EMC 8 Compatibility with Creator 2011

[Dan_L]

Compatibility issue between EMC8 and Roxio Creator Pro 2011:

 

I just purchased Roxio Creator Pro 2011. I've installed it in my new Windows 7 installation (a week old) and installed the first Roxio service pack. Unfortunately when I run Roxio Music Disc Creator and try to open any dmsa file I created in my Windows XP partition (it's dual boot) in Easy Media Creator 8's Music Disc Creator, I consistently get the error message: "Encountered an improper argument." I've tried a dozen different dmsa files -- all with this same result. Interestingly, when I tried to create a new project in 2011 Music Disc Creator, I got the same error message when I tried to save the project (naturally as a dmsa file). Strangely, when I exited from Music Disc Creator, it asked me if I wanted to save changes to the project and it did save the dmsa file that had encountered an improper argument when I first tried to save it. But when I tried to open the dmsa file I had just created (and saved changes to), I received the same error message: "Encountered an improper argument" and could not open the project file (dmsa file).

 

This suggests to me that there is something seriously wrong if 2011 Music Disc Creator can't even save a new project. I really need to be able to open these files. I had a number of large compilation projects on which I was working. I would think that files dmsa created in Roxio 8's Music Disc Creator would be compatible with the 2011 version of the application. Surely there must be some way I can open these files and use them in 2011. Any ideas?

 

You'd think by now that Roxio would have an import feature into its primary program that would convert dmsa files into Roxio files.

[bimicher]

This has little to do with backward compatibility because Music Disc Creator runs into the problem when producing a new project too. It will create a new file but it will also give me that message and sometimes won't reopen the project file. So the problem rests not just with files created under EMC8.

 

Tech support told me to do a complete uninstall and reinstall. I did it. I followed their instructions to the letter and it makes no difference. The reinstalled Roxio Creator 2011 Pro still produces the same "Encountered an improper argument error." I was pretty sure this would make no difference, and sadly I was right. The problem has nothing to do with the install of Roxio. It almost certainly has to with the nature of Roxio.

 

I've done some research on this error and I'm quite certain it has something to do with Roxio, not my operating system (which is fully updated). I've built, upgraded, or brought back from the dead over 70 computers, so I'm not a total neophyte when it comes to hardware or software.

 

Any solution to this will require looking into the nature of the error by Roxio's software engineers who presumably understand these issues.

 

That's what I wrote back to tech support. I await their response.

 

I guess you must be the only user of Music Disc Creator since nobody else has ever encountered that error message. I guess something must be wrong with my system since I have created several Music Disc Creator projects and have not had that error. But then I haven't brought 70 dead computers back to live either.

[ggrussell]

As for 3rd party Windows Add-on, well I learned that lesson many, many years ago. They can and do cause issues with applications.

[grandpabruce]

 

[snip]

 

Roxio can make this change in an upcoming Service Pack update -- and make a lot of users happy. Failure to include such a function shows a great deal of disrespect for us customers who keep Roxio in business. The differences between the two dmsa file formats are not so great that your software engineers would have to spend a lot of time creating the import function. The goodwill Roxio would generate would be incalculable. I have made these suggestions to the good folks in Roxio's tech support.

 

 

You do realize that the folks, who have posted in this thread, are users like you and don't work for Roxio?

[gi7omy]

Of course the simple solution isn't to try to import the files into a different suite but to actually finish them - then bring the final product over and rip it back

 

a dmsa file isn't a complete thing - it's only a roadmap for finalising

[Dan_L]

After way too much time consumed, both issues are figured out. One solved, the other in search of a fix by Roxio.

 

First the compatibility issue:

 

I used a text editor to open dmsa files created in the Music Disc Creator module of Easy Media Creator 8 and Roxio 2011. It's pretty obvious that the changes in file format and codes -- especially adding html code to the path to the audio files that comprise the project -- make the EMC8 dmsa files unreadable by Roxio 2011.

 

Now it is quite reprehensible for Roxio to fail to provide an import filter to convert dmsa files created in earlier version to the 2011 format. If the software engineers at FileMaker Pro, Intuit (Quicken and Quickbooks), Microsoft (Word and Excel), and Corel (WordPerfect and Ventura Publisher) can enable users to import files created in earlier versions of their products as well as files created in other competing products, surely Roxio's fine software engineers can create an import function for Music Disc Creator that could import dmsa files from earlier versions of the application.

 

Roxio can make this change in an upcoming Service Pack update -- and make a lot of users happy. Failure to include such a function shows a great deal of disrespect for us customers who keep Roxio in business. The differences between the two dmsa file formats are not so great that your software engineers would have to spend a lot of time creating the import function. The goodwill Roxio would generate would be incalculable. I have made these suggestions to the good folks in Roxio's tech support.

 

I'm not going to get into some childish online pissing match (heck, we use the same Epson scanner) over backward file compatibility. I will factually note that I've been using Corel Ventura going back to version 2 (the final version, which I use for professional desktop publishing, is version 10) and Corel still enables users to convert files going back as far as version 4, well over 12 years. Microsoft Office 2010 enables you to open files created in Office 2000, as well as from competing products. FileMaker Pro 11 converts files going back to at least version 4. Quicken and Quickbooks import data files made many versions ago. Having opened and examined the comparatively simple dmsa files from EMC8 and Roxio 2011, I feel pretty confident that creating an import utility to convert EMC8 files to 2011 format would involve a lot less time and cost than it did any of these other companies. The differences are not nearly as complex as those in word processing, desktop publishing, money management, or database file formats. Roxio's software engineers are certainly more than capable to accomplishing this task in relatively little time.

 

Roxio owes it to its customers to provide such a conversion utility.

 

 

Second, the "Encountered an invalid argument" issue: Solved

 

Of course, one cause of this problem was trying to open a dmsa file from EMC8. That cant' be solved except as described above.

But I also was unable to create and save a new project in the Music Disc Creator 2011 module. The source of the problem was a utility I've used for years (updated to the most recent version, of course) called XFilesDialog. The low-cost shareware utility enhances the open file and save file dialog boxes with all sorts of time-saving features. While it didn't produce any conflicts with Roxio Creator 2011 in Windows XP (I tested it), it does create conflicts in Windows 7 (which technically handles files a bit differently than Windows XP). Once I was able to exclude the core program in Roxio Creator 2011 -- RoxioCentralFx.exe -- from XFilesDialog, I was able to open dmsa files and save dmsa files without any difficulty in Windows 7 -- problem solved, case closed.

 

Thanks to everybody who offered thoughtful and helpful ideas here and at Roxio tech support. While playing detective is so much fun, the time it chewed up was way too much. So it goes in the wonderful, wacky world of computers.

[ggrussell]

I've been using computers since 1981 and I have not found a general lack of backward compatibility in file formats.

Then you must not use many Microsoft or Corel applications. As a company policy, Corel only supports file formats for the last TWO versions. And several years ago, there was a huge stink when MS Office couldn't open the last version. Since, MS has caved into to the pressure and using more 'open' file formats and getting away from proprietary formats.

 

I don't know OF ANY company that supports file formats from SIX versions back!

And it looks like the Roxio Creator 2011 primary module for burning CDssolves nothing since it insists on converting each song to mp3 format

What are you calling the 'primary module'? I've burned lots of standard audio CDs using Music Disc Creator and even with Sound Editor. I don't use the 'Home' app that you get when you click on the Desktop icon.

[Dan_L]

Brendon,

 

Thank you for your extremely helpful and thoughtful insights. It turns out that I can create and save new projects in 2011 Music Disc Creator (dmsa file format). It's just the dmsa files created in EMC8 that I cannot open. I also went back to my Windows XP partition where EMC8 is still installed and tried to open the test files I created in 2011. They would open, but I had to relocate each song on my hard drive. The path to songs using the dmsa file created in 2011 included the typical symbols you get when you create a link for a web page -- the percent sign and the number 20, for example. I believe that the paths for song files in dmsa files created using EMC8's Music Disc Creator simply had the hard drive path for the file. I am pretty much willing to bet that this change is the reason version 2011 produces this "encountered an improper argument" message. Unfortunately I've got a slew of large multi-disk Music Disc Creator projects created in EMC8 that are only partially assembled -- still waiting to buy some missing songs and CDs for these artist compilations. And it looks like I can't count on future Roxio products being compatible with what I produce with Roxio 2011.

 

I did completely uninstall and reinstall Roxio per Roxio tech support's very specific instructions (interestingly, Roxio's uninstall routines leave parts of the installation in place, particularly the SmartSound QuickTracks5 and Common Data files which I'll bet nobody has any idea Roxio 2011 is installing). My Windows 7 installation is only a week old -- so I doubt if I could have done any tweaks to damage it yet).

 

Roxio tech support confirmed to me today that Roxio 2011 is not backward compatible. Yet I continue to be amazed that Roxio's most able software engineering team can't produce an import feature to import dmsa files created in earlier versions of Roxio Easy Media Creator. Other vendors routinely do this when they change the format (FileMaker Pro databases, Microsoft Office and just about every word processing vendor out there). Having to recreate projects is a very difficult thing to do, especially when some projects can consist of 3 to 6 CDs. Plus you need to have your previous version of Roxio installed so you can see what's in your old dmsa file -- then you have to print out the list of songs (generally by screen shots) and then re-enter everything in your latest version of Roxio. Since you can't install most earlier versions of Roxio in Windows 7 -- and the vast majority of users do not set up a dual boot with Windows XP and Windows 7 -- Roxio is pretty much screwing over a large portion of its user base.

 

And it looks like the Roxio Creator 2011 primary module for burning CDs solves nothing since it insists on converting each song to mp3 format -- which does me no good since I want to burn CDs (why convert from wav format to an sonicly inferior format like mp3 when all you want to do is burn CDs). I wonder if Nero generates such incompatibility problems with each new release?

 

 

This just is no way to treat loyal customers (I bought Easy Media Creator versions 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 -- and now the thoroughly incompatible 2011). I fear they're forcing me to seek a refund (fat chance of that) and to permanently abandon Roxio products.

 

Anyway, thanks again for your helpful comments. Much as I've enjoyed Roxio products all these years, I suspect I'm just about finished with them for good.

[Brendon]

Compatibility issue between EMC8 and Roxio Creator Pro 2011:

 

I just purchased Roxio Creator Pro 2011. I've installed it in my new Windows 7 installation (a week old) and installed the first Roxio service pack. Unfortunately when I run Roxio Music Disc Creator and try to open any dmsa file I created in my Windows XP partition (it's dual boot) in Easy Media Creator 8's Music Disc Creator, I consistently get the error message: "Encountered an improper argument." I've tried a dozen different dmsa files -- all with this same result. Interestingly, when I tried to create a new project in 2011 Music Disc Creator, I got the same error message when I tried to save the project (naturally as a dmsa file). Strangely, when I exited from Music Disc Creator, it asked me if I wanted to save changes to the project and it did save the dmsa file that had encountered an improper argument when I first tried to save it. But when I tried to open the dmsa file I had just created (and saved changes to), I received the same error message: "Encountered an improper argument" and could not open the project file (dmsa file).

 

This suggests to me that there is something seriously wrong if 2011 Music Disc Creator can't even save a new project. I really need to be able to open these files. I had a number of large compilation projects on which I was working. I would think that files dmsa created in Roxio 8's Music Disc Creator would be compatible with the 2011 version of the application. Surely there must be some way I can open these files and use them in 2011. Any ideas?

 

Hello Dan,

Sorry I'm late to this thread.

 

I think you're quite right when you say there is something seriously wrong. I think something went wrong when you installed Creator 2011, or something you have already installed on your system is interfering with it.

 

I installed Creator 2011 in Windows 7, ran Music Disc Creator 2011 [MDC], and saved several .DMSA files from there. I killed MDC, restarted Windows, and had no problems loading in my .DMSA files either by starting MDC and loading the project or by just double-clicking the .DMSA file in Windows 7. They worked fine.

 

I then tried to load some EMC8 .DMSA files I just made, but got nowhere. They would not work in MDC 2011. Some seemed to partly load, but they still wouldn't work. The program is not backwards compatible with the EMC8 versions. Strong compatibility in file saves between versions isn't a Sonic/Roxio strongpoint.

 

In case the EMC8 files had broken MDC 2011, I restarted everything and reloaded my 2011 files. There were no problems.

 

This is why I think your Creator 2011 has broken. Any attempt by you to save or load any MDC .DMSA files [not just EMC8 ones] is producing that error. If a clean reinstall doesn't fix it, then you have a conflict with something else in your machine which is breaking the MDC.

[Dan_L]

No need to get snippy Myguggi. The "encountered improper argument" (it's been suggested that the message can also read "encountered invalid argument") error appears to be fairly common, although not with Roxio. But Googling it generates more than 19 pages of folks running into that error message. (excluding about half of the results because they deal with lawsuits). It's hard to figure out a pattern as to what the message means. One site suggests that this has something to do with an "illegal call error. An out-of-range parameter is passed to a math or string function."

 

Another site suggests it's a basic error message related to the Z80 assembler -- which I think is pretty ancient in computer history.

 

The message seems to come up a lot when people try to open a file created in an earlier version of an application -- which is exactly what I've run into. And in almost every instance it's just one or a few users who have run into this problem (although I did find a handful of posts indicating that the manufacturer made changes to a program to eliminate this error). I did find one instance where somebody would get this error after hours of working in a program -- closing and restarting the program eliminated the error. It's been a problem with Pinnacle's Studio 14 application.

 

But, alas, I can't track down any solutions online.

I sometimes wonder if any of the handful of tweaks I've made to my Windows 7 (fully updated) system could be the cause. I honestly don't know. I don't pretend to know or understand application programming.

 

So if you can put away your sarcasm, thoughtful responses would be most helpful.

[Dan_L]

This has little to do with backward compatibility because Music Disc Creator runs into the problem when producing a new project too. It will create a new file but it will also give me that message and sometimes won't reopen the project file. So the problem rests not just with files created under EMC8.

 

Tech support told me to do a complete uninstall and reinstall. I did it. I followed their instructions to the letter and it makes no difference. The reinstalled Roxio Creator 2011 Pro still produces the same "Encountered an improper argument error." I was pretty sure this would make no difference, and sadly I was right. The problem has nothing to do with the install of Roxio. It almost certainly has to with the nature of Roxio.

 

I've done some research on this error and I'm quite certain it has something to do with Roxio, not my operating system (which is fully updated). I've built, upgraded, or brought back from the dead over 70 computers, so I'm not a total neophyte when it comes to hardware or software.

 

Any solution to this will require looking into the nature of the error by Roxio's software engineers who presumably understand these issues.

 

That's what I wrote back to tech support. I await their response.

[gi7omy]

Backward compatability actually broke between EMC 10 and 10.1 - before and after that, it does work. Unfortunately EMC8 is on the wrong side of the divide

 

And as someone who has been using computers also since 8 bit days (which was the norm back in '81 - PCs didn't become mainstream with 16 bit XTs until some time afterwards) I know full well thjat software develops and there is a 'shelf life'. What ran on 8 bit probably won't run in a 16 bit OS, same with 16 to 32 bit - even MS had tos et up two program files folders in the 64 bit OS (on for 32 bit and one for 64 bit because of problems.

 

In an ideal world, programs would run for ever - but that would be akin to trying to operate a trans-Atlantic travel service using DC3s. It CAN be done (just not recommended)

[Dan_L]

Yes, I did turn off antivirus. I've built, upgraded, or brought back from the dead about 70 Windows computers, so I know enough to be dangerous. I followed all the proper procedures to install Roxio. I will however, try the repair function and if that doesn't work, a complete uninstall and reinstall (rebooting between them, of course).

 

I've been using computers since 1981 and I have not found a general lack of backward compatibility in file formats. Virtually every word processor, spreadsheet, and database application provides backward compatibility -- if only importing files in old formats into the new format. I've been using Roxio since version 3 or 4 and have been frustrated by Roxio's unwillingness to provide importing CD-creation files (like a music CD project) from an older format into the latest format. At a minimum Roxio should enable it's latest CD creation application to import Music Disc Creator files. I cannot believe this can't be solved. I am firmly convinced that the leadership of the company is too cheap to spend the money to create the import capability. I've skipped Roxio 9, 10, etc. due to incompatiblity I ran into with EMC9 (amazingly Roxio stood by its products and refunded my purchase price). Now with Windows 7, I had no choice but to upgrade to the latest version since EMC8 will not run in Windows 7.

 

There is no excuse for this kind of treatment of loyal customers. Tech support seems to blame everything on installs that go bad. So I'll report back if the repair function or reinstall solves the problem. I hope it does, but I'd be very surprised.

 

Thanks for your thoughts.

 

Lack of backward compatibility is a long standing thing in the software world - look at the sheer number of apps from 9x days that failed to work in XP{, and the number of more recent ones that don't work in Windows 7

 

Not forgetting of course hardware that won't work because there are no drivers available in the new OS.

 

You made a choice to use a different OS from what you originally had - you also have a program 6 versions back from the current one.

 

However, if you are having problems with 2011 in Windows 7, it does sound as if the install was corrupted. You did turn off all background apps, including anti-virus as per the installation instructions? Anyway you will have to go through the clean install procedure as outlined in another post here:

 

http://forums.support.roxio.com/topic/67228-help-with-reinstalling-creator-2011/

[gi7omy]

Lack of backward compatability is a long standing thing in the software world - look at the sheer number of apps from 9x days that failed to work in XP{, and the number of more recent ones that don't work in Windows 7

 

Not forgetting of course hardware that won't work because there are no drivers available in the new OS.

 

You made a choice to use a different OS from what you originally had - you also have a program 6 versions back from the current one.

 

However, if you are having problems with 2011 in Windows 7, it does sound as if the install was corrupted. You did turn off all background apps, including anti-virus as per the installation instructions? Anyway you will have to go through the clean install procedure as outlined in another post here:

 

http://forums.support.roxio.com/topic/67228-help-with-reinstalling-creator-2011/

[Dan_L]

I did not install EMC8 on the Windows 7 installation since EMC8 is supposed to be incompatible with Win7. The only Roxio program I installed was Roxio Creator 2011.

 

If I'm not alone in this, we should be looking at a class action lawsuit against Roxio under any number of legal theories. This lack of backward compatibility is inexcusable. I'll try the repair function before an uninstall and a reinstall.

 

Thanks.

 

You are preaching to the choir; we don't like the lack of backwards campatibility either but it is there and no way around it.

 

Something screwed up you install of Creator 2011. Did you try to also install EMC 8 on that W7 drive? Creator 2011 has a repair function. Insert the disc and select repair or re-install. You will still not be able to use those old dmsa files.

[sknis]

Compatibility issue between EMC8 and Roxio Creator Pro 2011:

 

I just purchased Roxio Creator Pro 2011. I've installed it in my new Windows 7 installation (a week old) and installed the first Roxio service pack. Unfortunately when I run Roxio Music Disc Creator and try to open any dmsa file I created in my Windows XP partition (it's dual boot) in Easy Media Creator 8's Music Disc Creator, I consistently get the error message: "Encountered an improper argument." I've tried a dozen different dmsa files -- all with this same result. Interestingly, when I tried to create a new project in 2011 Music Disc Creator, I got the same error message when I tried to save the project (naturally as a dmsa file). Strangely, when I exited from Music Disc Creator, it asked me if I wanted to save changes to the project and it did save the dmsa file that had encountered an improper argument when I first tried to save it. But when I tried to open the dmsa file I had just created (and saved changes to), I received the same error message: "Encountered an improper argument" and could not open the project file (dmsa file).

 

This suggests to me that there is something seriously wrong if 2011 Music Disc Creator can't even save a new project. I really need to be able to open these files. I had a number of large compilation projects on which I was working. I would think that files dmsa created in Roxio 8's Music Disc Creator would be compatible with the 2011 version of the application. Surely there must be some way I can open these files and use them in 2011. Any ideas?

 

You'd think by now that Roxio would have an import feature into its primary program that would convert dmsa files into Roxio files.

 

You are preaching to the choir; we don't like the lack of backwards campatibility either but it is there and no way around it.

 

Something screwed up you install of Creator 2011. Did you try to also install EMC 8 on that W7 drive? Creator 2011 has a repair function. Insert the disc and select repair or re-install. You will still not be able to use those old dmsa files.

[Dan_L]

I seem to have run into a serious problem in Roxio Creator Pro 2011's (Windows 7) Music Disc Creator when trying to open a project file (*.dmsa) created in Easy Media Creator 8's Music Disc Creator.

 

I recently purchased Roxio Creator Pro 2011. I've installed it in my new Windows 7 installation (a week old) and installed the first Roxio service pack. Unfortunately when I run Roxio Music Disc Creator and try to open a dmsa file I created in my Windows XP partition (it's dual boot) in Easy Media Creator 8's Music Disc Creator, I consistently get the error message: "Encountered an improper argument." I've tried a dozen different dmsa files -- all with this same result.

 

Interestingly, when I tried to create a new project in 2011 Music Disc Creator, I got the same error message when I tried to save the project (naturally as a dmsa file). This suggests to me that there is something seriously wrong if 2011 Music Disc Creator can't even save a new project. Strangely, when I exited from Music Disc Creator 2011, it asked me if I wanted to save changes to the project and it <I>did</I> save the dmsa file. But when I tried to open the dmsa file I had just created, I received the same error message: "Encountered an improper argument."

 

I really need to be able to open these files. I had a number of large compilation projects on which I was working. I would think that files dmsa created in Roxio 8' Music Disc Creator would be compatible with the 2011 version of the application. Surely there must be some way I can open these files and use them in 2011. Any ideas? Help, please.