Splasm Software Discussions

I just purchased this software today. I've tried to create new files for 3 different audiobooks and I keep getting this same error.

Audiobook Builder 1.1.4
Adding Files
Unable to load data from file
File: /Users/myname/Desktop/nameofthebook.m4b
QuickTime error: -2014

I'm running Snow Leopard 10.6.2 on a MacBook Pro.
I have Version 10.0 (90.3.1) of QuickTime installed. (Have NO idea what QT has to do with it?)

Any help would greatly be appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

Audiobook Builder uses QuickTime to load and preview audio data, and to build the final audiobook. The -2014 error from QuickTime means "Invalid Duration". Helpful. No? Yeah... We'd usually see this error on a file that QuickTime Player can't open, as well. Can you tell us if your files open properly in QuickTime Player? If they do, the issue may be with how Audiobook Builder handles M4B files. It tries to honor the chapter marks that are set up in MPEG-4 Audio files. If your M4B files have a chapter track there may be a niggle in there that Audiobook Builder isn't handling properly. First thing is to make sure the files open properly in QuickTime Player, though.

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Keith Gugliotto
Primordial Sea Captain
Splasm Software
https://www.splasm.com

Keith,
Yeah QT opens it and plays the audio file fine. The file is one big file... does not show as having chapters per se like other audio books I've owned have. I actually wished there WERE chapters. All 3 of the files I've attempted are like this. Kinda why I bought the software hoping to be able to create chapters or bookmark my spot. My iPod is constantly losing my place.

So there you have it. Next suggestion? Would it help to convert it from a m4b to maybe a mp3? If so, does anyone have a program they recommend? (Free would be wonderful... lol)

Thanks

The next step for us is a big one for you - we need to duplicate the issue here so we can diagnose why QuickTime's giving us that error code. There's more to opening a file in Audiobook Builder than playing it back, like in QuickTime Player, so our focus would be on what comes after the initial load. That would be flattening to an MOV inside the Audiobook Builder Project. My guess is something is blowing past one of QuickTime's legacy 32-bit limitations but we can't be sure without knowing more about these files. They're probably far larger than can be sent reliably through email, though. Would you mind sending us the smallest of them through an iChat/AIM or Skype file transfer? We're already set up to auto-receive file transfers through iChat/AIM at screen name "splasmsoftware". If you'd prefer Skype we can set up and get back to you.

One sad note, however. Audiobook Builder isn't ready to insert chapters into pre-existing audio data. Its smallest unit now is the audio files you provide. Chapters can be created between audio files but not at any point within those files. The only exception is when you add an audio file with a chapter track. Audiobook Builder will then try to split the audio in the file according to that chapter track, adding an audio file per chapter behind the scenes, so you end up with more files in your Project than you started with.

_________________
Keith Gugliotto
Primordial Sea Captain
Splasm Software
https://www.splasm.com

I too am getting this error importing some m4b files into ABB. Funnily enough, one of the books is split into 2 m4b files ("001-008.m4b" and "009-End.m4b", both around the same filesize and length), and 001-008.m4b imports just fine, but 009-End.m4b doesn't, it gives the -2014 error.

I have another piece of software which does a similar thing to ABB ("ChapterMark") and it handles both of these m4b files just fine.

I'm using OS X 10.8 and ABB 1.5.3.

If we can get a look at one of the files that causes the error there's a good chance we can explain why it's happening. Would you be willing to send one to us through iChat or Skype at screen name "splasmsoftware" without the quotes? Thanks!

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Keith Gugliotto
Primordial Sea Captain
Splasm Software
https://www.splasm.com

Hello, I am getting this error as well. It does open just fine in QuickTime. It is a collection of 6 m4b files - Part 1 through Part 6 - all m4b.

Just wondering if ABB can process this?

Just tried converting the files to m4a to see it that would work. Still get the 2014 error. However I used All2mp3 to convert the files to mp3 and then brought them successfully into ABB.

It's great to hear that converting the files to MP3 did the trick. We'd be happy to take a look at the original files, if you're still interested in figuring out what the original issue was. You can send one of the M4Bs through Messages/iChat or Skype to "splasmsoftware" (without the quotes).

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Allan Woodall
Phosphorescent Phage
Splasm Software
http://www.splasm.com

Hi Allen,

Actually it looks like it might not be doing the trick. It took an over-7 hr. mp4 file and converted it to a 2+ hr. file. I'm experimenting with this some more, but after taking a look at the file, the original was m4b and it looks like it is a DRM file. Using the Info panel to change the format to m4a didn't do the trick.

Could it be the DRM protection? If so, can you suggest a work-around?

DRM protection could definitely affect things. Audiobook Builder isn’t capable of working with files that are protected with DRM—it’s actually illegal to re-encode those sorts of files without explicit permission from the copyright holder.

_________________
Allan Woodall
Phosphorescent Phage
Splasm Software
http://www.splasm.com