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Using the StylePicker, I get a "Not Found" message when I try to 'Load Song Demo' of any MIDI style. Yet, if I look up the style demo file in my computer folders and double click, it does load & play. Although the program will usually become unresponsive after stopping the demo.
And if I load the (midi) style into the main screen and then use the "Load Song Demo for this Style" option, sometimes it loads and sometimes gives a "Not Found" message.
Any explanations for this type of behavior?
Am using the current version (632) of 64 bit Band In A Box 2019 (UltraPAK+) on a Windows 10 PC.
Thanks.
Hi buster,

Welcome to the forums.

Just to clarify...

When you mention the "Style demo file", are you talking about an SGU or MGU file (i.e. a BIAB song file), or do you mean an audio file such as mp3 or wav, etc?

Also, when you installed BIAB, which of the four options did you choose? For example, did you choose to run everything from your computer's internal hard drive, or did you choose to run Realtracks and Realdrums from the USB drive, etc?

Regards,
Noel


The installation was with everything on the computer's internal hard drive.
I'm referring to the SGU or MGU files that reside in C:\bb\Demos\MIDI Style Demos.
I just tried midi styles and their demos with BIAB 2019 (632) 64-bit and they worked for me.

See if this helps...

1. Enter into Stylepicker

2. Down the bottom of the window, there's a button called "Rebuild" - select that

3. Select "Slow Rebuild"

Does this help in any way?

Regards,
Noel


No, after a Slow Rebuild, the StylePicker still displays 'Not Found' for loading the MIDI Style Song Demo.

As a cross-check, I get the same result on a second computer with the same installation of BIAB.
The second computer shows the same behavior.
Computer #1 is a Dell xps8700 and compute #2 is a Rain Solstice. Both with 64bit Windows 10.

This might be a long shot, but 'Return To Factory Settings' may be worth a try. It's from the Options drop-down menu.
First, thanks for the responses.

I did try the 'Return to Factory Settings' suggestion, but the MIDI Styles I had been trying to load the demo songs for, still registered 'Not Found'.

Out of frustration, I filtered the StylePicker to include just the MIDI Styles and started to attempt to load the song demo's one at a time. The first 4 styles failed, but the 5 style loaded as expected. The weird part is they were all from the same style set. Continuing down the list, it seems totally random on which will load the demo songs and which won't.

I do appreciate the help, but at this point I'm going to give it a rest. I get the feeling that something this random is going to be impossible to track down.
Hi again, Buster.

Can you please give me the name of one or two of the MIDI styles that are creating problems for you?

I'd like to check them out on my computer to see what happens. When I tested the MIDI styles, I just chose random ones and they worked. It might be that the ones you have chosen do have problems.

Regards,
Noel
Hi buster31,

I never listen to the MIDI demos. I always listen to a MIDI style using my own song. This way I get a true feeling if the style will work for me. Just be sure to uncheck the 4 bar preview.

Attached picture StylePicker  .jpg
Style Set #40. Out of the 22 styles, only RB_BARB and RB_FRANK loaded the demo via the 'Load Song Demo' button in the StylePicker. All the the rest generated a 'Not Found' message.
Thanks for your input, MarioD. I understand that 99% of BIAB users would have no desire or reason to load a midi demo song because of the improvements in the sound schemes of the software and the skill of many of the musicians that use it..
BUT, if it is supposed to be capable of accomplishing this task and doesn't, then there's an issue somewhere.
If it is something I have control over, I'd like to resolve it.
Hi Buster,

Thanks for the extra information. I tried half-a-dozen random selections of MIDI set #40 (Rhythm and Blues) and all of them loaded the demo song chord progressions onto the chord sheet -- which is what the "Load Song Demo" button does.

I note that you have tried the following...

1. Return to factory settings.

2. Rebuild stylepicker.

3. You have build 432 installed


I suggest trying the following...

A) Go to the URL below.

https://www.pgmusic.com/support_windowsupdates.htm

B) Download BIAB build 632 again and re-install it. This might help. There was a case recently in the forums where this did the trick for a user experiencing problems.

Also, I have occasionally had unusual program behaviour after installing an update. When that has happened, I have tried going back to an earlier build. That has sometimes solved the problem. This might be worth a try. The earlier builds are also available at the above URL... just scroll down a bit.

Regards,
Noel


HI All

No prob with demo songs here from set 40 as well, all load into chord sheet and all play demo in style picker.
Not much help to you but thought you should know.

Mike
Thanks for the suggestion, Noel.
I will give it a try and report.
If it doesn't impact the issue, I will resign myself to locating the file on the computer and double-clicking it to see the chord chart in the main screen.
It's a small glitch I can live with.
Originally Posted By: buster31
Thanks for the suggestion, Noel.
I will give it a try and report.
If it doesn't impact the issue, I will resign myself to locating the file on the computer and double-clicking it to see the chord chart in the main screen.
It's a small glitch I can live with.


You don't have to find the style and double click it if you use the process that I use and mentioned in my previous message. The window I showed in that message is on the style picker page.
Mario, in your screen capture, it's the rectangular "Load Song Demo" button that gives me a 'Not Found' message for a given midi style.
Sorry for the confusion.

Noel, going to previous versions didn't change anything.
Hi again, buster.

I'm not sure which of the Ultrapak installation files contains all the styles and also sets BIAB to locate those styles.

It would be worthwhile sending an email to support@pgmusic.com and asking them how to solve this problem. Also, send the URL of this thread in the email.

Here is a last thought from me that sometimes works when all else fails...

1. Under the "Options" menu there is an option to save your current setup... do this. This will give you a backup of your setup if you need to return to it.

(The reason I mention this is because the below process will effectively delete all your setup and force BIAB to go back to the beginning. This is the ultimate in factory reset.)

2. Exit BIAB

3. Go to \bb\preferences and renamne "intrface.bbw" and "mysetup.dk" to "intrface.bbw.old" and "mysetup.dk.old".

4. Restart BIAB. All preferences will now be rebuilt as if it was your first installation of the software.

You may need to rebuild Stylepicker after this.

Does this help?

Regards,
Noel
Originally Posted By: buster31
Mario, in your screen capture, it's the rectangular "Load Song Demo" button that gives me a 'Not Found' message for a given midi style.
Sorry for the confusion.

Noel, going to previous versions didn't change anything.


I confused you, sorry. Make sure the 4 bar preview is unchecked and then just click play. The MIDI style will play using your chord structure. If you like it then click OK. If not then click stop and try another style.

I hope this clears up any confusion that I may have caused.
Originally Posted By: Noel96
Hi again, buster.

I'm not sure which of the Ultrapak installation files contains all the styles and also sets BIAB to locate those styles.

It would be worthwhile sending an email to support@pgmusic.com and asking them how to solve this problem. Also, send the URL of this thread in the email.

Here is a last thought from me that sometimes works when all else fails...

1. Under the "Options" menu there is an option to save your current setup... do this. This will give you a backup of your setup if you need to return to it.

(The reason I mention this is because the below process will effectively delete all your setup and force BIAB to go back to the beginning. This is the ultimate in factory reset.)

2. Exit BIAB

3. Go to \bb\preferences and renamne "intrface.bbw" and "mysetup.dk" to "intrface.bbw.old" and "mysetup.dk.old".

4. Restart BIAB. All preferences will now be rebuilt as if it was your first installation of the software.

You may need to rebuild Stylepicker after this.

Does this help?

Regards,
Noel


Noel,
After doing this 'ultimate' reset the results were the same.
Rather than bog down this forum, I will try support at pgmusic.
Thanks.
I have no more ideas springing to mind. Support is definitely the way to go. If you send them an email, include the URL of this thread so that they can see what you've tried.

All the best. If you get a chance, please let us know what the solution was.



This post is to tie up a loose end and share what the solution was.

PG Music support was not able to replicate the issue I was having, but did offer some suggestions. Unfortunately they did not help.

Out of frustration I replaced the C:\bb\Demos\MIDI Style Demos folder with a fresh copy from the installation hard drive and the issue disappeared.
I don't understand how 2 separate PCs suffered the same corruption, but replacing that folder did cure the 'Not Found' problem I was having.

Thanks again for the suggestions made here.
Buster31, thanks for posting your solution to this issue here. This can assist others in the future.
I have run into that problem before. You can load your style from the file menu by finding the folder and then once it gets in there The top part of the (Song, not Style) picker have it rebuild all the songs in that directory. And from then on I think it worked. But I think I at the time I had to do that, I failed to notice they were using SampleTank and amplitube which back then I couldn't understand (not enough computer experience to put a check on those things.) Check on the plugIn field on the Right hand side and see if the patches are using Stfonzo and amplitube. That's not right but it's close enough that you should find it. Part of using these to their full extent requires we learn how things work. Now that I can do that. I will make things work right from the GO. Many things in Biab to be honest aren't intuitive and have a thought process that needs to come along.
I find the midi demo's useful for being exposed to different attributes of arranging. A lot of them are designed to teach people what can be done in Biab. The midi demos don't all have the same constructs. Then I can get different ideas of how to listen to actual arrangements coming from real musicians and I can see why they arranged things a certain way and duplicate their style with more accuracy.
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