Problem reading MP3 zip files

[rppurcel]

Is there something in the registry that keeps track of the song list? Perhaps something has become corrupt and needs to be reset. I was loading over a hundred songs and experienced a crash and afterwards, I had trouble reading the zip files. I can read some directories with songs and not others.

Doesn't seems to be anything in common that I can find. I imported new songs as .bin and they were read correctly. When I used Mp3+g Tools to change the .bin to zip, the software could no longer read them. Is it Mp3+g toolz?

[ddouglass]

Originally Posted by rppurcel

Is there something in the registry that keeps track of the song list? Perhaps something has become corrupt and needs to be reset. I was loading over a hundred songs and experienced a crash and afterwards, I had trouble reading the zip files. I can read some directories with songs and not others.

The only thing that keeps track of the files for Microstudio are two files created in the folder by Microstudio. One keeps a list of the Karaoke files in the folder and the other keeps track of Audio files. To rebuild these you use the Refresh button in Microstudio.

Originally Posted by rppurcel

Doesn't seems to be anything in common that I can find. I imported new songs as .bin and they were read correctly. When I used Mp3+g Tools to change the .bin to zip, the software could no longer read them. Is it Mp3+g toolz?

Not sure why the MP3+G Toolz conversion didn't work, but I know that those done with Songverter do work with no problems. Songverter also converts to many other formats as well.

[bryant]

Originally Posted by rppurcel

Is there something in the registry that keeps track of the song list? Perhaps something has become corrupt and needs to be reset. I was loading over a hundred songs and experienced a crash and afterwards, I had trouble reading the zip files. I can read some directories with songs and not others.

Doesn't seems to be anything in common that I can find. I imported new songs as .bin and they were read correctly. When I used Mp3+g Tools to change the .bin to zip, the software could no longer read them. Is it Mp3+g toolz?

I use to use mp3toolz as well, it IS that program. I think there are different versions of the "zip" format that have something to do with it. I now use songverter exclusively, and even, once in a great while, you may find a file or two that needs to be unzipped with mp3toolz and then rezipped by songverter.

I have other "DJ" programs that will not use mp3toolz' zipped files, but will take them rezipped by Songverter.
In fact one of the DJ Programs I use has Songverter listed in their "sticky's" as their only work-around for zipped karaoke files.

[admin]

ANSWER #1: ZIP is NOT a controlled format. It is public domain. Thus, there is no "Standards" on it. MP3G Toolz has done their own thing, Tricerasoft also, and use something called "MAX" compression. Most programs, Win Media Player included, can't play these files.

One of the features we programmed into MTU's Songerverter is to AUTOMATICALLY change a ZIP with MAX compression to a ZIP with Standard compression. After that processing, most .zip files will work.

ANSWER #2: The Unzip code we use in Microstudio 4 is one of the best available. However, the version release we built into 4.005 was still very intolerant of ANY FORM of errors in the ZIP HEADER. Thus, when you unzipped, you removed the zip header, and any error(s). The fact the songs played when unzipped tells me the zip had errors.

In Microstudio 4.006, soon to release, we are building with the latest version of the Unzip code. We have tested it with ZIP files with errors, and it is much more tolerant. We think a lot of the problem ZIP files will now work in Microstudio 4.006.

WARNING!
You folks have no idea how bad ZIP files can be. Many of you download ZIP files over the Internet. You have no clue what they contain, or what program was used to ZIP them. They could include Viruses, Trojan Horses, Keystroke Loggers, and any manner of malware zipped within them and your identity could be compromised with a single ZIP file.

We have built into Microstudio and Hoster, somewhere around 15 error traps in our ZIP processor to detect and correct common errors found in ZIP files from customers who send them to us. ZIP files are a true pain in the rear!

I just wanted you all to realize how complex it is to "play" and process ZIP files. Anything... anything else is superior to ZIPs. PERIOD!

[kb2ur]

I agree with your WARNING on zip files.
I am just puzzled how the function stopped working on 2 seperate pc's of mine.

If I change user accounts on both pc's the program works fine. hopefully the new upgrade will corect this problem. If not, I will have to live with changing to another user account.

[ddouglass]

Originally Posted by kb2ur

I agree with your WARNING on zip files.
I am just puzzled how the function stopped working on 2 seperate pc's of mine.

If I change user accounts on both pc's the program works fine. hopefully the new upgrade will corect this problem. If not, I will have to live with changing to another user account.

If changing to another user account works then there is something corrupted in the original account and not Microstudio. I have on several occasions (my own computer as well) had to create a new user's account for our users (contract work for the military) because their account became corrupted and certain programs would not work. Windows is not perfect and neither are the hard drives.

[rppurcel]

Kudos to the MTU team on a job well done!!

Thanks for all the hard work!

Robert