I’m having crashes on two different M1 Macs running Monterey 12.4 when exporting audio and using the ‘export players as separate files’ option. Dorico has not crashed exporting audio with that button not checked. I am running NPPE 4.4.0 and crashes are occurring with internal NP sounds. Dorico starts the export fine and generates audio files but usually about 50% to 75% through, the progress bar stops and Dorico crashes . Dorico will not boot without restarting the computer after one of these crashes. The crashes do not having every time, some flows export audio fine. I’m just sorting this out and will try to provide crash logs and example files later but just seeing if anyone has insights off the top. It is not related to one Dorico file as problem is happening on most files.
Please do Help > Create Diagnostic Report and attach the resulting zip files here, so we can get a look at the crash logs and see what’s going on.
Thanks Daniel, I’ll get you those crash logs soon!
Hey Daniel,
I have several diagnostic files ready to send to you. Can I send them to you directly? (I’m not sure if there is private information in them). Or just post here on forum?
Also, this may be a clue: the issue seems to be occurring on re-exporting the audio. If I open a file and export audio (as separate files) this usually works the first time. But then if I delete these exported audio files and open the same file again, it seems to be much more likely for the issue to occur on the second export ( I know that’s very odd, but I think that’s what is happening). This is a bit hard to track here because it is definitely intermittent.
You can certainly send them to me directly if you’re concerned about posting them here publicly. There’s nothing personally identifiable in the log files except for the username of your account on your computer.
It’s interesting that you might be experiencing the crashes particularly when Dorico has to replace the audio files that have already been exported. I wonder whether the problem could be that one or more of the audio files you’ve exported is locked because it’s open in another application? If you double-click the exported audio files to listen to them, e.g. in the Music app (which is what opens by default when you double-click an audio file on macOS) or in another media player, it could be that Dorico is unable to overwrite the file. It still shouldn’t crash, of course!
Thanks. I sent them to you. (please let me know if I did that properly and you have the diagnostics)
I’m going to do some more experiments this afternoon and see if my ‘repeat export’ theory has validity and if I can reproduce it consistently. I look forward to seeing your thoughts on the diagnostics.
Hey Daniel,
A little more info that may help with this.
(I am updating this on Jan 30 3:50 PM PT to correct error: what I earlier called a crash is not a crash, Dorico is freezing - not crashing. Dorico is still visible but can not be quit and the project can not be closed)
I had a friend export audio on PC with Dorico 5.1.0 , with overwriting the files, trying to recreate the problem. But no problem occurred.
I took the same Dorico file and exported separate audio several times on two of my M1’s . Studio 1 is running Dorico 5.1…0 and Studio 2 with Dorico 5.1.1
TEST #1 (Dorico file #1)
On Studio 1 with Dorico 5.1.0
No freeze! I exported multiple times and even overwrote the files with no issues.
On Studio 2 with Dorico 5.1.1
First export, no issue. Then I deleted the files. Second export, no issue. Then on third exported I tried overwriting the files and Dorico froze (same issue with progress bar freezing around 50%) .
TEST #2 (with different dorico file, file #2)
On Studio 1 with Dorico 5.1.0
Crash on first export. (progress bar froze at 60%)
On Studio 2 with 5.1.1
No crash. I exported three times and no issue happened, I even overwrote the files.
Note that Test #1 and Test #2 contradict each other so I have to admit I am very baffled. The issue does not seem specific to a computer or a file or version of Dorico. It just seems intermittent.
Let me know if any other tests I can run that will be helpful to you and your team! Thanks so much for your help on this.
Hi @John_Frizzell ,
Daniel asked me to weigh in, and I’d like to have more spin dumps from you.
So please export again until it gets stuck and then please do 2 or better 3 spin dumps in a row. If possible do it in studio 3 which has the latest Dorico version (5.1.10).
Zip up the spin dumps and send to u dot stoermer at steinberg dot de. Thanks a lot
Hey ,
I’m starting this now. Thanks I’ll send spin dumps as soon as ready.
Question: is there any possibility this could be an issue with corrupt preferences? Should I try replacing prefs?
No, we are in Dorico, not Cubase 
Well, the audio engine is derived from Cubase, that’s true, but no, I’m certain it’s not the prefs.
Thanks … I sent the spindumps. Please let me know you got them and I made them correctly.
Thanks for all the help
John Frizzell
Hi @John_Frizzell , sorry, but I have received nothing, yet. Are you sure you’ve sent it to me or not someone else, e.g. Daniel or so?
I check my spam folder as well, nothing in there…
maybe something messed up in email?
Can you send me an email and I will reply.
Spindumps 0202 730am.zip (1.5 MB)
Here they are… does it work if I just upload here?
I see the problem in email I sent. I spelled your name wrong… resending now
Thanks again for the spin dumps. They show the audio engine always in the same state, so yes, it is deadlocked, because the main thread waits for a signal from a worker thread which never arrives. Consequently also Dorico is deadlocked because it waits for a signal from the audio engine…
One more question. I don’t see anywhere a trace of NotePerformer. Did you use that in your project or not? Seems like it did not even get loaded into the audio engine.
Next question, what audio interface do you use and what is the buffer size of the audio driver? If you increase the buffer size, does that improve the export situation?
Q:One more question. I don’t see anywhere a trace of NotePerformer. Did you use that in your project or not? Seems like it did not even get loaded into the audio engine.
A: I have ‘Noteperformer’ selected on Apply Playback Template page. And when I open Dorico I see the ‘Noteperformer 4’ window open up. And it sounds like the internal Noteperformer sounds when I playback. So all indications here are that Noteperformer is properly engaged. In addition, I have done quite a few tests with NPPE open and BBCSO loaded (which is very clear to hear) nd I get same freezing in this situation. But it is very odd that the spindumps dont show NP… hmm
Q:Next question, what audio interface do you use and what is the buffer size of the audio driver? If you increase the buffer size, does that improve the export situation?
A: Studio 1 - RME MadifaceXT buffer size 256
Studio 2 - (same as studio 1) RME MadifaceXT buffer size 256
Studio 3 -Built in Audio buffer size 256
I will test with higher buffer size now.
PROGRESS!!!
I set buffer to 2048 and exported audio 5 times with no freeze. This is first time I have had this. I will test further. But I am optimistic that a high buffer setting is the solution!!
JF
Really great progress! I’m ready to call this ‘Solved’…
I have turned auto save back on (every five minutes)
(Buffer set to 2048)
I load Spitfire SO into NPPE
I have exported on ALL THREE computers two times (overwriting existing files) with filepath set to desktop … and NO FREEZE!! woo hoo…
JF