EAC/FLAC: External compressor returned an error!

[Bon]

My first post here. I'm a relatively new user of EAC/FLAC but not to
pc's. I've ripped several CD's with EAC/FLAC without problems on this
machine. As I was ripping a Cd my problem began with track 3 of 17 with
an error message. At track 15 and up I consistently began to receive the
error message " The external compressor returned an error!" My setup of
the EAC external compression string is -6 -T "artist=%a" -T "title=%t"
-T "album=%g" -T "date=%y" -T "tracknumber=%n" -T "genre=%m" %s %d.

At this point I've tried changing CD's and destination drives, folders,
and rebooting but to no avial. All CD's and all tracks give me the same
message. All EAC messages indicate that ripping is not the problem as
the wave files are without errors.

Can someone please give me a clue as where to look?

[Heuer]

If you open a second EAC session whilst the first is running you will
see this error. Done it several times myself when EAC is minimised and
I have double clicked on the desktop icon by mistake to check progress.
Wav file will be there but not the FLAC although EAC will continue to
run happily for the remaining tracks. You can run two EAC sessions
simultaneously provided each points at a different CD/DVD drive.

[MrC]

This error can also occur if you move your EAC folder to another
location. EAC uses full paths to the compressors. If you've moved your
folder, update the paths to the compressors in EACs Compressor Options.

[Bon]

The EAC compressor is running fine. It indicates no errors in its log
and only one instance of EAC is running at a time. It's the FLAC that
passes back an error to the EAC and it does so only after compressing
the file. I always end up with both a WAV file and a FLAC file for each
track. As each track is processed (I have EAC set to wait for FLAC to
complete before proceeding) FLAC compresses and then returns an error.
I sure wish it would return an error code so I could get a handle on
what is bothering it!

[MrC]

Post by Bon
The EAC compressor is running fine. It indicates no errors in its log
and only one instance of EAC is running at a time. It's the FLAC that
passes back an error to the EAC and it does so only after compressing
the file. I always end up with both a WAV file and a FLAC file for each
track. As each track is processed (I have EAC set to wait for FLAC to
complete before proceeding) FLAC compresses and then returns an error.
I sure wish it would return an error code so I could get a handle on
what is bothering it!

EAC is an extractor, not a compressor. FLAC is the compressor.

Try running the FLAC compressor via command line using the exact path
specified in EAC's Compressor Options, and the arguments EAC would pass
for the file.

[Bon]

Thanks, I do understand that the EAC is not a compressor.

I have installed the Flac Frontend. Running it on a wav file created by
EAC generates the error "Tag guessing failed".

I've tried enabling "Add ID3" tag and disabling it to no avail.

The string setup in EAC under compression options/External Compression
is:
-6 -T "artist=%a" -T "title=%t" -T "album=%g" -T "date=%y" -T
"tracknumber=%n" -T "genre=%m" %s %d

EAC indicates that the string that was sent to FLAC was:
-6 -T"artist=The Beatles" -T"title=sun King" -T"album-Abbey Road"
-T"date=1969" -Ttracknumber=10" -T"genre=classic Rock"
"c:\temp\1tmp842(2.wav" "c:\temp\1tmp842(2.flac"

Suggestions?

[MrC]

Post by Bon
-6 -T"artist=The Beatles" -T"title=sun King" -T"album-Abbey Road"
-T"date=1969" -Ttracknumber=10" -T"genre=classic Rock"
"c:\temp\1tmp842(2.wav" "c:\temp\1tmp842(2.flac"
Suggestions?

I do see a missing quote before "tracknumber".

[Bon]

Post by MrC
I do see a missing quote before "tracknumber".

I double checked and the missing quote is my typo and the quote
actually exists in the EAC error message. I had to hand transcribe the
text as the EAC error message doesn't allow for a clean copy-and-paste
transfer. The corrected error message is:

-6 -T"artist=The Beatles" -T"title=sun King" -T"album-Abbey Road"
-T"date=1969" -T"tracknumber=10" -T"genre=classic Rock"
"c:\temp\1tmp842(2.wav" "c:\temp\1tmp842(2.flac"

By the way, a brute force method / work-around is to turn off "Check
for external programs return code" in EAC. Doing this results in what
"appears" to be a clean extraction & compression. However, eventually
I'm afraid that I'll find the thing that is wrong and regret doing
this.

[street_samurai]

I don't see any specific problems in your compression string but...

Try using this instead:

Code:
--------------------

-6 -V -T "artist=%a" -T "title=%t" -T "album=%g" -T "date=%y" -T "tracknumber=%n" -T "genre=%m" -T comment="%e" -T "comment=EAC (Secure Mode)" %s
--------------------


And see if it works. This one works for me (and several others).
Obviously modify as you wish. I've never used the %d variable before...
perhaps this is the problem...?

ss.

[Syron]

%d specifies the new file name ("c:\temp\1tmp842(2.flac"). I'm looking
at the man page and it doesn't look like that is the correct way to
specify an output file in flac. You don't even need to because flac
uses the same name with the new extension. Is it possible that adding
%d tells flac to compress both files and it fails because it can't find
the .flac file because it hasn't been created yet? Try it without %d.

Anyway I was getting the same EAC error with lame after it had been
previously working so I'll post my solution in case anyone else Googles
it.

The CDDB info was specifying an invalid genre and this was causing the
compression to fail. The problem wasn't immediately obvious because the
tag looked legit but didn't exactly match a "music style" in the allowed
list (Database -> Edit CD Information). I didn't discover this until I
tried to do the compression manually so I could see the actual error.

[Syron]

%d specifies the new file name ("c:\temp\1tmp842(2.flac"). I'm looking
at the man page and it doesn't look like that is the correct way to
specify an output file in flac. You don't even need to because flac
uses the same name with the new extension. Is it possible that adding
%d tells flac to compress both files and it fails because it can't find
the .flac file? Try it without %d.

Anyway I was getting the same EAC error with lame after it had been
previously working so I'll post my solution in case anyone else Googles
it.

The CDDB info was specifying an invalid genre and this was causing the
compression to fail. The problem wasn't immediately obvious because the
tag looked legit but didn't exactly match a "music style" in the allowed
list (Database -> Edit CD Information). I didn't discover this until I
tried to do the compression manually (same as MrC's suggestion) so I
could see the actual error.

[radish]

That makes sense for lame, as ID3 has a fixed list of genres. But FLAC
will take any value for the genre field.

[Pat Farrell]

Post by radish
That makes sense for lame, as ID3 has a fixed list of genres. But FLAC
will take any value for the genre field.

To be pedantic, ID3 V1 has a single byte for genres.
Later versions accept free form text. Just like Flac.

Sadly a lot of ripping programs still write ID3 V1 format
even if they also write a more reasonable later version.
And a lot of reading/player programs will use the ID3 V1
tags if they are present, even with later, better and more
useful tags are there.

ID3 V1 tags are evil.

[radish]

I welcome your correction Pat :) I have as little to do with ID3 as
possible.

[MrSinatra]

i am having a problem with this now myself...

i installed EAC on a new install of XP, and used a somewhat older eac
config file to replicate my settings. no joy.

i checked all the obvious things, or so i think. all i use in the
command line is:

-q 1

and it doesn't work whether thats in there or not. i get a "external
compressor returned an error" line for some reason.

someone elsewhere was saying that prebeta 5 doesn't like prebeta4
configs, but i have no choice, the other system was wiped out.

i can't rip CDs, this is very frustrating.
--
MrSinatra

www.lion-radio.org
using:
sb2 & sbc (my home) / sbr (parent's home) - sbs 7.5b - win xp pro sp3
ie8 - p4(ht) 3.2ghz / 2gig ram - 1tb wd usb2 raid1 - d-link dir-655 -
40k+ mp3
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[MrSinatra]

making some progress...

i ran the EAC config wizard, and that got things working again, but
with IT's settings. for instance, it puts the bitrate at 192kbps and
uses this for a command line:

%l-V 5%l%h-V 2%h --vbr-new %s %d

i don't know what any of that means, i always use CBR 256kbps and set a
"quality" switch of 1, ie:

-q 1

...and thats it.

the problem seems to be that when i change the command line to -q 1 it
simply rejects it. i don't know why. i am using a newer lame, 3.98.4
whereas before is was 3.98.2 but the docs say -q 1 should be fine.

really irritating. can't rip till i figure it out.
--
MrSinatra

www.lion-radio.org
using:
sb2 & sbc (my home) / sbr (parent's home) - sbs 7.5b - win xp pro sp3
ie8 - p4(ht) 3.2ghz / 2gig ram - 1tb wd usb2 raid1 - d-link dir-655 -
40k+ mp3
------------------------------------------------------------------------
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View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=24054

[JJZolx]

Post by MrSinatra
%l-V 5%l%h-V 2%h --vbr-new %s %d
i don't know what any of that means, i always use CBR 256kbps and set a
-q 1
...and thats it.
the problem seems to be that when i change the command line to -q 1 it
simply rejects it. i don't know why. i am using a newer lame, 3.98.4
whereas before is was 3.98.2 but the docs say -q 1 should be fine.
really irritating. can't rip till i figure it out.

You're still using Mp3? Why?

Anyway... that encoding line is a complete mess. What are you trying
to do? Do you want to use VBR or CBR? ID3v2 only, or both ID3v1 &
v2?

Most of what you need should be explained here:

http://wiki.hydrogenaudio.org/index.php?title=EAC_and_Lame

[MrSinatra]

Post by JJZolx
You're still using Mp3? Why?

:)

well, i guess the main reason is it sounds good to me, and its
universal. i share my music with a lot of friends, as a lot of us are
connected to the radio, i used to DJ a lot. mp3s also work with our
automation system. i also like to transport my library on a very small
USB drive, thats also USB powered. (its a copy of the raid drives)

i really believe that most people could not tell the difference between
FLAC and my 256kbps mp3s. if i were to setup a double blind test, i bet
95% of the people, or more, would fail it. i am almost certain i would
fail it.

i am getting more into FLAC, and certainly its everything people say it
is, but space, and the ability to play a given file any and everywhere
also matter to me.

Post by JJZolx
Anyway... What are you trying to do? Do you want to use VBR or CBR?
ID3v2 tag only, or both ID3v1 & v2? Most of what you need should be
http://wiki.hydrogenaudio.org/index.php?title=EAC_and_Lame

i have done almost all of my mp3s using EAC, and the only command line
option/switch i ever used was:

-q 1

i set the bitrate via EAC dropdowns, and other settings via similar
dialogs. (you can add an extra lame dialog page to EAC if you put the
right DLL in the EAC folder).

so all my mp3s are 256kbps CBR.

i haven't learned how to do id3v2.3 tags ONLY yet, but after i rip a
bunch of CDs, i just use mp3tag to strip the v1.x stuff out. i'll
check your link to see if there's a switch for that!
--
MrSinatra

www.lion-radio.org
using:
sb2 & sbc (my home) / sbr (parent's home) - sbs 7.5b - win xp pro sp3
ie8 - p4(ht) 3.2ghz / 2gig ram - 1tb wd usb2 raid1 - d-link dir-655 -
40k+ mp3
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[MrSinatra]

finally got it:

http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/...howtopic=81559

i don't know why the config wizard makes the parameter passing scheme
"user defined" if its using LAME, that was the cause of my heartache.
--
MrSinatra

www.lion-radio.org
using:
sb2 & sbc (my home) / sbr (parent's home) - sbs 7.5b - win xp pro sp3
ie8 - p4(ht) 3.2ghz / 2gig ram - 1tb wd usb2 raid1 - d-link dir-655 -
40k+ mp3
------------------------------------------------------------------------
MrSinatra's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=2336
View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=24054