Author Topic: Analog Freq. Spectrum Add-In gives error  (Read 4341 times)

Offline tng5737

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Analog Freq. Spectrum Add-In gives error
« on: December 27, 2010, »
I am trying to learn Vixen (2.1.4.0), after loading my seq. I try to select the Analog Frequency Spectrum.  I immediately get an error saying 'an attempt was made to load a program with an incorrect format'.   I re-downloaded the plugin  but it didn't solve the problem.   I am running win 7 64 home premium.   Any suggestions?

Offline meman

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Re: Analog Freq. Spectrum Add-In gives error
« Reply #1 on: December 27, 2010, »
Quote
I am running win 7 64 home premium.
I'm sorry  <fp.
But seriously, running the latest & greatest version of an Operating System might be a real pain if you have lots of old software you need to use.

a) You do have a song assigned to your sequence right? The analyzer can't load if you have not associated the audio to the sequence yet.

b) What audio format you import into your sequence...mp3, .wma ? Maybe you used a newer format that isn't recognized.

c) Assuming you have the audio in the seq already and it plays when you run it, try to click on the "visualizer zoom" in the left hand corner. Does it map out the sound levels in the bar above the grid? I would think vixen needs to access the audio source in the same manner for this function as well as the spectrum

d) Right click on the vixen executable (vixen.exe), open the properties and select a compatibility mode for XP or Vista.

Hope some of this makes sense and/or helps,
Mike E.

Offline tng5737

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Re: Analog Freq. Spectrum Add-In gives error
« Reply #2 on: December 28, 2010, »
a) the audio has been applied - the add-in give a separate msg if the audio has not been selected
b) mp3
c) visualizer zoom works fine
d) running in compatibility mode (XP SP3) yields same results.
thanks for your input

Offline RJ

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Re: Analog Freq. Spectrum Add-In gives error
« Reply #3 on: December 28, 2010, »
I tried it before back on XP and since moving to Win7 and I have the same issues with it. Figured I was doing something wrong and really was just going to play with it so I moved on.

RJ
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Offline tng5737

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Re: Analog Freq. Spectrum Add-In gives error
« Reply #4 on: December 28, 2010, »
Glad to hear it's not just me.   I posted a msg on the vixen community board.  If I get a solution I'll post it.  I suspect that whoever developed the addin needs to rework it.   Don't really need it to run Vixen, just wanted to play with it . thx

Offline CaptKirk

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Re: Analog Freq. Spectrum Add-In gives error
« Reply #5 on: January 12, 2011, »
Any progress?  This add-in would be seriously useful.
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Offline trekster

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Re: Analog Freq. Spectrum Add-In gives error
« Reply #6 on: January 12, 2011, »
Works on my desktop running windows 7 32 bit.  I use it often.  But you are right.  My laptop computer is windows 7 64 bit and I get an error when opening Analog Freq. Spectrum.

Ron
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Offline tng5737

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Re: Analog Freq. Spectrum Add-In gives error
« Reply #7 on: January 12, 2011, »
To date, no one in the Vixen forum has responded with a solution.  I think that if the plugin developer has to re-compiled the code to allow it to run under 64bit.   This lack of support causes me concern about using Vixen.   I do not like using unsupported software.

Offline dmaccole

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Re: Analog Freq. Spectrum Add-In gives error
« Reply #8 on: January 13, 2011, »
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To date, no one in the Vixen forum has responded with a solution.  I think that if the plugin developer has to re-compiled the code to allow it to run under 64bit.   This lack of support causes me concern about using Vixen.   I do not like using unsupported software.

I don't know who wrote the analog frequency spectrum add-in, but I can give you some insight on Vixen support:

Vixen itself is very well supported, but this is not the official support forum. That is at You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login ... as far as I can tell, you didn't post over there.

The Vixen author, KC, distributes the software for free. Writing it and supporting it is his hobby. In the summer of 2009, he released an upgrade to Vixen, the 2.5.x series, that didn't meet his personal expectations for robustness and quality. He provided a converter to take users' sequences back to the 2.1 series format, called 2.5 a failure and said he would regroup with a new version of the software, completely rewritten from the ground up.

The vast majority of DIY Christmas light shows (probably 10s of thousands) were sequenced and run on Vixen 2.1 or 2.5 during the 2009 and 2010 seasons with only a few glitches.

About three months ago, on the official forum, KC posted a note saying that 3.0 wouldn't be available for the 2010 season and asked what features people were anxious to see implemented.

Whoever wrote the analog frequency spectrum add-in -- undoubtedly another volunteer who does this as a hobby, not a career -- knows all this. I assume they are reluctant to put any more time into working with that add-in until KC releases a spec for the 3.0 add-ins. While probably not the entire universe of disgruntled potential Windows 7, 64-bit users, only two have shown up here, so that person may not even realize that there is a problem.

You are welcome to use any software you want to sequence your show; I, in fact, may not use Vixen in 2011, but I didn't want to let your comment about lack-of-support slide, because I know that KC prides himself on providing quality, professional-level support. For free. It just isn't here.

HTH.

\dmc
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Offline trekster

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Re: Analog Freq. Spectrum Add-In gives error
« Reply #9 on: January 13, 2011, »
a funny story... 

I was at my first ever mini in Norman Oklahoma.  It was early 2010.  2010 was my first show and I was just starting to learn stuff about putting on a show.  I asked for help with some questions about Vixen.  A guy raised his hand and said he would help me.  He said he knew Vixen pretty well.  The problem I was having he said he had not seen before but had heard about it and if I could give him a copy of the sequence I was having trouble with he would try to figure it out.  I thought this was strange.  I asked why were you so eager to fix my problem?  I said are you Mr. Vixen or something?  He said as a matter of fact I am.  Vixen is my baby.  I wrote it.  I did not know he was KC.  In fact at the time I had no idea who wrote Vixen.  It was cool to have meet the guy who wrote the software I was using for my show.  He was very nice.  I asked how come you do not charge?  Or at least have a paypal for donations?  He said it would not be right.  EVERYONE helped with Vixen by feedback on what they wanted.  Most things in Vixen were other peoples ideas and he could not charge when all he did was write the software to do what others wanted it to do.

KC is a noble dude!

Ron
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Offline chrisatpsu

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Re: Analog Freq. Spectrum Add-In gives error
« Reply #10 on: January 14, 2011, »
I might not have a fix, but i believe i might have a work-around.  You still want to get the addin to work?
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Offline tng5737

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Re: Analog Freq. Spectrum Add-In gives error
« Reply #11 on: January 14, 2011, »
Yes that would be great!

Offline CaptKirk

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Re: Analog Freq. Spectrum Add-In gives error
« Reply #12 on: January 20, 2011, »
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I might not have a fix, but i believe i might have a work-around.  You still want to get the addin to work?


Yes please!!!!  A work-around would be nice!!  A FIX even better.
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Offline fslopez1950

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Re: Analog Freq. Spectrum Add-In gives error
« Reply #13 on: January 20, 2011, »
I have been using Vixen in Win XP for a short time and had a new computer with Win 7 32bit. Had the same problem running Vixen, it won't run at all. What i did is to transfer the Vixen folder from XP and paste it to Win 7 Program folder and working just fine up to now. I haven't encounter any problem yet.

Hope this tip would help you. Enjoy Vixen and happy sequencing.