Problems...so many problems

[broach]

The title of this thread is perhaps misnamed if I am leaving anyone with an impression of astute knowledge of this program.  What I mean to say is I am a dolt who can't play the first note with this program and am about to cause physical harm to my previously loyal and innocent system.

Where to start.  I am running XP on a pentium 2.4.  I know nothing--nothing--about programing.  Apparently there are lots of intelligent things to say to your computer to which it romances one back with binary numbers.  That's the extent of what knowledge I'm working with.

Here are my woes.  My wife has recently joined the 21st century in purchasing her Ipod.  I was delegated the task of putting the CD in my right hand into a contraption the size of a cigerette box.  Thanks to Sony's proprietary software, no problems there.  However, it got the wheels moving that caused me to google stuff and join the ranks of you ladies and gentlemen in putting lots of those CD's into my computer to be accessed via a second hand 3M touchscreen.  Got the hardware working and decided it was time to introduce myself to Freebox.

On Friday I researched and downloaded the latest freeware version at "mirror 2."  I quickly learned that Freebox did not like the Ipod's file -- but that's cool because I was to spend all day Sunday "ripping" CD's while watching the Packer's Redskins.  On Friday I finally got V2 to operate to a limited extent.  Config V2 did not like me at first.  I then ripped three CD's to MP3 files in a new subdirectory.  Config V2 then decided it was all one album.  Player would function and it appeared everything else was registering correctly, track titles, etc.  Spending gobs of time saturday, I tried the edit functions.  Nothing.  Thinking it was the ripping program, I tried the import function.  Nothing.  I would occassionally get "runtime error 35600."  I came back to your site and found no such error reported before.  I unistalled V2 and tried a fresh install.  Same problems. 

I then upgraded to V3.  I installed the program and have yet to see anything function.  The first launch of config V3 I went to creation tools, pointed the appropriate path, checked the Genre option, and clicked Generate library.  I then get a message "finished searching 0 files found, now building database" and it locks up.  I have also received the same runtime error message.

So while you all are sitting at home right now sorting which songs to play next or what color to stain your shiny pretty cabinets -- I'm trying to cut my wrists with a blunt CD.  What do you say fellas...a little help here? I have a wife and kids now mocking me for ever venturing into this project.  I am a grown man not to be made fun of by a four year old girl.

[Barcrest]

When launchijng the config you need to point it to a set of sub folders. Each sub folder is an album....

So point it to

C:\mp3\

In there you should have

c:\mp3\ac-dc - backin black\track01.mp3
c:\mp3\killers - some killers album\01track.mp3

etc.

If you have the albums each in thier own folder and you point the config to the folder above it should work. Make sure you delete any folders ending in .REC and .CVR before starting as these may be stuffed up from previous attempts or use a fresh install.

[broach]

Thanks Barry for the point in the right direction.  It seems elementary now as to the subdirectory structure.  Obviously then the problem was that all tracks dumped into the same subdirectory were viewed as the same album. 

However, I still don't have the program running.  I receive an error message stating "mscal.ocx or one of its dependencies not correctly registered: a file is missing or invalid"  In reviewing the posts I found a couple of  threads identifying identifying what appears as this error and creating a link to a site with the ocx file.  It seemed to fix everyone else simply enough and I downloaded from the link.

I downloaded the file, extracted it, copied it to WINDOWS\system32\mscal.ocx and attempted the command line " regsvr32 mscal.ocx" at Start/run.  I then receive the error "Loadlibrary 'mscal.ocx' failed -- access is denied."
No one else has reported this situation and I have no idea how to obtain "access."  So...again... its probably my error but after another three wasted hours and probably recking more havoc I would appreciate any input.

[Barcrest]

I will update the setup.exe tonight to contain that folder. That should get you up and running.

[broach]

To which I reply gleefully "Barry for President"...at least of this website ... until I'm more aware of your politics.  What the heck, like it matters.  Barry for President. 

In the wee little hours of this morning.  I did go back to version 2.0 just because I couldn't let it go.  (See above, small children mocking me...).  I DID get V2 working with album covers and all that fancy stuff...on approximately seven albums. Impressive collection, yes? 

Thanks for the help with the updated V3, I'll look for the file tonight.  As things have been progressing thus far I tinker further I may cause an explosion and warp the space time continuum.  I feel like a chick asking where the oil goes.  But at least my four year old will stop being mean to me -- or I'LL TELL.

[squirrellydw]

Well you could let the four year old do it for you, I am sure she knows what to do 

[Barcrest]

If you go to the place you download V3 from and re-download it you should be good. I have fixed the setup to include that missing file. I didn't bother making a new release so just download the same one....

[broach]

I would let the four year old two do it, but she tells me that she doesn't have time after she manages my fantasy football team and my retirement accounts.

[Barcrest]

The big question is if you now have it running or now?

[squirrellydw]

LOL

[kizer]

I would let the four year old two do it, but she tells me that she doesn't have time after she manages my fantasy football team and my retirement accounts.

Bahahaha

As well make sure your MP3's are tagged correctly. Meaning, each file should have its artist, album, track, genre, year. That way when you fire up Freebox no matter what version you take advantage of all the features as well it just makes for good house keeping.

7 albums, you have to start somewhere.

[broach]

Gentlemen:

Though I'm at work now, I owed Barry and other inquiring minds a status update.  Would you be surprised to learn that  v3 is not working for me at present.  However, like a person deranged I have left a mostly functioning v2 in place and continued to try to get the file library completed.  (I don't know why the four year old can't sit and feed the cd's -- now she pretrends that she can't actually read and couldn't possibly be relied upon to responsibly add a few file extensions and gather up the art covers).  Were I to have a butler, this is the crap I would have them do after they fluffed my pillows.  Strike that,  if I had a butler, they could simply feed my CD player and I wouldn't be dealing with you folks at all.  (Didn't mean that last one in a crabby way, it just came off that way because of the crappy attitude of my fictional manservant today...).

Here is where I am.  With the exception of a few small malfunctions I have operating screens with functions operating in Version 2.0. 

When I installed V3, after Barry's update above, I first ran through the config program.  Nothing eventful happened (in my uninformed opinion).  As V3 loaded the error Barry addressed above was not present.  When the player opened the first time, all hell broke lose.  (Barry can I say that? If not I meant double hockeysticks and all).  My video resolution changed and windows became unstable.  I don't recall that I had anything else open when that happened.  I subsequently shut down and restarted windows.  I was able to launch the player without without the overall problem, but the text in the buttons appears to be a different resolution (the text does not fit in the space of the icons but I can see enough to know what they are supposed to be) and have lines through them that I'm assuming are not supposed to be there.  When I click my dohickey on a button it gives a program error (sorry, don't have it front of me and can't recall which snotty response it was) and goes away.  No crashes.  It just looks at some of my album covers and says "hey, that's a nice collection of seven albums" now go away. 

So here's the long and short of it.  (Like short remotely applies to this post).  When I now launch V3 it will open.  I have titles and cover art.  When I ask it nicely to do stuff.  It says uh-uh and closes.  I do not take it personally because I have employees (and obviously children) that do the same thing.  However, V2 can get me to a tune based on selections of album covers and without putting it through its rigors, appears to allow me to compile the list.  Were this all I ever had, I could look back and say I had a full life.
Unfortunately, it mostly Dora the explorer and Wiggles.  Did you all know he's the map?

Thanks for inquiring and listening fellas.  I am coming to the realization that my shortcomings as a "video jukebox MP3 playing on my computer with proper file extensions" guy are quickly prompting disappointment with Barry.  It will be as if my vote for Barry as President will not matter.  (Did you guys know that Barry now has officially decided to consider an announcement to not run for President ((I know Colbert Report, but you have to admit its clever)).  I must humbly be scorned as I am clearly not worthy of V3 -- it even tells me...

Now I'm off to Court to get some bad guys.  It brings me joy and confidence.

[kremmit]

I did in fact know he was the map.  But thanks for trying to help.