Matchbox V1.5.19 Crashing Pro Tools 2023.9 and 2023.6 during reconform

Matchbox
#1

Hi! I’ll try to add more info as I try different options, but so far It is consistently crashing on a film reconform with a lot of content (2.5 hour TRT in 8 reels, about 100 tracks deep). I’ve tried using and not using the Pro Tools Scripting API, and I’ve tried turning off Pro Tool’s auto-backup in case it MB was trying to access inaccessible UI elements. EdiLoad successfully completes the same conform (I say that because although Pro Tools is the app that is crashing, I do think it has to do with an interaction with MB. I also had MB crash once today after Pro Tools Crashed) I can provide crash reports if needed.

Thanks!
Dustin

#2

I will wager that you have folders and they are closed.
There’s always been a bug in Pro Tools where certain edits performed on closed folder cause a crash.
It’s not Matchbox - if you perform the same copy/paste manually it will also crash.

If ediload is getting thru the list then I bet the list is different.

If it turns out the closed folders are the issue I would LOVE to get a copy of the session to send to Avid. I’ve never managed to get one of a user.

#3

There are definitely folders and some of them are absolutely closed :slight_smile: I’ll try again in the morning with the folders open to see if that solves the issue. Sadly I can’t send the session with media as it’s NDA’d and not my property :sob:

#4

RE Different lists, I’m sure there were differences as each program generated its own list based on the EDLs… is matchbox able to export a change list EDL?

#5

I would guess the media is unnecessary. If you can send it we can get this thing fixed finally.

1 Like
#6

BTW I redid the conform with all folders open (there was a closed nested folder) and it worked a treat. Thanks for the quick response. Where should I send the file to? and I assume the matchbox file would be helpful as well?

#7

Damn. So the bug is still there in Pro Tools. I would love to pass on that session to Avid - and yes, the MB project file too.

#8

Is there an email I should send the files to?
Dustin

#9

Oh, sorry.
Support at the cargo cult dot nz.

#10

Ha ha ha…okay, this is fun. I am the co-super on the same film as Dustin. We’re in the process of another re-conform and while PT isn’t crashing on me, it is running extraordinarily slowly on a super session Fx reconform, even though I am only conforming 1 premix at a time (12 monos, 12 stereos per premix).

There are about 426 changes across the film. This current conform has been going for about 2 hours and has only just started cleaning automation cuts. A marker pass is still to come.

I’m in the middle of that conform right now so I don’t want to stop it to try your published tips (deactivating tracks, reducing undo levels, etc.) but I will do that on my next premix.

What I am wondering is this (in relation to Dustin’s question above): I have folders in the session…some are closed BUT those folders are not amongst the tracks selected to be conformed. Is that part of the known issue with folders?

Many thanks Justin (and, Dustin…dialogue session is done…I’ll work on cleaning it up tomorrow morning) :rofl:

~Barden

1 Like
#11

Hey. The PT bug discussed above is caused by making edit operations on a closed folder - so you can ignore that in your case.

We have heard recently about the latest versions of PT performing appallingly badly when track markers are being used. Like… unusably slow for certain operations if even 1 track marker is present anywhere.

Could that be the problem?

#12

Hi!

Yes there are track markers.

I will first delete those before attacking my next premix and report back with any changes to performance (before changing any other settings).

Thanks, Justin.

Barden

#13

FWIW I did a reconform of all of our ADR to date, plus all of the Edicue Tracks (session total 65 tracks), 2 folders, neither of them closed, no picture files in session, no markers… and It also took a very long time (hour-ish?) but I was also set to ‘very careful’ so maybe that is normal? and I was using the Pro Tools Scripting API option. I’ll need to conform some more ADR tomorrow so I’ll try something faster than ‘very careful’ and see what happens.
Dustin

#14

Oh, you shouldn’t need the “very Careful” option at all. The fastest setting should be reliable… but we include the others just as a fallback in case some unexpected Pro Tools sluggishness is introduced one day.

And hours sounds way too long.

#15

Perhaps it’s just our film!

Some additional info from me:

  • 426 changes took 142+ minutes (with 13 redos)
  • I was mistaken…there were no track markers, but lots of Marker Ruler markers (that were included in the conform). There used to be track markers but they must’ve been removed on the stage.
  • MB was set to “Careful” on the last pass
  • on my next pass (again, just one 24trk premix) I will NOT conform any markers and I will turn off Drop Cut Markers
  • I will also turn off Eucon (I just realized that it was still active on the session and I’m wondering if the constant communication with my surfaces was hindering things)

If things are still really slow, I’ll move to your other published recommendations.

~Barden

#16

old-skool markers should be no trouble. That is a lot of changes but 142 minutes seems too long.
Did you deactivate all tracks and thin automation before running it?
also, region groups are a KILLER! I know they’re really practical but also super inefficient in Pro Tools.

#17

Region groups? (cries in EdiCue scene descriptions and ADR cues) :sob::sob::sob:

#18

Yeeeeaaaahhhh that’s too bad about Region Groups causing issues. We use them for everything, everywhere, and all of the time…. Yikes.

#19

I think the issues in PT have been around region groups encapsulating large amounts of stuff. And nested inside other large groups.

PT is just really inefficient in handling them so if you perform 425 edits on massive nested region groups, then you should expect it to take a while.

#20

I completely respect the complexity that comes with Region Groups.

Our use of them is often utilitarian rather than actually grouping a lot of audio with fades and automation, etc. By this I mean we’re using it for ADR scripts (as Dustin mentioned, using EdiCue), leaving notes or reminders in tracks, creating scene description tracks, etc.