How to keep both 2.10 and 2.12 versions

Anything and everything to do with DCP-o-matic.
Alex Asp
Posts: 92
Joined: Mon Apr 11, 2016 3:59 am

How to keep both 2.10 and 2.12 versions

Post by Alex Asp »

I would like to keep both versions of DOM on the same computer while keeping their separate preferences without mixing. In other words I would like to keep both versions on the same computer working. Is it possible?

I am asking this because after I installed a new version, I rub into all kinds of problems with subtitles, and I had to revert to the older version in order to finish the job.
Mac OS X 10.13.4
Carsten
Posts: 2804
Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2014 9:11 pm
Location: Germany

Re: How to keep both 2.10 and 2.12 versions

Post by Carsten »

I am not exactly sure about specific HighSierra problems, but, since I followed the 2.11.x development towards 2.12 closely, I know for sure that 2.12 contains many subtitle fixes, so I assure you it is advised to use 2.12.

Nevertheless - on a Mac, it is quite easy to have many different DCP-o-matic versions 'installed' at the same time. As I do many tests, I regularly have a dozend different versions installed. I simply copy them from the mounted DMG into a dedicated folder within 'Applications', e.g. Applications/dom2_12 and Applications/dom2_10 - whatever you prefer.

However, DCP-o-matic preferences are not backwards compatible from 2.12 to 2.10. You can simply start 2.12.x right after a 2.10.5 run, but when going back to 2.10.5 after having executed 2.12.x, your preferences are invalid and need to be reset.
I usually keep a version of my 2.10.5 prefs in a zipped file at the same location in my library folder, so, whenever I get that prefs-need-to-be-recreated message from 2.10.5, I quit 2.10.5, double click that prefs-zip file to uncompress it, then restart 2.10.5 with it's original prefs. The file in question is 'config.xml'. Instead of zipping it, you may also just rename/copy it with an indicator like config2105.xml. It is certainly a good idea to finish that job with 2.10.5, but after that, I suggest you give 2.12 a chance.

- Carsten
Alex Asp
Posts: 92
Joined: Mon Apr 11, 2016 3:59 am

Re: How to keep both 2.10 and 2.12 versions

Post by Alex Asp »

Thanks Carsten. I was aware of the fact that once DOM 2.12 is executed the preference would not be backwards compatible.

My biggest problem at the moment is with 2.12 is subtitles. I always burn subtitles into the image so the DCP will be compatible with any projector/server combination, but in this case of 160 minutes feature and a lots of subtitles I could see the subtitles in the DOM preview by jumping to different points in the movie, but not in when I hit play. The resulting DCP had only the first subtitle, all the rest were ignored.
I produced a VF with subtitles and that worked, but I cannot use this solution because this is LTR text, and the numbers usually come in wrong order, not to mention that for Christie projectors the subtitle file needs to be mirror-inverted, and for other projectors it is straightforward affair.
This is why I ran back to ver 2.10.5, which produced the expected results.

Still, I had a lot of DKDMS in KDM creator 2.10.5, and now they are gone. Can they be found at all?

I have 2.12 installed on another machine which is used for server encoding. now DOM 2.10.5 cannot see the encode server on that machine. Is this normal?
Carsten
Posts: 2804
Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2014 9:11 pm
Location: Germany

Re: How to keep both 2.10 and 2.12 versions

Post by Carsten »

There was a flaw with the subs disappearing after the first one, I reported it, but the fix may not have been backported to a downloadable 2.12 yet...

...https://dcpomatic.com/mantis/view.php?id=1271

Could be in 2.12.4, otherwise, try 2.13.16...

Your 2.10.5 DKDMs were stored in the 2.10.5 config file. It should have been stored safely by the following versions, you need to look up your prefs folder

<user>/Library/Preferences/com.dcpomatic

First, create a backup of the full com.dcpomatic folder to an archive/zip, then see if you can restore one of the backup config.xml files to a 2.10.5 pref.

You may post a screenshot of the content in <user>/Library/Preferences/com.dcpomatic here so we can have a look at what files are there.

The DKDMs may still be in the 2.12 config.xml, but that file won't be opened by 2.10.5. However, Carl may be able to extract the DKDMs only and create a working 2.10.5 prefs file. Well, actually, maybe everyone could do that, it could work by simply copy/pasting in a text editor? I may beed some time to reproduce that scenario here to give advice.

Regarding encode server, there are some incompatibilities between main app and encode servers, in general, it is wise to have DCP-o-matic main app/batch converter and encode server on the same version (or at least close by). As you can have multiple versions installed, just fire up the 2.10.5 encode server on the remote machine to keep it compatible with your 2.10.5 main app. Is that remote encode server machine also a Mac?

RTL? Wow, fun with that... :?

- Carsten
Carsten
Posts: 2804
Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2014 9:11 pm
Location: Germany

Re: How to keep both 2.10 and 2.12 versions

Post by Carsten »

Hmm, I just tried a few things in 2.12.4 and 2.13.16, and, yeah, there are some bugs around subtitles. Maybe, if 2.10.5 works for you, better stay with it until we have sorted it out.

- Carsten
carl
Site Admin
Posts: 2548
Joined: Thu Nov 14, 2013 2:53 pm

Re: How to keep both 2.10 and 2.12 versions

Post by carl »

https://dcpomatic.com/mantis/view.php?id=1271 should be fixed in 2.12.4. If you can give details of other subtitle bugs I will investigate as soon as I can.
Alex Asp
Posts: 92
Joined: Mon Apr 11, 2016 3:59 am

Re: How to keep both 2.10 and 2.12 versions

Post by Alex Asp »

I looked at bug report you have posted, My source for this project were Blu ray unencrypted m2ts files that contained bitmapped subtitles. The actual subtitles were in external .srt file. I didn't have time, and I didn't want to recompress them into any container files like mkv, since it would entail a loss of image quality.

Another bug I have noticed. If the burnt-in subtitles have outlines, the outlines appear delayed for one or two frames very randomly. This produces a shimmering effect. However depending who your audiences are, more often than not they just don't notice this. Still I can see it every time.
carl
Site Admin
Posts: 2548
Joined: Thu Nov 14, 2013 2:53 pm

Re: How to keep both 2.10 and 2.12 versions

Post by carl »

Another bug I have noticed. If the burnt-in subtitles have outlines, the outlines appear delayed for one or two frames very randomly. This produces a shimmering effect. However depending who your audiences are, more often than not they just don't notice this. Still I can see it every time.
Is this in 2.12.3?
Alex Asp
Posts: 92
Joined: Mon Apr 11, 2016 3:59 am

Re: How to keep both 2.10 and 2.12 versions

Post by Alex Asp »

I did'nt see it in 2.12.3 because only the first subtitle appear in the finished DCP. This was present since earlier version 2. Can't remember specific version number
Carsten
Posts: 2804
Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2014 9:11 pm
Location: Germany

Re: How to keep both 2.10 and 2.12 versions

Post by Carsten »

I finished my tests (looking at them at our cinema, of course, I immediately had ideas about other things that might be worth testing).

However, I haven't seen important issues, other than a bounding box effect with burnt-in titles, but I think that will hardly ever hurt someone, it might be just a very special preview issue, but can be checked/verified with DCP-o-matic player.

- Carsten