Bugzilla – Bug 555
Export fails without warning if missing alias file even if current project state no longer depends on it
Last modified: 2019-08-07 06:53:40 UTC
This seems to be a special case that was missed by the fix for bug 328. The peculiar thing here is that the missing dependency is not actually a project dependency, however it is still a dependency for the project undo history. Perhaps the checks that produce the warning message relating to bug 328 should be from a test against the Undo history, rather than against the project dependencies. I'm unsure of the priority rating that this should get - the failure is probably as serious as for bug 328 (P2), but would appear to be a rare occurrence.
Thanks, Steve. I think this could be P2 or P3, I'll suggest P3 as it seems a fringe case of bug 328, but the release note should encourage us to fix it in the not too distant feature. Step 6 could also be to import a compressed file or create audio in any other way, in which case Check Dependencies says the project is self-contained. I agree it seems that a check for alias files against the entire history would solve it. However the current warning would not suffice for the case in question: "You are attempting to overwrite an aliased file that is missing.\n\ The file cannot be written because the path is needed to restore the original audio to the project.\n\ Choose File > Check Dependencies to view the locations of all missing files.\n\ If you still wish to export, please choose a different filename or folder." because Check Dependencies would not do what that message says. View > History would show all files that were imported, but not their aliased state (unless we modified it to do so). Perhaps the message should say "Choose File > Check Dependencies to view the locations of all missing files (Undo or Redo and recheck Dependencies if no missing files are shown for the current project state)". I suppose it might be nice to have a Dependencies dialogue that shows first the current dependency then any further dependencies if the state is changed, but that is a different issue (and that sort of presentation could be more difficult to understand).
Still the case in 2.3.0
For 2.3.3 On-Demand loading of aliased files is being removed so this bag can no longer occur.
Testing on macOS 10.14.5 Mojave with 2.3.3 Mac alpha jc005 of 01Aug19 As with Windows - this can no longer be tested on Mac as OD has been removed
Re Comment #4 - this probably could be tested using an old project but not using the exact steps in steps to reproduce. But that is so convoluted as not to worry about.
Leaving for QA to decide whether to close, but certainly no longer P3. Demoted to P4.
Closed as WONTFIX for 2.3.3 and onwards - as aliased files can no longer be created in new projects from 2.3.3 onwards. We will continue support for the use of aliased external audio files in 2.3.3 and onwards for projects created in 2.3.2 and earlier which have dependencies on aliased external audio files - so users need to be aware of this. To this end a P3 superbug Bug #2189 has been created with a relevant release note.
