Command executor not executed

[ALA]

Dear steipal,

I've got another short question...
we currently use FFAStrans 0.4.0b on Windows 7 Prof x64.

When I add a command executer decoder entry and specify a DOS command (let's say "D:\test.bat"), the transcoding queue stops working.
Even if I manually submit a file to a workflow it simply disappears in the moment the custom command should be executed.
no exception. no executed DOS command. no log output. no result file. also no command window popup before execution if I select this option.

Is there any special requirement to the command executer (except regular program termination) or do you have any recommendations on its usage?
I would like to use it as some kind of preprocessor to prepare the input files for ffmpeg.
But I currently cannot find out what's (not) happening.

Greetings, ALA

[admin]

In order to make full use of the "Command executor" decoder you should use the variable %source% as the input file for you command. Ex:

D:\FFAStrans\Processors\MEncoder\mencoder.exe %source% -ovc lavc -lavcopts vcodec=ffvhuff -oac pcm -o d:\temp\test.avi

Note that the output file of your command should be exactly the same in the empty input-box next to "Set output variable %source% to ".
Look at the attached image...

Please let me know if you have problems with this approach.

If you do not set the %source% variable then FFAStrans will continue processing the file delivered by the monitor or manually submitted.

[ALA]

Dear steipal,

thanks for your immediate reply.

> If you do not set the %source% variable then FFAStrans will continue processing the file delivered by the monitor or manually submitted.

Unfortunately, that does not seem to work in our case.

If we leave the "set output variable" input field empty, the whole workflow is stopped and the original file name argument is not passed to the next encoding step.
The currently prcoessed entry in the monitor window simply disappears and nothing else happens.

If we set the output variable source to a static entry, everything works fine. The custom command is executed, the output file is encoded and stored.

Unfortunately we need to preserve the original filename of the input file in the further encoding and output steps, so a static output name from the command executer is not appropriate in our case.

Do I maybe misunderstand the behavior of the command executer (we need it to preprocess the input file)? Or do I have another brain bug .)



Thanks for your feedback.

ALA from Germany

[admin]

I'm afraid you have found a bug/shortcoming in the "Command executor" and the parsing of variables. You are quite right, it's does not work as it should and it will be addressed in the next release. Also, I will see to that there are some more variables available for the user to insert when needed, like the original file name. I have however on the roadmap a comprehensive addition to FFAStrans which will deal with variables in a broad manner. Media properties like TC start, length, width and height and other relevant media properties will be available for the user at any point in the workflow process. This will probably be available in the 0.5.0 release.

I see you are using P2 media? I'm currently working on a P2 decoder for FFAStrans. The parser is more or less finished but there are still a lot of code to be written and lots of testing prior to release. I'm not sure when it will be available but hopefully later this year. Maybe it will be useful to you when it's available

-steipal

[ALA]

Yes steipal, you are correct.

We currently try to build a workflow to automatically convert P2 mxf to H.264 mp4 due to storage and exchange considerations.
In order not to necessarily map the audio mxf from the audio directory of the P2 Content folder to the video part, we first need to run the mxfsplit preprocessing to unpack the P2 video mxf to DV avi.

Our common solution for other media files was the Canopus ProCoder so far, but that became too unflexibel.
A dedicated proprietary software to convert P2 to H.264, offered by many vendors in the web was not our choice.
So I looked for a better solution in our entire production workflow with an automatic watchfolder support and found your FFAStrans tool.

Looking excitedly for the next release.
I'm also willingly to be the beta tester for a development release .-)

Greetings, ALA

[admin]

Hi Ala,

Last night I published a new release which address the "Command executor" problem. Also, new file name variables are available at any time. Hope this new release suits your current needs.

I'll come back to you regarding the P2 decoder when it's close to testing. Please send an e-mail to post@ffastrans.com so I can contact you when the time is right.

-steipal

[ALA]

Dear steipal,

thanks for your reply and the immediate beta release with an appropriate bug fix.

Unfortunately, the custom ffmpeg encoder is not working any longer in our case. We get an error in the monitor log stating "Invalid file. Could not process" independent from the input file we ingest (for testing purposes we simply used the default mpeg4 preset). With the older 0.4.0beta we do not have any issues. The regular MP4 encoder also works regularly.

Can you check this in an appropriate minute?
Or can I outpt further error details in some kind of error log?

Thanks, ALA

[admin]

Hm, can please send me your workflow so I can investigate further? The "Custom FFmpeg" is working just fine here but there might be some workflow anomaly.

-steipal

[admin]

It's not a bug, it's a feature
If you look at the documentation for the "Custom FFmpeg"-encoder you will see that you should always add the "Channel Mapper"-filter if you are using the "A/V Media"-decoder. The reason for this is that when you create a custom ffmpeg preset, FFAStrans will not and can not automatically adapt to what ever kind of codec you will be using. FFmpeg will for example support 32 audio channels when using the pcm_s16le codec but not with the libmp3lame codec. I see however that the error message is very unclear on this issue and I will make an error message that's more descriptive.

In short; I've tested your workflow in it works if you add "Channel Mapper"-filter.

-steinar

[ALA]

Thanks steipal,

you hit the spot. Works fine now.

Greetings, ALA