Help! The dreaded blank waveforms

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This forum is for seeking solutions to technical problems involving Digital Performer and/or plug-ins on MacOS, as well as feature requests, criticisms, comparison to other DAWs.
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waterstrum
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Help! The dreaded blank waveforms

Post by waterstrum »

I'm running DP8.07 on OS10.9.5
I opened a project today and all of the chunks contain only solid bars instead of the waveforms.
It worked fine yesterday and I haven't changed anything.
I have 2 backups of the project and they all exhibit the same behavior.
The audio plays fine and if I perform apply a plugin to a track, the waveform comes back.
The project has hundreds of tracks and I don't want to have to do that to all of them.
Plus, I've done numerous crossfades and edits that would be lost.
Merging tracks works, but then I lose the ability to edit at the splices.

I've searched the archives here, but couldn't find a solution.
Does anyone know how to force DP to redraw the waveforms.
I tried dumping the analysis files, but nothing changed.

Other projects are working fine.

Any insight is greatly appreciated.
All is well
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stubbsonic
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Re: Help! The dreaded blank waveforms

Post by stubbsonic »

The only time I've encountered this issue is if I don't let DP finish its waveform redraws (background processing). I do a save right after all the background tasks are finished. But that might not even be necessary.

I suspect there might be something going on where it has trouble saving the data. Perhaps a permissions thing? Or a corrupt preference.

That's frustrating as hell. Let us know what you figure out.
M1 MBP; OS 12, FF800, DP 11.3, Kontakt 7, Reaktor 6, PC3K7, K2661S, iPad6, Godin XTSA, Two Ibanez 5 string basses (1 fretted, 1 fretless), FM3, SY-1000, etc.

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Playa
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Re: Help! The dreaded blank waveforms

Post by Playa »

Hi,

That is usually an issue with the "Analysis Files" folder under the main project folder for your DP project. Go ahead and trash the "Analysis Files" folder that is associated with that DP project, and see if it recreates the waveforms.
dix
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Re: Help! The dreaded blank waveforms

Post by dix »

I'm having this issue on a project too. On mine only certain waveforms don't redraw. Others do (the audio recorded earlier, when I started the project, is fine only some newer soundbites are effected). Merging the soundbites fixes it.

I'd of thought trashing the Analysis Files folder would force all the waveforms to redraw, but it has no effect. Even with the Analysis folder empty the project looks the same!
Last edited by dix on Tue Mar 17, 2015 12:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.
14-inch MBP M1 Max (2021), 13.6.x, 64GB RAM, UAD Quad Tb Satellite, 4 displays ::: 2009 4,1 > 5,1 MacPro 12-core 3.33 ghz , 10.14.x, 96GB RAM, GeForce GTX 770 , NewerTech eSATA/USB3 PCIe Host Adapter, UAD-2 Quad, ::: 15-inch MBP (2015) 10.14.x, 16GB RAM ::: Lynx Aurora (n) USB ::: DP (latest version), Vienna Ensemble Pro danwool.com
Playa
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Re: Help! The dreaded blank waveforms

Post by Playa »

Hi,

Maybe try loading the sequence in question into another project by using the "Load" function.
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MIDI Life Crisis
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Re: Help! The dreaded blank waveforms

Post by MIDI Life Crisis »

Haven't seen this one - ever. Hope I never do. IF you open the soundbites in another app, do they show a waveform?
2013 Mac Pro 32GB RAM

OSX 10.14.6; DP 10; Track 16; Finale 26, iPad Pro, et al

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dix
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Re: Help! The dreaded blank waveforms

Post by dix »

Maybe try loading the sequence in question into another project by using the "Load" function.
Tried that. No go.

I said above [now edited out] that the merged audio subsequently lost their waveforms. That is incorrect. I was looking at an older version.
14-inch MBP M1 Max (2021), 13.6.x, 64GB RAM, UAD Quad Tb Satellite, 4 displays ::: 2009 4,1 > 5,1 MacPro 12-core 3.33 ghz , 10.14.x, 96GB RAM, GeForce GTX 770 , NewerTech eSATA/USB3 PCIe Host Adapter, UAD-2 Quad, ::: 15-inch MBP (2015) 10.14.x, 16GB RAM ::: Lynx Aurora (n) USB ::: DP (latest version), Vienna Ensemble Pro danwool.com
dix
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Re: Help! The dreaded blank waveforms

Post by dix »

IF you open the soundbites in another app, do they show a waveform?
Yes they do.
14-inch MBP M1 Max (2021), 13.6.x, 64GB RAM, UAD Quad Tb Satellite, 4 displays ::: 2009 4,1 > 5,1 MacPro 12-core 3.33 ghz , 10.14.x, 96GB RAM, GeForce GTX 770 , NewerTech eSATA/USB3 PCIe Host Adapter, UAD-2 Quad, ::: 15-inch MBP (2015) 10.14.x, 16GB RAM ::: Lynx Aurora (n) USB ::: DP (latest version), Vienna Ensemble Pro danwool.com
Playa
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Re: Help! The dreaded blank waveforms

Post by Playa »

Hi,

Try removing your DP preference files. See if that does anything.

Those are found under:

Macintosh HD/User/(YOURUSERNAME)/Library/Preferences/
-com.MOTU.DigitalPerformer
-com.MOTU.DigitalPerformer.plist

If you are running OS 10.7 or later you need to navigate to the "Go" menu option for "Finder". Once the "Go" dropdown appears hit the "Option" key and select the "Library" folder that appears.
dix
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Re: Help! The dreaded blank waveforms

Post by dix »

You've only posted a few times Playa, but you're quite helpful! That option-Go Menu tip to access the Library is cool! Thanks!

I trashed com.MOTU.DigitalPerformer.plist early on when this came up. Didn't help. Since I'm okay for the time being I'm going to wait to remove the com.MOTU.DigitalPerformer folder since it contains a lot of stuff I don't feel like reconfiguring at the moment. Something for you to try Waterstrum. Let us know.
14-inch MBP M1 Max (2021), 13.6.x, 64GB RAM, UAD Quad Tb Satellite, 4 displays ::: 2009 4,1 > 5,1 MacPro 12-core 3.33 ghz , 10.14.x, 96GB RAM, GeForce GTX 770 , NewerTech eSATA/USB3 PCIe Host Adapter, UAD-2 Quad, ::: 15-inch MBP (2015) 10.14.x, 16GB RAM ::: Lynx Aurora (n) USB ::: DP (latest version), Vienna Ensemble Pro danwool.com
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Shooshie
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Re: Help! The dreaded blank waveforms

Post by Shooshie »

I remember this issue from a thread quite some time ago, but I don't remember the fix. And I promised myself I would. Sorry... brain-cells get their way. But I do remember that there is a fix for it. Maybe call MOTU on this if nobody else comes up with it soon.

Shoosh
|l| OS X 10.12.6 |l| DP 10.0 |l| 2.4 GHz 12-Core MacPro Mid-2012 |l| 40GB RAM |l| Mach5.3 |l| Waves 9.x |l| Altiverb |l| Ivory 2 New York Steinway |l| Wallander WIVI 2.30 Winds, Brass, Saxes |l| Garritan Aria |l| VSL 5.3.1 and VSL Pro 2.3.1 |l| Yamaha WX-5 MIDI Wind Controller |l| Roland FC-300 |l|
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Re: Help! The dreaded blank waveforms

Post by jlaudon »

I also get this behaviour quite regularly, not on every track or project, but often. It is a hassle, have to merge, which as mentioned means losing fades and edits...
MacBook Pro 2021 (M1 Ultra) with 64 gigs RAM. DP 11.23
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stubbsonic
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Re: Help! The dreaded blank waveforms

Post by stubbsonic »

Is it possible this is related to a file format difference? Are you seeing any alerts or under construction icons in the soundbites list?

Background processing paused?
M1 MBP; OS 12, FF800, DP 11.3, Kontakt 7, Reaktor 6, PC3K7, K2661S, iPad6, Godin XTSA, Two Ibanez 5 string basses (1 fretted, 1 fretless), FM3, SY-1000, etc.

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Tim
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Re: Help! The dreaded blank waveforms

Post by Tim »

If trashing the analysis folder failed, I'd try a Save As and Copy/Duplicate Audio Files to a whole new project folder.
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Tim
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Re: Help! The dreaded blank waveforms

Post by Tim »

Tim wrote:If trashing the analysis folder failed, I'd try a Save As and Copy/Duplicate Audio Files to a whole new project folder.
Then again... if 'Load' didn't work...
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