows 7 so I can't test the file on XP. The question is how many of those having problems : a) created the file in X2 then transfered it to X3 adding additional audio tracks and b) did anyone create the file in XP and then transfer it to win 7?

Love to hear others experiences to get to the bottom of this annoyance!

Bruce.

[Black Lab]

To avoid confusion two separate threads have been merged.

[pkalen]

Bruceqld mentioned whether the project was created in X2 and then converted to X3. I think that is the key. I have a template (empty project) created in X2 that was converted to X3. When I open and use this converted project, even though it was saved as an X3 project, it has the audio track problem. If I open a new project in X3, the audio problem is not present.

[billseifert]

My project was created on V3 and it demonstrates the same problem, on XP.

[Bruceqld]

Hi Bill.
Are you still using XP or have you changed to W7?

[billseifert]

Still on XP and hope to continue for a long time.

[billseifert]

I'm trying to re-enter all my audio again. This time I notice that every time I overlap two audio clips (narration track), VS crashes as I play that part of the project to test, and a window opens to inform me to contact tech support and send the dumped data. But as soon as I go to copy the path name, it goes away. I now suspect during the crash that it rips out information about the audio clips and therefore loses them completely. Perhaps I need to split the clips instead of overlapping them to provide the continuous audio that I desire.

In the past I've learned to avoid removing or adding photos while using Ripple Editing. Long afterwards I discover audio clips have disappeared and there is no undo to get them back. Perhaps this is related to the current problem?

Bill

[Ken Berry]

I have learned over the years not to use VS for any audio editing at all (apart from the necessary adjustment of levels at various points throughout a project to balance with voiceovers etc...) So if I want continuous, or overlapping music, for instance, I wait till the rest of the project editing has been done, measure the duration carefully, and tailor my audio, do overlapping etc in a third party audio editing program. Then insert that into VS. Or of course use Sonic Fire Pro if I am using SmartSound tracks. With that, you can tailor the music down to very fine timings...

[billseifert]

I've re-entered my lost audio slips. Now it seems like I've found that if I work with the audio clips in the mode, where you see the sound pattern, there is a new or related bug. In this case, if I play to test my new audio clip adjustsments (overlapped, split, shortened, etc.), VS crashes and clips are lost. If I get out of that mode and play the same part (after re-entering clips again), it doesn't crash.

Your procedure above for audio ruins my image of VS software as I have told so many people about how good it is. What is the purpose of having audio editing features when you have to avoid it for fear of problems? Is this area of software rocket science?

Bill

[Ken Berry]

Well, I also use third party software to make titles (Xara 3D, Bluff Titler and Ulead Cool 3D Production Studio.) That is because I find the VS titles rather basic -- though X3 has significantly improved this aspect. It's just that I regard VS as an excellent video editing program -- which is what it is supposed to be -- but rudimentary when it comes to audio and other aspects. A lot of us here use a whole variety of programs for any one project, and not just VS...

[billseifert]

OK. I can accept all that. But it does not excuse the fact that tracks 2 & 3 are useless - the only reason I bought this version. Now I have little reason to have spent money again on the upgrade to VS to get the improved V3. And do I understand it correctly that the designers are not much interested in fixing this problem?

(Matter of fact, V3 is a step backward for me because the Corel software added to create DVD titles and burning is more limited, very sluggish, and difficult to figure out. I could do so many more things with the previous version in this area. Am I missing education on this, or have others noted the same?)

[Ken Berry]

I have no idea what the "designers" might or might not be doing. None of us here work for Corel. But in general terms, programmers are only going to fix certifiable bugs. And to be a bug there has to be widespread problems amongs many users, and the problem has to be replicable. Perhaps the former might be partly true, but I am not sure about the latter.

[Black Lab]

Bill,

X3 has only been out a few months and this problem has just come up. Corel says they are aware of it and are working on the problem. How about some patience?

As for the burning/authoring, you apparently are missing education on this, as the complaints were heard and a solution (MovieFactory 7 SE) has already been offered.

[Bruceqld]

I must agree with Jeff. It's early days, and with the incredible variety of systems out there bugs will come up, though I can certainly understand Bill's frustration! I'm not sure I follow Ken's assertion that a program can be great - you just have to avoid using most of it's features:) Crossfading audio is a very basic function that really must work - though I haven't had too much trouble with it myself. Are the files you are crossfading of the same format Bill - not that it should matter but it may bring us closer to defining the problem.
I can replicate the disappearing audio tracks easily with files created on X2 under win XP and then ported into X3 - but files created in X3 under win7 seem to be fine.

It's unlikely, and probably something you have already explored Bill, but have you done a Ram test on your machine? I was experiencing similar behavior in another editing suite that only showed up during processor intensive activity and it turned out that I had a failing memory module.

Do you experience the problems in one file or many different files? Just to rule out that the various problems aren't due to a single anomaly in a 'broken' file, though this is cold comfort if you have put a lot of hours into your project. Can you create a new project, add audio files to Music tracks 2 and 3 and have them save?

It's a bit soon to throw the baby out with the bath water yet. Of all of the editing suites out there, including the most expensive, it is still the only one that has smart rendering working for AVCHD video. Not a bad effort for under 100 bucks.

Keep up the good work Bill - unfortunately it's only the suffering, frustrated people who encounter these problems that can help solve them! I think Corel may be one of the few software companies that actually do listen.