MB never relinquishes control of opened files or ASIO API

[Modo]

MB 3.0 RC1, Windows 7 x64 Pro

Stopping playback should make MB free all files and relinquish all sound API control. It is too aggressive with its OS hooks.

1. Files added to Playing Now in MB remain open "forever". You can not manually delete files that were added to Playing Now in MB. Stopping playback and even removing those files from Playing Now does not help. Library and non-library files are affected. The only way to regain control over such files is to close MB.

2. MB assumes total and indefinite control of the ASIO API when it is selected as the playback method. Pausing or stopping playback has no effect on this. This makes ASIO virtually useless for any mixed PC use. Doing things like watching a video or playing a game while music is stopped require closing MB or changing the playback method.

[Steven]

stopping should release the ASIO output, pausing wont, so did you click the stop button or just pause?
for point 1, i have no idea what that would be as MB doesnt maintain any lock on files just because they are added to the now playing list. Of course while a specific file is playing there is a read lock on the file, which should be released when playback has completed.
What steps did you do to make you think MB had a lock on the files?

edit:
actually the ASIO mode is not releasing the device when stop is clicked. Thats addressed for the next v3 update. It doesnt change anything about the now playing list.
http://musicbee.niblseed.com/V3_0/MusicBee3_Patched.zip

unzip into the folder MB is installed.

[Modo]

for point 1, i have no idea what that would be as MB doesnt maintain any lock on files just because they are added to the now playing list. Of course while a specific file is playing there is a read lock on the file, which should be released when playback has completed.
What steps did you do to make you think MB had a lock on the files?

I can't seem to reproduce it right after starting MB. As long as playback is stopped, file deletion works fine. However, I know it happened multiple times after MB was open for many hours, with multiple albums played through. I'll post again if I can find a specific way to show this issue.

edit:
actually the ASIO mode is not releasing the device when stop is clicked. Thats addressed for the next v3 update. It doesnt change anything about the now playing list.
http://musicbee.niblseed.com/V3_0/MusicBee3_Patched.zip
unzip into the folder MB is installed.

Good to know. Thanks.

Edit: The patched version does indeed relinquish the ASIO hook, but it hangs when using ASIO. It locks up into silence/non-responding when one song ends, and another is supposed to start.

[Steven]

i almost missed your edit.
redownload the same link as the issue should be fixed

[iFlip92]

stopping should release the ASIO output, pausing wont, so did you click the stop button or just pause?
for point 1, i have no idea what that would be as MB doesnt maintain any lock on files just because they are added to the now playing list. Of course while a specific file is playing there is a read lock on the file, which should be released when playback has completed.
What steps did you do to make you think MB had a lock on the files?

edit:
actually the ASIO mode is not releasing the device when stop is clicked. Thats addressed for the next v3 update. It doesnt change anything about the now playing list.
http://musicbee.niblseed.com/V3_0/MusicBee3_Patched.zip

unzip into the folder MB is installed.

OMFG I LOVE YOU! Corrr this has been a constant nagging problem which prevented me from fully loving MusicBee ever since I discovered it months ago! This is now the ULTIMATE PERFECT music player for me! Thank you! Thank you!

Btw a lot of people had this problem and was posted a couple of times before. This fix should be publicized immediatly .

PS: Now that this is fixed I donated some money for your excellent software!

[Alumni]

I am also grateful for this fix, it was always an annoyance.

[iFlip92]

I don't really know what is happening. Sometimes the fix works, sometimes it doesn't. I uninstalled my previous MusicBee installation and reinstalled 3.0 RC2 then I applied this patch. It's still not releasing the ASIO.... Not sure what to tell you. I tried pausing it, stopping it and closing it. Same results. Any ideas?

[Steven]

pause doesnt release the asio output, only stop does. However if its not being released on closing MB, then i would say MB is not the issue.
I have tested this and confident its working, so i wont be able to help any further with it

[Modo]

I think the file blocking issue is some edge case. The only better isolation I found is that it affects files with embedded album art. Some (but not all) of those become undeletable after you add them to the now playing list in MB. Files without album art in them behave as expected -- can be deleted as long as they are not currently being played.

[Steven]

@Modo, would you mind sending me a link to your settings file (help/ support/ view settings)

[Modo]

Link to Google Drive copy: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0jWnKTW4o9cTkQyU3YyVXh1SU0/view?usp=sharing

I tried sending via PM, but I guess those are blocked.

[Steven]

try disabled the now playing to external file plugin

[Modo]

That seems to have solved the issue. Thank you for your help.

[iFlip92]

pause doesnt release the asio output, only stop does. However if its not being released on closing MB, then i would say MB is not the issue.
I have tested this and confident its working, so i wont be able to help any further with it

I had a mixture of MB installs before (MB2 + 3 same folder) perhaps that's why the fix worked for a bit. I then did a fresh install of MB 3 RC2 Beta 5954. Could that be the reason it is not working now? What version was your patch intended for?

PS: how do you do this: "try disabled the now playing to external file plugin" ?