Podcast Problems: XML Parsing Issues?

[wbmccarty]

Still seeing this problem, and other apparently related problems, in 4.0.3.1463.

[wbmccarty]

Oh, and 4.0.3.1476, too.

[wbmccarty]

See this forum thread: http://www.mediamonkey.com/forum/viewto ... =1&t=62119. Submitted debug log with ticket YEB-771668. Currently running MM4 under Windows 7. But I recall seeing this defect at least one year ago, using MM3 under Windows XP. The defect randomly prevents subscribing to new podcasts. Since I don't subscribe to new podcasts all that often, I generally work around the related fault as described in the original thread. However, I'm rebuilding my subscriptions and now entirely stymied in the process, as just about every subscription exhibits the fault and the workaround seldom succeeds.

As described in the original thread, trying to edit the URL in an existing subscription is an interesting experience, too. It's hard to describe what goes on. Try, say, appending "&format=xml" to an existing subscription and the problem should be evident.

I had read that podcast handling had been extensively reworked. So, I'm surprised to see that this defect continues to exist.

[Lowlander]

Which version of MediaMonkey 4 are you using? What Podcasts are you having trouble with (URL's)?

[wbmccarty]

Lowlander, please see earlier postings. The symptoms have not changed since the initial reports. There is no obvious pattern with respect to failing URLs. Currently, for me, all URLs I've tried fail initially. By means of the cut-and-paste workaround, about 50 percent can be coaxed into working.

Can anyone report NOT seeing this problem?

[Lowlander]

Here are some sample URLs:

• http://aomin.org/podcast.xml
• http://feeds.feedburner.com/WhiteHorseInn
• http://ondemand.premier.org.uk/unbeliev ... oFeed.aspx

All work on 4.0.5

[wbmccarty]

Lowlander, interesting. I haven't a clue what condition(s) trigger the fault. I don't suppose it is database-related, since I have had the problem on a clean install, when I changed primary computers. Can/should I try the 4.0.5 tree? If so, how can it be accessed?

[wbmccarty]

For troubleshooting purposes, can I set up a portable installation on the same PC as my main installation without the two getting into database or configuration conflicts? If so, I'm curious to try a clean install under controlled conditions, such as a small database. My primary installation has more than 10,000 podcast episodes and so I must consider that the problem may be related to library size.

[Lowlander]

4.0.5: http://www.mediamonkey.com/forum/viewto ... 80#p335880 you need at least 4.0.3, but testing with 4.0.5 is better.

can I set up a portable installation on the same PC as my main installation

Yes, just don't install in Program Files.

[wbmccarty]

Thanks, I'll give that a try tonight or tomorrow and report back.

[wbmccarty]

P.S. As a software designer, I appreciate the sound, modular application architecture in contrast to the usual cross-coupled, registry-infested Windows application.

[wbmccarty]

It's not yet evening, but being eager, I spent some spare cycles to run the test sooner, rather than later. I did a clean, portable installation of 4.0.5.1481. I did no searching for existing files and so started with an entirely empty library. After initial configuration, I immediately tried to set up the aomin.org podcast, which failed, showing the dialog box "Error: There was a problem downloading the following file(s)." I suppose the XML file was actually fetched, because visible in the error dialog box is the line <?xml version="1.0"?>. The URL shown is exactly as I entered it, http://aomin.org/podcast.xml. I confirmed that URL is accessible via a web browser by copying the URL from MM4 and pasting it into the browser. On a whim, I revised the podcast to specify the URL http://www.aomin.org/podcast.xml. Same result.

I then tried the following URL: http://feeds.feedburner.com/ESV-one-year-tract. Same result.

So, at least, I've succeeded in reproducing the fault in a very streamlined environment, which seems to me to rule out a goodly number of possible causes.

My environment is Windows 7, 64-bit, recently updated.

Is there another test I can try?

[Lowlander]

http://feeds.feedburner.com/ESV-one-year-tract

Also works for me. I guess you'll have to wait for support to see what is wrong in your environment that it won't work.

You could check if the Podcasts URLs open in Internet Explorer (as MM uses it's settings), and look into Proxy issues if you use one.

[wbmccarty]

I confirm the second of the two URLs opens in IE 9.0.8112.16421, again by copying and pasting the URL from MM4, to preclude human error. I presume the same is true of the other.

I'm not using a proxy. Mine is a typical AT&T U-Verse home Internet feed. FWIW, I use this PC (and my previous PC running XP, on which I had the same problem with MM3) intensively. I don't have any other pending issues or unexplained behavior.

[wbmccarty]

A potentially crucial difference: In the case of both podcasts I subscribed in the test installation, cutting and pasting the podcast URLs worked the first time, whereas in my working installation I've tried until I'm blue in the face to coax both those podcasts into working.