Multiple Instances of FAB

[tjkaz]

I have often run multiple instances of Fab as I'm backing up my DVD/BD collection to MKV, and have had the same issue with many of the previous releases as well as the most recent 8085 official release.
The issue occurs when you launch the second, and subsequent instance of Fab. The second instance (3rd, 4th, etc depending upon how many optical drives you have) starts reading the disc that the first instance is currently reading and backing up from. This greatly slows down the read process on the first instance and is a complete waste of time - especially when the disk is BD.
Each time to stop this I have to pause the process on the first instance and wait for the scanning window to pop up so I can cancel it. Then, the second instance will start reading the second disc (the one I want). Then, after all this, I resume the backing up process on the first instance and all is good.
I have three optical drives; 2 BR, 1 DVD, and the same issue happens if I have two instances running (backing up two separate discs), and I insert a third, and have to go through the same process as above.
The solution seems straight forward from a coding standpoint. The first instance of Fab should "lock" the drive it's reading from. Second and subsequent instances of Fab should check to see if Fab is running and not be allowed to read from the drive the first instance is currently accessing (and has locked).
There's probably other ways to solve this, but can't be more than a line or two of code.
Thanks, and hope this gets addressed in subsequent releases.

[jkadlec]

+1

This has been asked for several times. I totally agree with everything you said. I would even be happy with a command line option to assign a drive to an instance of DVDFab. Then I could make a shortcut for each drive. I'm not a programmer but it does seem like a very easy option to add.

Please consider this Fentgao. Great software, otherwise.

I have often run multiple instances of Fab as I'm backing up my DVD/BD collection to MKV, and have had the same issue with many of the previous releases as well as the most recent 8085 official release.
The issue occurs when you launch the second, and subsequent instance of Fab. The second instance (3rd, 4th, etc depending upon how many optical drives you have) starts reading the disc that the first instance is currently reading and backing up from. This greatly slows down the read process on the first instance and is a complete waste of time - especially when the disk is BD.
Each time to stop this I have to pause the process on the first instance and wait for the scanning window to pop up so I can cancel it. Then, the second instance will start reading the second disc (the one I want). Then, after all this, I resume the backing up process on the first instance and all is good.
I have three optical drives; 2 BR, 1 DVD, and the same issue happens if I have two instances running (backing up two separate discs), and I insert a third, and have to go through the same process as above.
The solution seems straight forward from a coding standpoint. The first instance of Fab should "lock" the drive it's reading from. Second and subsequent instances of Fab should check to see if Fab is running and not be allowed to read from the drive the first instance is currently accessing (and has locked).
There's probably other ways to solve this, but can't be more than a line or two of code.
Thanks, and hope this gets addressed in subsequent releases.

[Complication]

+1

I'd also like to see the command line option so I can have separate shortcuts for each drive.

For now, you can click the cancel button once the scanning starts on the second instance. It will move on to another disc. Also, make sure you have all discs in the drives before starting the first instance.

[kelson]

Even better would be an option to turn off the auto-scanning feature. Let Fab start up and wait for you to tell it where to look for input like it does when you launch it without a disk in the drive.

[tjkaz]

Even better would be an option to turn off the auto-scanning feature. Let Fab start up and wait for you to tell it where to look for input like it does when you launch it without a disk in the drive.

Excellent idea!
This certainly has to be the easiest feature to implement. Just add a checkbox in the appropriate configuration settings menu.

[PaulVA]

The ability to disable the autoscan would at least make the GUI behave better. I could live with having to set the source manually when doing more than one instance. The competition problem between drives would need a resource so it could know that one of the instances is actually using the drive so leave it alone and don't scan it. when doing multiples one instance is always faster and if it made the magic work you just keep tossing a DVD in and waiting for the scan.

[fengtao]

Dear all,

We will add a new commandline option to disable auto-scan drives in near future.

Thank you very much for the suggestion.

Best Regards,
Fengtao

[jkadlec]

Fengtao

I am really looking forward to this.

How about having a command line switch to disable auto-scan in an instance and another switch to assign an instance to a specific drive. I would like that the best. If not, I am more than happy to settle for a command line option disabling the auto-scan completely.

Thank you for acknowledging this request!

Dear all,

We will add a new commandline option to disable auto-scan drives in near future.

Thank you very much for the suggestion.

Best Regards,
Fengtao

[fengtao]

We added a new commandline option to disable auto-scan completely, please wait for next version.

[jkadlec]

Fengtao,

I didn't see this in the release notes for the latest beta or official release. Was this option added?

Thanks.

We added a new commandline option to disable auto-scan completely, please wait for next version.

[fengtao]

Yes, it's added in v8098, please use /NOSCANDRIVE.

[jkadlec]

Great! Thank you!

[bastbnman]

Fengtao:

I have spent the past 45 minutes searching for the "/NOSCANDRIVE" option in v8098 and cannot see it anywhere. Could you please be more specific in its location? I am anxious to fix this issue. Is it in a Command Line or is it on the GUI?

[Gummigutta]

Command Line

[bastbnman]

How or where do I find the necessary Command Line? Once I find it, do I just retype or erase the Command Line? I have never had to go into the Command prompt in DVDFab before.