project file assertion error

[Davidk]

Last year I did a small project using X8, successfully. I re-opened it today and after loading the vsp, an assertion error relating to QT message box was displayed as follows:

A check on my QT installation indicated it is up to date, v7.7.9.

Puzzled I am why this happened. Anyone had the same experience?

Davidk

[lata]

Hi David

I looked at X8 installation files and it appears that installs QuickTime 7.7.4

Maybe auto updating to the latest version has done you no favours.
Try reinstalling QT 7.4.4

[Davidk]

Trevor,
Did you mean QT v7.7.4 in your post? and how do you get it to retro-install? (further related data below).

This looks to be a programming error, as indicated by the detail in the message: specifically, 1) the reference to SDK, short for software development kit. This is something the programmers DO NOT give to the plebes like us (dangerous, that be) but it incorporates programming rules for using a specific piece of software; and 2) that the program generating the message is the Visual C++ runtime library.

I have X8 installed on 2 machines - an HP laptop, and my main desktop. X9 is also installed on the desktop. Currently, X9 is dead (reasons discussed elsewhere) but the project ran without error under X8 on both machines in October 2015. The original post on this topic was the result of running the vsp on the desktop. So, what's happened since then that might affect VS and visual C++ runtime?
- installation of Video Studio X9 - it configures the Microsoft C++ runtime library during installation. Installed only on the desktop.
- Corel issued a hotfix to correct the launch killer effects of the MS Feb 2016 security patches IE KB3126587 on X8. Installed on both machines.

The hp laptop is running QT version 7.7.7. So, this is affecting more than one version of QT.

The affected project file/package is on an SD memory chip. So I plugged it into the laptop, started X8 and loaded the vsp file. Same effect as encountered on the desktop. The error'ed file is a .mov video clip. Screenshotted the video properties of that file. On the same machine and X8, opened another vsp that incorporated a .mov clip. The one opened and ran with any errors. Screenshotted the properties of that file too.

The properties of the 2 files are:
First, the problem clip

and this is the mov clip that loaded without error

So, my tentative conclusion is that the Corel Feb2016 launch killer hotfix had an unintended side effect involving some forms of .mov files and interaction with the visual C++ runtime library that X8 uses. If so, that needs fixing quickly.

If no one can suggest an alternative that can be readily tested and works I propose to post this to bugzilla.

Davidk

[lata]

Hi David

Quick Time..... from your comments it seems the version is not a problem, but you can install the version provided by X8
First uninstall QT from Program and Features
Then install QT from
C:\Program Files (x86)\Corel\Corel VideoStudio Ultimate X8 Setup Files 64\Setup\RunTime\QuickTime
Double click the QuickTime.msi file

Otherwise visit the QuickTime site to download older versions
View this post
http://forum.corel.com/EN/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=41374

Mov video issues.
Camera manufacturers bring out new versions with a tweaked Mov codec, this causes problems for the video editor, Corel did provide several fixes since X7, replacing the “ulmp4lib.dll” file.

You would expect that the last update would have been incorporated in service packs.
You can download and replace the file, and if things don’t improve return to the existing file
X8 http://1drv.ms/24gLl4s
X7 http://1drv.ms/1GIciAD

If you can make a sample of that mov available then we can test on our machines.
Certainly reporting to Bugzilla will require a sample


Windows Updates and Corel Fixes
If you uninstall the updates then re-install X8 you will be back to before the trouble.
If the movs work ok then clearly the hot fix has caused problems.

Re-install windows update and hot fix, does the problem return
Make sure you use the latest hot fix from the corel site.
http://www.videostudiopro.com/en/suppor ... sion-tab=1

[MikeA]

I got this error and reported it - see topic "Video Studio Won't Open -- After Windows Update?" page 2. I put up a jpg of the same error. It happened when I tried to use MOV files. The only way to get VS 8.5 to accept those files was to uninstall the two infamous MS Windows 7 updates. It had nothing to do with Quicktime (I was using the latest version). And before the MS update, there was no problem. After uninstalling the MS files, VS 8.5 was fine. I have since upgraded to VS 9 - after reinstalling the MS updates - and VS is working fine with MOV files and the updates. It's been a difficult time!

[MikeA]

By the way, the hotfix got me as far as being able to open VS (it wouldn't open at all after the MS update) but did not solve the MOV and assertion problem. Removing the MS updates was the only way I found to get going again using MOV files (I could edit MTS files no problem, but that assertion error popped up endlessly with MOV files). As I said, all was fine with MOV files from the same camera before the MS update.

[Davidk]

Hi Trevor, MikeA,

After a day of work, hypothesis confirmed. That Corel hotfix2 (and possibly the MS updates themselves) to work with the MS Feb16 updates KB3126587 and KB3126593 has a side effect on .mov files, generating this assertion error condition.

The diagnosis in synopsis:
- Uninstalled QT, and installed v7.7.4 that came with X8. No difference in result.
- Uninstalled (did not hide, just uninstalled) MS updates KB3126587 and (later) KB3126593. It turns out that both of these are involved in the VS launch killer scenario, even tho only KB3126587 has a specific warning for Corel Video Studio. How did I determine this? read on.
- Uninstalled X8 - all of it, including Boris graffiti 6. Which also removed the hotfix for the MS updates.
- After clean up and restart, installed the VS X8 main, content and bonus files as released. The tried to open X8, and it would not. Reviewed the forum posts and then uninstalled KB3126593. After re-start, X8 opened.
-proceeded to install bluray burner plug-in, local help, sp1, sp2 (the 8.5 upgrade), hotfix 1 and sp3. At this point the X8 configuration was at the state it was in late January 2016, immediately before the MS Feb updates.
- opened X8 ultimate OK. Loaded and ran the problem vsp - no errors. Also, just loaded and played the file which generated the error - also no problem.
Now, the program and data was working as I last used it in 2015.
- re-installed the MS updates.
- X8 would not open
- installed Corel hotfix2. X8 opened Ok.
- loaded the problem vsp and immediately that assertion error message box appeared.
And thus the diagnosis stated above.

The offending video clip file is 120704_115310_IMP0RT.MOV here https://onedrive.live.com/?id=F258AB298 ... 2984C226A1

Now, posting to bugzilla.

Edit update
posted to bugzilla for X8 under Bug 1262 - hotfix2 causes assertion errors with Quicktime Movie files

My X9 is currently inoperative, awaiting a key update. But it went thru the same 'fail to launch' problem after the MS updates listed and had it's own Corel hotfix applied to correct that condition. It therefore seems highly likely that the same assertion error condition with Qt movie files will also occur with X9. Because of the status of my X9, I haven't been able to test that. However, given that a failing file under X8 is now available from Onedrive as linked, perhaps someone could test that and advise if the hotfixed X9 also has this problem with QT movie files.

Davidk

[lata]

Hi David

Thanks for the sample
X8 and X9
I have no problems in using that clip, have been able to add to library and timeline
Share and render no problems.

It is NTSC using 29.97 fps but no issues using in Pal project?

[Davidk]

Trevor,
I had not even noticed that it was an NTSC file until your mention. There isn't any explicit reference to that in the video clip properties, but I guess the frame rate is the smoking gun.

My recordings and VS configurations are all PAL, which would be obvious from the 2nd clip properties.

Until the security updates screw-up and Corel's hotfix, that errant clip worked fine in the vsp I attached to the bugzilla post: both last year when I was creating it, and today during testing after X8 and all the packs had been re-installed, excepting the MS updates for windows and the X8 hotfix2.

Correcting a display format is something X9 allows a user to do in preferences - which I really like. I've had that - mistaken choice of NTSC - happen often to the students who install by just clicking thru the defaults (lazy, but I bite my tongue), which automatically gets the USA/NTSC as the display format installed. And for X8 and prior there was no way to fix that short of an uninstall/reinstall cycle, which most of them thought was just "too hard".

As to why that clip doesn't give you assertion errors - I can't explain it. It was 100% predictable on the 2 x64 based PC machines I have X8 installed on here. Have you tried testing on a 64bit PC/64bit VS?

Davidk

[lata]

Hi David

I have tested with X8 and X9 64 bit programs with no problems.

You also mention that the file is on sd memory card, have you tried transferring to the hard drive and importing from there?

By the way did you try replacing the “ulmp4lib.dll” file.?

As for Ntsc in X8 you can modify the project properties to use NTSC, then the timelines will display all 29 fps not 25.
Even so I have no problems.

[Davidk]

Trevor,
Re testing the source - tested from SD card in both the laptop and desktop, copied to HDD on the desktop and test repeat - same result.

As to format's, what I meant was having installed using USA/NTSC (the click thru default), there's no way to change that to PAL in versions up to and including X8, except uninstall, re-install and select the right country this time. X9 is different - even if the user is lazy and just clicks thru, configuring for NTSC, a preferences change to fix it (change to PAL) is easy.

I recall replacing the "ulmp4lib.dll” file was an early advisory - did not even rate as a hotfix let alone a change meriting any formal description. I did it at the time (early 2015) but assumed it was covered in the later service pack releases so I haven't done it on this re-install. Detail of how forgotten, actually. But if it wasn't included in any of the service packs/hotfix releases and is essential, why not? (rhetorical question). Obviously it's needed. Where is it (file tree) and date and I'll go looking for it.

Davidk

[lata]

Hi David

Although you cannot change the default templates to use NTSC without re-install we can change the project properties to use NTSC.
We can also modify any Share / render template to use NTSC properties

So a program installed to Pal can edit NTSC without to many problems, just needs some manual tweaks.

A little easier in X9 with the NTSC / Pal choice via F6.

X8 once we have a NTSC project set that could be saved and then opened at any time, effectively we have created our own NTSC project template.
At least a bit of a workround till we re-install

[Davidk]

Trevor,
A bit of a lengthy reply this time.

1. Re renderng formats
That render with NTSC etc description you gave isn't quite what I understood the f6 button in X9 to do. new things every day.

But rendering a project file containing an NTSC clip amongst several PAL clips - as the problem child - for PAL display eg via a DVD or an mpg file has never been a problem.

2. Re the assertion error problem I reported
Last night I got a response from Mike Chen saying they can't reproduce it, and effectively asking me to do again what you had suggested. Doing it again wasn't attractive, so I took a screenshot of the effect when importing just that clip to the storyboard and this is the result:

The bug post has a copy of that.

You haven't responded to my query re the “ulmp4lib.dll” file.

What I find inexplicable is that:
1. the X8 installation with the service packs and that .dll file exchange worked with a project file containing the relevant clip - until the MS feb updates and the Corel hot fix. After that, it generated the assertion error. The same condition pattern on 2 PC's - a laptop and a desktop, both 64bit equipment running the same OS.
2. On the desktop, with the MS updates removed, I totally re-installed X8 per your suggestion - except that I didn't do the .dll file exchange (as outlined above) - and without the MS updates installed and the related launch hotfix, the project file and the individual one both worked fine: no assertion error message. I reported that.
3. installing the MS updates and the Corel hotfix, and the assertion problem is back. With the video clip only - see image above.

And yet while I have reproduced the issue, no one (apart from Mike A who said he had the problem too) else seems able to.

So in the circumstances it seems likely that the .dll file you mention won't have any effect. If you can tell me where the file is or should be (a windows search on that file name now finds nothing - did you misspell it?) I'll try replacing it again.

This morning in a follow-up, Mike Chen asks me to:
"Please help to install below hot fix and make sure it's work or not.
I want to confirm we use same hot fix.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-L7UO ... sp=sharing"

The hotfix I used was downloaded from the Corel site, with the name/date/size details as follows

Mike seems to be suggesting that Corel have issued 2 versions of that hotfix. The one I used worked in so far as it fixed the launch failure problem, and given the confusion around that and also that I can't un-install hotfixes (I'd have to uninstall the whole program and start again - just done that with no change in result re the assertion error) I really don't want to do that.

Can you comment on this - 2 possible launch hotfix versions for X8?

Davidk

[lata]

Hi David

Hot Fix versions
Without going through the older posts, from memory……

After Windows Updates Corel provided the first fix that allowed the programs to run, I believe for both X9 and X8, however there were other problems with the programs with SWF files.
Corel brought out another Fix to cure the SWF problem, once the two were proven to work, They combined these two fixes to release the final HotFix 2 to the public
Corel VideoStudio X8.5 Hotfix 2
http://www.videostudiopro.com/en/suppor ... sion-tab=1
This is the Hot Fix we should use for X8

Re-installing CVSX8 and X9 disc / boxed versions
Assuming Windows Updates are installed
After installing CVSX8 the program will not run, we have to install the hot fix above to allow us to use the program, then the programs auto update will kick in prompting us to install SP3

The program CVSX8 64 bit should be fully functioning.

Mov issues
It does appear that your tests have proven a problem with updates, but why only your program?

[lata]

Hi David

As a workround and clutching at straws try re-naming the file to use the MKV extension.

120704_115310_IMPORT.mkv