Bug 429 – Audacity freezes or crashes when libsndfile imports files without audio data

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Audacity 3.0.3 development began 19th April 2021

Audacity Bugzilla

Bug 429 - Audacity freezes or crashes when libsndfile imports files without audio data


Summary:	Audacity freezes or crashes when libsndfile imports files without audio data

Status:	RESOLVED FIXED

Product:	Audacity
Classification:	Unclassified
Component:	Formats
Version:	1.3.14 alpha
Hardware:	PC All

Importance:	P3 Repeatable
Assigned To:	Michael Chinen

URL:
Keywords:

Depends on:
Blocks:
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Reported:	2011-07-05 16:20 UTC by Steve Daulton
Modified:	2018-08-20 11:45 UTC (History)
CC List:	4 users (show)

See Also:
Steps To Reproduce:	1 Create a minimal WAV or AIFF file (as described in bug 428). 2 Import the file.
Release Note:	GROUP:Imports and Exports WAV or AIFF files (and FLAC files on Linux if imported with libsndfile) may freeze or crash Audacity if the files contain no audio data. It is currently possible to export such files from Audacity using Export Multiple if it is not realised that the track or region contains no audio data or that the track is muted.
First Git SHA:
Group:	---
Workaround:
Closed:	2018-08-20 00:00:00

Flags:	gale: Regression+

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Description Steve Daulton 2011-07-05 16:20:01 UTC

Minimal WAV files that contain no audio data are likely to cause Audacity to freeze or crash if imported.
The exact behaviour (freeze/crash/no action) varies depending on the operating system and whether or not copy-in is enabled.

Comment 1 Gale Andrews 2011-07-05 21:59:06 UTC

Occurs with copy-in or read directly. Regression on 1.2.6 where an empty track is opened for a WAV without audio data (this happens in 1.3.14 when importing an MP3 without audio data).

Comment 2 Michael Chinen 2011-07-11 11:48:49 UTC

Patch by David Wallace to fix this commited in r11219.

Comment 3 Steve Daulton 2011-07-12 14:39:56 UTC

(In reply to comment #2)

The fix works in Audacity SVN r11219 on Ubuntu 10.10.

Importing a minimal file (that crashes earlier versions of 1.3.14) produces an empty audio track (which I would think would be the expected result).

Comment 4 Gale Andrews 2011-07-13 16:01:43 UTC

Thanks, Steve and also David for the patch. Additionally I tested empty AIFF then empty ADPCM and U-Law WAVs (on Ubuntu 10.10 and Windows 7). Michael, did you verify with an empty file on Mac produced with the steps to repro (or are you happy there can be no platform dependencies)? Bill is away for a couple of weeks. Please RESOLVE - FIX if you are happy.

Comment 5 Gale Andrews 2011-08-01 17:45:27 UTC

(In reply to comment #4)
David has told me he is confident there are no platform dependencies and that importing a zero length file cannot now cause a divide by zero error, so moving to RESOLVED - FIXED though not (QA) tested on Mac.