Assertiation failed

[Baertel]

Hello,

After installing Version 4.0 a couple of Days ago, my Pulsar2/Luna-System finally worked again in a propper way. (BTW: Thx to Ralf@CW, who send me the allkeys within a few days - don't know much about his body, but I can tell you, he's not dead )

So last night, I created a huge routing-project, which shows me an almost full DSP-usage (the last two "bars" of the meter stayed free).

Now I try to load this Project again and SFP gives this a dialog:

"Assertiation failed
D:\xsource\src\sim\system.cpp (2127): to ->iconnect [in].mod == NULL"

Clicking "ok", SFP shows me this one:

"System Error,
D:\xsource\src\sim\system.cpp (2127): to ->iconnect [in].mod == NULL

The hardware will no longer respond to any changes, but you might be able to save your project before terminating the application!"

Clicking "ok", SFP seems to be dead. When closing it, using the taskbar of Windows, WinXP reboats and says, its reboated after a very bad error (...Windows wird nach einem schwerwiegenden Fehler wieder ausgeführt..).

So, how come?

Is an almost full DSP-Usage responsible for this error?

My system (XP, SP1) is totally fresh and there is NOTHING else installed.

Thank you guys in advance,

Baertel.

[astroman]

the errormessage refers to a certain C++ source file, there was probably a memory allocation error, which was captured by the debug module.
It's only useful for the programmer - as you experienced you only can reboot the machine and it doesn't give a hint what to avoid.
Of course it's likely due to the complex project, but not necessarily because of DSP allocation - I'd rather assume the problem is in the routing

cheers, Tom

[Baertel]

mhh, I don't see the problem in the routing, since there is nothing uncommen with it. I just use plenty of Micromixers (about 12 with 16ch) and Dynamicmixers (2 with 16ch)). An Aux-Rack, with 2 Revs and a Delay, 2 simple Channel-Devices and all the Inputs and Outputs, my Cards have.

The routing is normal. But of cause, I have a lot of signal-splitting. I'm trying to build a full Mixer out of the single Devices, so I can address them with different midi-channels, to avoid the 120cc restriction of the devices. It is supposed to be a completely midi-remoteable recording-mixer (with 4 Monitorways, FX, Eqing, and so on...) But however, all devices should be connected in the right way.

Of course I could now start to build up the project again, saving each step and figure out, from which point it's getting messed, but since I even attached the Midi-CCs already, it would be something I'd hate to do. Especially, because I hate the idea of a not stable system.

Cheers, Baertel

[astroman]

yes, 'just' 224 mixer channels plus a few extras is pretty common stuff...

I'd make a 'master' copy of the project for backup, then make a working copy and reduce mixers one by one until it's stable.
for simplicity you might use another copy and throw out half of them, so see if it's really the mixers.

cheers, Tom

[Baertel]

...I need that much channels, to record a whole Band in one take. A Studio-Live-Recording, if you want to call it this way. I need to have my project fully remoteable, because, if one of the musicians asks for more...whatever...on his headphones, it's not professional, to go into the programm and use the mouse. Also, because my Logic doesn't like it, when I move anything with the mouse, while the seq is running. The asio-overload, you know... (even with small logic-projects - and now I really mean small:)

I have to admit, that I'm a little bit obseesed by the wish to control everything with a couple of BCFs and BCRs.

Yes, it's the best way, to backup and then to reduce the project to a working one. But now my question is:

How can I do this, if the big project doesn't react anymore. I can't delete anything, it's just a like a "picture" on the screen.

Is there something like a "safe-mode" for SFP, like the "abgesicherter Modus" in Windows?

Or do I have to start from the beginning.

Greetings from Leipzig,

Baertel.

[garyb]

i can fix the logic problem. cntrl/alt/del choose the "processes" tab. find logic and right click. under "set priority" choose "above normal".

the mouse is very fast and efficient for the purposes you are proposing. i get paid to do this work occasionally and i'm just too lazy to program control surfaces. even still, i'm faster with the mouse than i ever was with an analog console. i really suggest the you just use the stdm2448 mixer for recording. it has everything you need, or would have in a real console from a real studio. there are control room outs, studio outs, 6 auxilliary outs, direct outs, 8 busses and a mix out. there is a talkbak in and several stereo external ins, 24 stereo or mono channels and 8 stereo returns. automating that would be much easier.

a simpler setup might make it easier to focus on the recording....

just another opinion(except for the logic tip, that's a fact)....

[hubird]

There's a max to the number of connections...since I use 24 ADAT channels I tend to run out of connection possibilities, I even didn't know it did matter.
This could stuck the project from editing.
You can also remove one of your modules from the dedicated folder, en load the project.
It will load still, but without that module(s)

[Baertel]

Allright, it seems to be a problem of to many connections. I followed hubirds tip to remove some devices out of the propper folder and when removing the micromixers (where the most connections have been), my project runs again. Sad, that with removing the Mixers, my main purpose of this project is gone. Well, now I have to find out, how many connections are able.

I still see a need of this complex routing. With the BigMixer, I did a lot of routing and monitoring inside this, but it was a pain in the Pupskiste, to deliver more than one headphone-Mix. Of course I can use the auxes, but since they are mono, I need 2 of them to feed one HP. With four musicians, this takes all the auxes and the normal monitor-way. So there is no aux left for FX.

Does anyone here knows a Mixer, that has at least 4 stereo-monitor-ways? I did not find it here on planetZ. The STM1632, which I only have in my 4.0-Version, does not even seem to have any monitoring-way (only 4 mono-aux-sends).

The other point is, that somehow I do not get comfortable with a mouse. Even with my Logitec 10000 terra-dots-Laser-resolution-whatsoever-mouse, I'm not able to adjust little steps. So just imagine, how easy it would be, to have two Behringer BCRs side by side and then you have 4 monitor-ways on 16 channels on one view. I think, this would let me focus better on the recording.

So how do you guys record bands? Any hints, that I may have overseen?

Thanx for the answers given and the ones that are to come

Baertel.

[garyb]

wow, do guys really need that many stereo mixes in order to track a good performance?

there are a couple of developers here who could build you almost whatever you want, within reason......

for smaller steps with the mouse, move it further from the knob/slider. there's certainly nothing wrong with using a control sureface, either!

[Lima]

I remember that some time ago I've got a similar problem:
I've made a big project that uses almost the dsp (only a bar free). When I recalled it SFP crashes. Reloading the project again sometime crashes and some not.
I could load the project about every 4-5 times, but in some channels the sound was corrupted.

I've started to remove blocks and reload to understand where the problem occurs, and I've discovered that the problem was related to the STM2448 I was using:

Loading a "multifx S" with some effect inside into a bus channel (2 buses linked obv.) gives the error.

I never got enough time to make further tests in this side, but I suppose that the problem was related to the particular project.

Anyone has expected something similar?

[Baertel]

@garyb: I'm not sure, how much monitoring-mixes other band require, but the bands, that have been in my studio wanted a specific Headphone-Mix for every musician. I can understand that, since the drummer needs to have his own way for sure, simply because of the health-killing loudness of the click. The bassplayer wants the bass to wave as big-bottemed and loud as possible through his brain. And the rhythm-guitarplayer does not like to hear the leadguitar as loud as that one needs it. And this is a typical rock'n roll - line up.... And it should be stereo, because the great masterverb lets my customers feel like upperclass ones.

And to come back to your opinion, that a mouse can be faster than a hardware-controller... It can be this way, but somehow, I get this big smile on my face, everytime I move a fader on my BCF2000 and the software-fader moves with it. Moving a sofware-fader (or knob) with the mouse just lets my eyes come closer to the screen and the concentration blows my brain. For me, mixing with Logic started to be fun, when I got a Logic Control a couple of years ago. Before it was just a pain.

[garyb]

dude, no one is arguing, just trying to help. sure, hardware controllers are nice, i'm just lazy and broke. if i had lots of extra money i'd have a nice one set up. my old analog desk is huge anyway, so there's no room for all that at the moment.

as to the musician's whining about their precious monitor mixes, they better be paying well. i'd think they'd rather have more recording done than spending days on headphone mixes. that's fine when every teenage girl wants you and your studio budget is in the millions, but i've found that when they have fewer options the musicians spend more time making music. kudos to you for having the patience to babysit headphone sessions.

if you really want to give them special mixes, do it the way it's done in bigger studios. send group(bus out) mixes to individual mini-mixing boards feeding each musicians headphones and let them mix their headphones themselves. everyone's more likely to end up happy that way....

just a thought.

[Baertel]

Hey,

I rebuilded my project last night and found out, that the problem is not the amount of connections or of the mixers.

The problem comes up when I connect the AUX RACK!!! No matter, how much stuff there is loaded in it or if any.

It's also not a problem to use almost all DSP-power.

I only need to get used to save a lot and under different names, since I expirienced, that the bigger a project becomes the more often SFP stops to let me draw new connections. With reloading the (or maybe the previous) saving-pint, the work can go on and I can build up whatever I whant.

That's what makes SFP worthful to me

@garyb: of course no one is arguing I have to admit, that my point comes out of a brain, messed by to many Star-Treck movies. I see those ones sitting in front of flickering lights and touching screens from time to time. Never saw them using a mouse . Just an inner dream out of my childhood, I guess.

And yes, they are paying ok..

[moxi]

Hi,

I think that musicians who need a stereo mix in their headphone are very rare...most of the tiime (99.9/100!), a mono sum is send to the headphone, thru the Aux send in "pre" mode. If it's a bigband, you have to group the musicians so each section have a common monitor mix...keep only one Aux in post mode to send the mix into a nice reverb (that make people happy ), and use the 5 remaining aux for the musicians monitoring.

And reminder that more complex is your project, harder will be the job for you during the recording (when you have mainly to take care of musicians humors), so maybe it's better to just use a "simple" 2448 mixer. In all case it's rather impossible to tweak more than two knobs at the same time ..