DP 7.24 quit unexpectedly when opening file

[Soundlayer3]

Hello,

I have Digital Performer 7.24 and am using it with Mac OSX version 10.7.5 with 2.7 GHz Intel core I5 with 4 GB 1333MHZ DDR3. I created a project with multiple MIDI and audio tracks and working on it for several months. Everything was fine until one day I tried opening up the project and got a message of, "Digital Performer quit unexpectedly". Now every time I try opening up this particular project I get the same message. I fear this file is corrupt. I am able to open up different DP files that I saved previously and they seem fine so I'm thinking I just have a corrupt file. It appears the problem started when I tried to go to the soundbyte module and experiment with the vocal waveforms. It's then I believe that the file became un-openable. I can re-record if I have to but I need to find the root cause so this doesn't happen again. Any ideas?

[Shooshie]

First of all, I see that you are rather new to the forum, and possibly new to DP and sequencing. Let me say welcome to the forum.

Next, let me give you the quick lecture on saving backups. When I work, I start by either duplicating the file before I open it, or opening the file and immediately saving-as a file with that day's date. If I do a lot of work before lunch, I may do that again after lunch. I'll keep most of those until the project is done, and I'll copy them to another hard drive every few days, audio files and all, to be sure that i have everything in duplicate, triplicate, or "N"-tuplicate.

Meanwhile, Autosave is saving a current backup about every 15 minutes, and Time Machine is backing up all this stuff. I know it seems like overkill, but the problem you're having will never be a problem if you do it this way. You stand to lose maybe a day's work in the worst-case scenario, and possibly zero to 15 minutes worth of work in the best case among fails. Of course, "best case" is that nothing goes wrong in the first place.

Now, for a practical solution to your problem. Let's start with the old standby to begin with:
1) Loading a sequence into a new file: First, create a new empty file. Then, using the Load Menu (under the File Menu) open the project you've been working on and select the things you want to load. Be sure to read all the options carefully and choose the ones that apply. See if that gives you a working copy of the sequence(s).

2) Corrupt audio files: If Number 1 does not work, try removing all the audio files and see if the project opens. If it opens, it'll tell you that it cannot find the audio files.
2b - IF it opens, it's time to start putting back in the audio files. Start by putting in half of the files. If those work, put in half of what are left. If those work, then put in half of what are left.

At some point it won't work. That's when you know you've put in one or more corrupted audio files. Remember which ones you put in last, and remove half of those. If it doesn't work, remove the other half and put back in the half you removed. If that works, then put in half of those you removed the 2nd time.

Through the process of elimination, you will get through all your audio files in about 10 tries or less, and you will identify the corrupted one(s). Perhaps you can just re-record the corrupted audio file(s).

3) Deleting Preferences: If NONE of your files opened, you would be wise to delete all your preferences. You wouldn't have to delete them really, but drag them to the desktop. If it starts working again, you can put back individual files from the Digital Performer preference folder in hopes of salvaging things like custom clicks, colors, commands, or controller icons.

There are more troubleshooting tricks, but I'd have to think about it a while to remember more, so let's stop here and see if any of those work. Good luck, and always back up!

Shooshie

[Soundlayer3]

Thanks for the info. Yes, I am new to DP and new to this forum but have been sequencing and composing with MIDI on and off for years. I will try the steps you provided and for sure I'll start backing up often. I learned my lesson.

[stubbsonic]

Shooshie's advice is spot on (of course!)

I suppose you could try to send a zipped folder of your DP7 file to someone with DP8 to see if they can open it. In any case, before you give up, I'd archive the last known version (zip it). Then you can start tinkering with it.