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Topic: foobar locks folders (Read 1058 times) previous topic - next topic
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foobar locks folders

As of late, after having foobar do *some activity* on files, the folder that contains them becomes stuck as "in use" in windows. This is expected while the operation is running, but, even after stopping all playback, and any other visible activity, the folder remains stuck until I close foobar or, alternatively, it seems that if I manage to get foobar to lock some other folder, then, the one I wanted to delete, rename or move is freed.
I'm frequently editing tags, using the converter, renaming and deleting files, and also creating m-Tags files with the component from the repository. I've done some testing but I can't seem to figure out what exactly triggers the problem.
I'm on beta updates, and I couldn't say when this started happening.

Re: foobar locks folders

Reply #1 –
I also find this very annoying. Most of my "file in use" issues come from SMP component, and more specifically, scripts used by it.

I find the Win app 'Unlocker' invaluable, especially as 'in use' issues only increased with Win10. Unlocker provides a CTRL menu item to unlock in use items.

Side effect - occasionally when using Unlocker with FB items, it will crash the SMP script panel that was using the file in question. Also very rarely, doing so will crash FB itself.

Re: foobar locks folders

Reply #2 –
This issue has been happening sometimes for me too recently. I'll add some files into a FB2K playlist, play them, then "Clear" the playlist, then try to move one of the files in Windows Explorer, and I'll get the "File in use by Foobar2000" error, even though the file is no longer open in FB2k. It's been quite annoying, I have been noticing it a fair bit over the last month or two, I think.

Re: foobar locks folders

Reply #3 –
This happens very often, but not only with f2k.
Its a common problem of most windows programs, or maybe Windows itself. I can't tell.

I.e.
When I start XNView (an Image Viewer/Browser) in folder A, navigate inside XNView to folder B and then C, sometimes I cannote remane folder A, because its occupied by XNView. I need to close XNView to rename folder A.

Same with f2k or other programs, but the circumstances differ.
Sometimes, a folder cannot be removed, because its "used" by a program.

I.e.
You start converting some FLACS to MP3, and f2k opens an external encoder, say lame.exe, in folder C. If you're unlucky, folder C is then in possession of an old and somehow dead thread of lame.exe or f2k.exe and you can not do anything to that folder untill f2k is exiting (and hopefully disconnects lame.exe from that folder too while shutting down. I guess its not f2k, which "releases" the folder, its Windows itself, but who car..knows).
 
I use a tool called Unlocker for such cases.
With such little helper, I can "disconnect" a program/process from a folder or file, while the program still runs.

Just use your favorite search engine with "locked files" or "how to unlock files in windows" and you might the some more detailled information.

Re: foobar locks folders

Reply #4 –
Quote from: fuffi on
This happens very often, but not only with f2k.
Its a common problem of most windows programs, or maybe Windows itself. I can't tell.

Well, it wasn't happening with fb2k before...
Until recently, doing the same things, I never had a problem with fb2k locking folders even after it stopped actively doing anything with them. Now it happens all the time. So, something has changed. Whether it is fb2k's fault, or a windows update or whatever else, I have no idea.