Cakewalk Doesn't Release When Closed

[Moving Air Productions]

Hi. Been using Cakewalk for about 15 years, and this problem seems to have come up in the last year or so:

So when I close Cakewalk, it takes a LONG time for it to release files it's been using and actually close. Many times, I have to open Task Manager and force it to shut down.
Say I'm working on a song and I hear there's some odd background noise in a track. So I save the file I'm working on, close Sonar, then open another piece of software to clean the track. However, when I go to save the track I've just cleaned, it says it can't save because the file is still being used by another program (Sonar). I can force the program to close, but that takes about 3-5 minutes to force Sonar to let go. Or I just restart the computer and that flushes the system.

I use Windows 7 in the studio and have not had this problem before the last couple years. Does anyone else have a problem with Sonar either not closing voluntarily, or not releasing what you've been working on? Or doing it very, very slowly?

[msmcleod]

I've noticed this in the past. From what I could tell at the time, it was the last file that Cakewalk wrote to.

Just opening up a new project cured it for me.

One thing that you might want to try is rather than closing Cakewalk, try closing the project first (so it shows the start screen again), then close Cakewalk - is the file still locked then?

[Noel Borthwick]

If Cakewalk closes (not in task manager) all file handles will be released. While the app is open its possible that a file could be still open if its still referenced in the clipboard. i.e. if a clip was copied you can close the project and still paste it into a newly opened project.

[Moving Air Productions]

It doesn't really matter. Half the time, if I just close the project - without closing Sonar - it still locks up. It's like it never finishes saving or something, and I sit there with a non-responsive blank Sonar page.  And it seems like it doesn't matter how long I let it sit there, it never finishes flushing out the system. The frustrating part is, while the program is non-responsive, it isn't "bricked." I mean that if I tell the computer to shut down, it all closes out immediately. It's not like it's locked up in the system and I have to force it to shut down. But if I'm not restarting, it will sit there forever unless I either force it to close in Task Manager (and hope it actually closes), or restart the computer. And this is between EVERY PROJECT now. It's insanely unproductive.

Side note: it might have to do with the plug-ins not shutting down. I don't seem to have a problem with opening/closing dry projects with little-to-no processing attached. But when I have something with a dozen or more plug-ins going, it won't close out willingly. It's actually frozen now: I closed a project (without closing Sonar), and it's completely unresponsive. And forcing the application to close doesn't mean much: the process thread won't close. So it's time for another reboot.

Seriously, I'm glad I don't have an artist looking over my shoulder while I'm working on their music. They wouldn't trust me with their files. Please, Sonar, this needs to get fixed.

[msmcleod]

10 minutes ago, Moving Air Productions said:

... Side note: it might have to do with the plug-ins not shutting down. I don't seem to have a problem with opening/closing dry projects with little-to-no processing attached. But when I have something with a dozen or more plug-ins going, it won't close out willingly. It's actually frozen now: I closed a project (without closing Sonar), and it's completely unresponsive. And forcing the application to close doesn't mean much: the process thread won't close. So it's time for another reboot ...

This is more likely the cause of both Sonar not shutting down AND the file handles not getting released.

Are you using any 32 bit plugins under BitBridge? If so, try using JBridge instead and if necessary check the "Dirty Close" option to force it to close down.

Also, check your plugins are up to date. I had exactly this issue a while back with TH-U causing Cakewalk not to shutdown. Upgrading to the latest version of TH-U fixed it (actually, thinking about it, this might have been the cause of the incident I mentioned in my previous post).

If you do suspect a plugin:

1. Open the smallest project that exhibits this issue and take a note of the plugins you've used.
2. Reboot your PC
3. Create a new project, adding them one by one, saving then closing down one plugin at a time.

At some point you'll find out which plugin is stopping Sonar from closing, allowing you to investigate further.

Finally, if you update a plugin, make sure you do a fresh VST scan.

[Noel Borthwick]

@Moving Air Productions please repro the hang and send me the dump file. That should show what is preventing the app from closing. Also if possible send me just the project file (.cwp). There are instructions here on how to capture the dump file from the hung application.

[Moving Air Productions]

Ok, I'm the first to admit I'm not a programmer, but I understand how to fire off this program. However, there are a million options. Could you tell me what type of dump, exactly, you're looking for?   Because I'm not sure what codes to use since the program itself will usually close, but it won't clear out of memory.
An example line or the codes you'd like me to use would be very helpful. Thanks.

Edited May 23, 2019 by Moving Air Productions

[Moving Air Productions]

Could I get a little assistance on the string I should use?

[Grem]

Look here for the mini dump file. post the file here in this thread with @Noel in the post, that will alert Noel that you have posted it.

C:\Users\Your Account\AppData\Roaming\Cakewalk\Cakewalk Core\MiniDumps

[Noel Borthwick]

14 hours ago, Moving Air Productions said:

Could I get a little assistance on the string I should use?

@Moving Air Productions you can use the procdump tool to capture it like this from a command prompt:

procdump.exe -ma Cakewalk.exe cakewalkhang.dmp

Alternatively you can follow the instructions and capture the dump from task manager. The issue there is the file will be large since it captures a full dump.

[Gregg Markus]

Resurrecting an old thread...

I've been running into this issue, and I suspect it is being caused somehow by a Waves plugin (Scheps Omni Channel). Up until the last update, this was not a problem. I also still suffer the zoom/scroll bug that is still happening. New update = new problems.    My PC is getting old - so I obviously need an upgrade  

But getting back to this thread (CbB staying in task manager after closing the app). It seems if I work on a song too long, memory starts to spike and I run into audio engine problems. So I close the program. But in order to start up again, I need to end-task.

I have a theory, but don't know how to test it. I suspect there's an issue with a Waves plugin (Scheps Omni Channel). With this most recent update, I notice that it takes a very long time to remove this plugin form a track. It'll hang for anywhere from 1 to 5 minutes (with CbB showing as "not responding" in task manager). I love this plugin, and it works fine as long as I'm not trying to remove it from a track(s). But after this last update, it can no longer be removed a track (easily).

Anyway, at the end of a session - I decided to see how long CbB would hang up in task manager. It hung (not responding). Then after 10-15 minutes the memory usage started to go down slowly. After a couple minutes, it got close to zero - then paused (task manager said "suspending" for a moment and then it quit).

To my knowledge Waves / Scheps Omni Channel is a 64bit plugin.  Anything else worth looking at / testing?

 

 

 

[msmcleod]

2 hours ago, Gregg Markus said:

Resurrecting an old thread...

I've been running into this issue, and I suspect it is being caused somehow by a Waves plugin (Scheps Omni Channel). Up until the last update, this was not a problem. I also still suffer the zoom/scroll bug that is still happening. New update = new problems.    My PC is getting old - so I obviously need an upgrade  

But getting back to this thread (CbB staying in task manager after closing the app). It seems if I work on a song too long, memory starts to spike and I run into audio engine problems. So I close the program. But in order to start up again, I need to end-task.

I have a theory, but don't know how to test it. I suspect there's an issue with a Waves plugin (Scheps Omni Channel). With this most recent update, I notice that it takes a very long time to remove this plugin form a track. It'll hang for anywhere from 1 to 5 minutes (with CbB showing as "not responding" in task manager). I love this plugin, and it works fine as long as I'm not trying to remove it from a track(s). But after this last update, it can no longer be removed a track (easily).

Anyway, at the end of a session - I decided to see how long CbB would hang up in task manager. It hung (not responding). Then after 10-15 minutes the memory usage started to go down slowly. After a couple minutes, it got close to zero - then paused (task manager said "suspending" for a moment and then it quit).

To my knowledge Waves / Scheps Omni Channel is a 64bit plugin.  Anything else worth looking at / testing?

 

 

 

Cakewalk closes fine for me with Scheps Omni Channel.

The version I'm using on this machine is 11.0.60.49 :

I'm just checking for updates now.....

Ok, just updated to 11.0.64.135:

Cakewalk is still closing fine for me.

 

[dan le]

CW not closing used to be an issue a long time ago. I am sure Noel remembers that.

I have not heard anything like that recently.

If your computer is within like 3 years old, try to see if you can update the BIOS, and all other drivers from the mother board's manufacturer.

If it is older, then try an Driver Updater, something like DriverMax, for example. I mentionned this one because it works and it is the cheapeast.

Download the free version and then uninstall it, and DriverMax will try to make you a deal.  Don't buy right away.

I had to use DriverMax not too long ago, like last year, and it updated my video on-board driver. The MB is from Gigabite, and both Win10 update and Gigabite swore over my mother's grave that there is no newer driver for the video driver. And that what I am having now is the best and latest. But DriverMax updated, and since then my old PC has been very smooth.

I am about to build a new system, but I am waiting for the new MB that are coming out with USB4, which would be Thunderbolt compatible. I am using AMD, and that is the reason why I have to wait. The new chip will probably be the Ryzen 7 3800x.

Also, the last thing is, do we all remember CJ, Noel,  he always blamed it on the converter's driver. Funny but he turned out to be right most of the time.

He  left us a long time ago and is now using  Sequoia.

dan