Messages and what to do
The messages below are exactly as Soundmancer shows them, so searching for the one in front of you should bring you here. Where the app fills in a name, a file or a number, you’ll see … instead.
If a message isn’t here, or the fix doesn’t work, use Help > Report a problem… in the app, or write to support@soundmancer.com.
Starting up and running
Something inside the app went wrong, rather than anything about your episode. It is written to the log, so reporting it sends us what we need.
Something failed that isn’t about your files. Click Report this under it: the report is written for you, and you see all of it before it’s sent. Then try what you were doing again.
Engine stopped
The part of Soundmancer that does the audio work stopped. Click Restart beside it. If it keeps happening, use Help > Report a problem…
The audio engine isn’t running
Same as above: restart it from the top of the window, or from Help > About.
… is still running, and only one runs at a time. Try again when it finishes.
Soundmancer does one long job of each kind at a time. Wait for the one it names to finish (its progress is in the bar at the bottom), or cancel it there.
This part of Soundmancer only runs inside the Soundmancer app. Open Soundmancer instead.
Something tried to start part of the app on its own. Open Soundmancer from the Start menu or its shortcut.
… still running. Close anyway?
You’re closing the app while it works. Keep working lets it finish. Close anyway stops it, and anything already finished is kept: a transcription keeps every track it completed.
Soundmancer needs reinstalling
Part of the installation is missing or damaged, so audio work would fail. Run the installer again (write to support@soundmancer.com if you need it). Your shows and episodes are kept. Why? beside the message opens About with the details.
Finishing the install
An internet connection is needed
The first start downloads the part that turns speech into text. Connect to the internet and it carries on by itself, from where it stopped. The first start always needs a connection.
The install didn’t finish
The reason is under it. Fix what it says, then click Try again; nothing already downloaded is lost.
Part of the download arrived damaged, so it was thrown away. Try again.
Usually a connection that dropped at the wrong moment. Try again downloads that part again.
Finishing the install needs about … GB free, and there is … GB. Free some space on this drive, then try again.
The download unpacked, but some of its files aren’t there. An antivirus may have removed them. Try again, and if it keeps happening, write to support@soundmancer.com.
If your antivirus shows it removed something from Soundmancer’s folder, allow it and try again.
Transcription needs a download to finish installing, and there’s no internet connection.
Shown at the top of the window when part of the transcription install has gone missing or needs updating. It downloads by itself once you’re online. Meanwhile your episodes open, edit and export as usual; only new episodes and transcribing wait.
The trial and your license
The trial covers … episodes, and they’re used. Buy a license to export this one, or enter the one you have (Help > License). Everything already exported is yours to keep.
Your two free episodes are used. Everything you made on the trial still opens and exports. A new episode needs a license key. If you’re in the beta and yours hasn’t come, write to support@soundmancer.com.
The trial includes … masters, and they’re used. Mastering something you’ve already mastered again is still free.
The trial includes two masters, whether from Continue to mastering or Master a file. Mastering the same mix again, at another loudness say, doesn’t use one up; different audio does.
The trial includes … trims, and they’re used. Trimming the same recordings again is still free.
The same for Trim files: two sets of recordings, and trimming the same ones again with other settings is free.
A preview longer than … minutes counts as a trim
A preview up to 2 minutes is always free. A longer one trims most of the recording, so it counts as a trim.
The trial’s … masters are used, so this can’t go on to mastering.
In Continue to mastering. Export still works for an episode the trial covers, as often as you like.
Your trial has ended
Shown when the app opens after the trial is used. Enter license if you have one; Continue carries on with what the trial still allows.
Paste the license key from your receipt email.
The key box was empty. The key is in the email you got when you bought, and starts SM-.
That key isn’t one we issued. Check it against your receipt email; it starts SM-.
Copy it straight from the email, all of it, and paste it in. If it still isn’t taken, write to support with your receipt.
Couldn’t reach the license server. Check your internet connection, then try again.
Activating needs the internet once. After that the license works offline.
This license is already on … computers. Move it off one of them first: in the app there, Help > License > Move license off this computer, or at soundmancer.com/machines for one you can’t get to.
A license covers two computers. Free one up on the computer itself, or write to support@soundmancer.com if you can’t get to it and we’ll free it up.
This license has been withdrawn, usually after a refund. If that seems wrong, write to support@soundmancer.com.
If you didn’t ask for a refund, write to us and we’ll sort it out.
The license server couldn’t activate this computer. Try again, and if it keeps happening, write to support@soundmancer.com.
The license server sent something this app could not check. Try again, and if it keeps happening, use Help > Report a problem.
Try once more. If it happens again, the report tells us what we need.
Couldn’t reach the license server, so the license is still on this computer. Try again when you’re online.
Moving a license off a computer needs the internet. Nothing changed; try again once you’re online.
This license was activated on another computer
The license on this computer came from another one. Enter your key in Help > License… to activate this one too. A license covers two computers.
This version is newer than your license
This version came out after your updates ended, so it runs as the trial. Reinstall the last version your license covers, or write to support@soundmancer.com.
Making an episode
Only audio files: one per person, as they were recorded.
Something you added isn’t audio. Add the recordings themselves: WAV, FLAC, MP3, M4A, AAC, OGG or AIFF.
This show already has an episode called “…”. Pick a different name.
Click Open … to open it, or give the new one another name.
… was started already and isn’t transcribed yet.
An earlier try at this episode stopped before it finished. Carry on with … picks it up where it left off, keeping any tracks already done.
An episode needs a name.
Add at least one audio file.
… isn’t in … any more, so it can’t be converted to …. Put it back there and try again.
When your recordings aren’t all at the same sample rate, Soundmancer makes a copy of each odd one at the rate most of them use, in the episode’s folder, as it starts preparing. Your file is never changed. This one was moved or deleted before its copy was made: put it back where it was, then transcribe again.
… couldn’t be converted to …. Check that it plays, then try again.
The copy at the episode’s sample rate couldn’t be made from this file. Check that it plays in another app. If it doesn’t, export it again from your recorder’s software or your editor, then make the episode with that file.
A speaker needs a name with a letter or a number in it.
That name is too long for a speaker (… characters at most).
A speaker’s name can’t have
Some characters can’t go in a name, and the message says which. Take them out.
… is a word transcripts use for something else. Try another name.
Another speaker is already called
Two people in one episode need different names. Add a surname or an initial.
Transcribing
Part of transcription is missing, so nothing was transcribed.
Something removed part of what Soundmancer downloaded to transcribe (a cleanup tool or an antivirus, usually). Close Soundmancer and open it again: it notices what’s missing and downloads it by itself. Your episodes are kept.
Transcribing stopped responding, so it was stopped. Tracks already done are kept, and Try again carries on from there.
Transcribing went ten minutes without any progress, so Soundmancer stopped it rather than wait for good. Click Try again. If it happens again, use Report this so we can see why.
The transcription stopped
The reason is under it. Fix what it says, then click Try again: tracks already done are kept. If it says transcribing stopped partway or couldn’t start, click Report this as well, so we can see why.
Scenes aren’t found automatically on this computer, so this episode is one scene.
Split the episode yourself: select the line where a new part starts and press X. Everything else works as usual.
Finding scenes didn’t start, so this episode is one scene.
The same: press X on a line to split it there.
These files aren’t transcribed yet.
Click Transcribe to start, or to carry on where it stopped.
… is stored in the cloud and isn’t downloaded to this machine. Open its folder, choose “Always keep on this device”, and wait for it to finish.
The file is in OneDrive, Dropbox or iCloud but only as a placeholder. Right-click it (or its folder), choose Always keep on this device, wait for it to download, then try again.
… is not where the session says it is
The recording has been moved, renamed or deleted since the session was saved. Put it back, or open the session in your editor and point it at the file.
… is empty (0 bytes).
The file has no audio in it. Copy it again from the recorder or wherever it came from.
… is a folder, not an audio file.
… can’t be read
Windows wouldn’t let Soundmancer open the file. The reason is in brackets. Check that it isn’t open in another program, and that you can open it yourself.
Editing
… recordings aren’t where this episode expects them
The recordings have moved since you made the episode: a folder was renamed, a drive came back under another letter, or the files were restored somewhere new. Your edits are safe. Soundmancer never switches to another copy by itself, even an identical one. Each missing recording is listed with where it was; a track with a polished copy plays that in the meantime. Click Find …’s recording and point to the file where it is now, and the others are picked up from the same folder. Unplugged drive? Plug it in and click Look again.
The recordings can’t be found, so nothing will play
Your edits are safe. The recordings aren’t where they were when you made the episode, often because they’re on a drive that isn’t plugged in. Plug it in and click Look again.
This transcript wouldn’t open
The reason is under it. If it says the episode has no transcript yet, open it and click Transcribe.
This transcript changed somewhere else
The same episode was changed in another window while you had it open. Keep my edits saves yours over it; Load the newer version takes the other one and drops what you did here since it changed. Nothing is overwritten until you choose.
Can’t save
Shown over the transcript, with Not saved at the top of the window. You can keep editing: your changes are safe while the window stays open, and saving picks up by itself as soon as it can. What it says under the title is why, and the buttons are the ways out:
This episode’s folder isn’t where it was.
It was moved, renamed or deleted. Find the folder… points to where it went (it has to be the same episode), or Save a copy… puts the episode somewhere new and carries on there.
isn’t connected. Plug it in or reconnect it and saving picks up by itself.
The drive the episode is on was unplugged or dropped off the network. Connect it again.
Saving is waiting
Another program, usually a sync app or a virus scan, has the episode’s file open. It usually lets go in a few seconds. If it says Still can’t save, close programs using the folder or pause syncing.
This episode’s folder is read-only.
In File Explorer, right-click the folder, choose Properties and clear Read-only.
is full. Free some space and saving picks up by itself.
Free some space on that drive, or Save a copy… to another one.
Something stopped this episode from saving.
None of the usual causes. Report this sends us what we need to look into it.
Your latest changes to
Closing the window while saving fails asks first. Save a copy… keeps them in a folder you pick. If you close without saving, they’re offered back as Unsaved changes found the next time you open the episode.
A pause can only be shortened to less than it already is.
In the Mix panel’s Silence settings, the length a pause is cut down to has to be shorter than the length that counts as long.
No silence removed: nothing is long enough at these numbers
No pause in the episode is longer than the Silence settings look for. Lower the first number to take out more.
That track isn’t part of this episode any more. Pick another one.
Close the episode and open it again.
Nothing is audible: every track is muted.
In Align, unmute a lane (its M).
Can’t be opened
On the show page, under an episode’s name: that episode’s folder is damaged or not an episode. Write to support before deleting it; it can often be put right.
This episode was made from a session, so its tracks are lined up there.
Episode > Align tracks… is for episodes made from separate recordings. Line up a session’s tracks in Audition or Reaper.
One track, so there is nothing to align.
Clips
… isn’t there any more. Choose the file again.
The file you picked was moved or deleted before it could be brought in. Pick it again from where it is now.
… couldn’t be read as audio. Choose a WAV, MP3, FLAC or similar file.
… has no sound in it.
The file is silent all the way through. Check it plays in another program, or export it again.
The favorite … is missing its audio. Import it again.
The favorite’s copy of the audio has gone. In File > Favorite clips…, use Replace audio… on it, or add it again.
Polish
Polish isn’t installed on this computer yet. Everything else works without it.
Part of the install hasn’t finished downloading. Close Soundmancer and open it again, online, and it fetches what’s missing.
This installation is missing part of Polish. Reinstall Soundmancer from soundmancer.com/download: your shows and episodes are kept.
Run the installer you were sent again. Write to support@soundmancer.com if you need it again.
Polish couldn’t finish
The reason follows it. Right-click the track’s Polish icon and choose Polish again. If it keeps happening, use Help > Report a problem…
… recording changed while Polish was working on it. Try again.
The recording was replaced or edited while its polished copy was being made. Polish again makes a fresh one.
… recording is missing:
The recording isn’t where the episode has it. Connect the drive it’s on, or put it back, then try again.
Exporting
When an export fails, the reason is shown under The export didn’t finish.
… is open in another program. Close it there and export again.
Close the file in your editor or player, then export again.
… is a file, not a folder.
The folder you picked is read-only. Pick another folder.
The drive isn’t connected. Reconnect it or pick another folder.
Soundmancer can’t write where you asked. Choose another folder, such as one in your Documents or on another drive.
There isn’t room for
The export needs more free space than the drive has. Free some space, or choose a folder on another drive.
Your latest changes aren’t saved, so this export would leave them out.
Saving is failing (see Can’t save above). Fix what’s stopping it, or save a copy, then export.
… nothing is kept, so there is nothing to write
Every line is cut. Bring some back first.
… nothing is kept, so there is nothing to mix
… isn’t where the episode has it
A recording has moved since you made the episode. If it’s on a drive that isn’t connected, connect it and export again.
… is the source audio for
You picked the folder your recordings are in, and exporting there would overwrite them. Choose another folder.
Trim files
Problem with the session
The session or project couldn’t be used, and the reason is under it. Most often it has moved, or its recordings have. Where the file itself is damaged, opening it in Audition or Reaper and saving it again usually puts it right.
Tracks use different sample rates
The message lists each track’s rate. Set Output sample rate in the Trim settings to the one you want (44100 suits most podcasts) and every track is written at that rate.
These settings can’t run as-is
Two settings don’t fit together. The reason is under it.
… in several clips
These trimmed tracks aren’t where the trim wrote them any more:
Run the trim again.
The window end must come after its start.
In Preview, the end time is before the start time.
No mixdown to master
The trim ran without Render a mixdown. Go back to Trim, click Submit, tick Render a mixdown and run it again.
Silence figures were measured at
You changed the silence threshold after the tracks were measured. Re-check tracks measures them again. The trim always uses the current setting.
Mastering and chapters
Enter an episode title.
Master needs a title before it can run.
Mastering problem
Mastering stopped partway. The reason is under it. If it isn’t something you can fix, use Help > Report a problem…
It came out at … LUFS, more than … dB from the … LUFS it was aimed at.
… so some players may distort it.
A FAIL doesn’t stop anything. Both files are written:
Exported anyway. The compliance check reports; it never blocks the export.
Usually it’s fine to publish. To get a PASS, make sure True-peak safety limiter is on, or raise Max correction passes.
… the transcription couldn’t run on this machine, so no transcript was written. The mastered files are fine.
The master is done. Only the transcript beside it is missing.
Needs a title.
A chapter has no title.
Another chapter also starts at
Two chapters in the same second. Move one.
Tip: most podcast apps expect the first chapter to start at 0:00.
Align
Couldn’t line the tracks up
The reason is under it. Click Done to try again.
Nothing here to align
None of the tracks can be drawn here. If they’re in several clips, go back to the track list and choose Use these tracks anyway.
Shows and folders
That show no longer exists.
It was deleted, perhaps in another window. Pick another from File > Open show….
A preset needs a name.
Updates
Couldn’t reach the update server. Check your internet connection, then try again.
The update downloaded damaged, so it was thrown away. Try again.
The update check failed. Try again later, and if it keeps happening, use Help > Report a problem.
Finish or cancel what is running first. The update also installs when you close the app.
Restart now waits for work to finish. Or leave it: the update installs when you close the app.
Your updates ran until
A newer version is out, and your license’s updates ended before it. The version you have keeps working. Write to support@soundmancer.com about the new one.
Reporting a problem
Couldn’t reach us just now. Check your internet connection.
You’ve sent a lot from this computer today, so this one wasn’t taken.
Our end couldn’t take it just now.
The report didn’t send, but it’s saved on your computer and copied, so you can paste it into an email to support@soundmancer.com.