I've seen that error message for months and it doesn't have any impact on using SmartSound. I believe the issue is specifically with the SmartSound update as I get the same error messages in PD13, 14, 17 and 365.

It may be that only the installation confirmation is broken because clicking on the SmartSound button from the main plug-in page shows that it's already at V5.1.8.0:




You may want to contact SmartSound support and see what they say. Please post back here if they have any answers.

No, it doesn't prevent QT from working, but free additional music does not get applied. QT stopped being supported in PD14, but it's backwards compatible with QT 5.1.8 which was the last release available. QT is no longer available from SmartSound. It was replaced by SonicFire, which doesn't have a plug-in for PowerDirector.

Did you try Rebuilding the database?
Did you look into the Common Data installer?
Back up your current SmartSound folders before you attempt anything.
SmartSound-PowerDirector HP Envy Phoenix/4thGen i7-4770(4@3.4GHz~turbo>3.9)
Nvidia GTX 960(4GB)/16GB DDR3/
Canon Vixia HV30/HF-M40/HF-M41/HF-G20/Olympus E-PL5.
Tape capture using 6 VCR, TBC-1000, Elite BVP4+, Sony D8 camcorder with TBC.
https://www.facebook.com/BarryAFTT

Barry,

I copied the SmartSound folders to another drive to preserve my purchased music sets. Then I uninstalled SmartSound QuickTracks and Common Data. Then I deleted all residual folders, and removed everything SmartSound for the Windows Registry. Then I installed the full package downloaded from the CyberLink support site (QuickTracks + Common Data). I did not contaminate the fresh install with any old stuff. There was no affect on the problem, except that now there are even more updates it wants to install that it can't.

There used to be a "standalone" version of QuickTracks that I had installed several PC's ago, that was useful in diagnosing and resolving QuickTracks issues. But it is no longer availabe from SmartSound, or any download site I could find.

I think Cyberlink unintenitally clobbered something with their latest PD17 update. I would submit this to CL support, but they would just say QT has not been support since PD14. Going to SmartSound won't work because they will just say QT is no longer supported. Going to SonicFire won't work because it's not supported in PD.

At least I know it's not something on my PC, because other people are having this same problem. If you could use your clout to get CL support to try this broken function on their own PC's perhaps they can some up with a quick fix of some kind. I suspect that something in the PD control files is no longer pointing to the QuickTracks folders correctly. If I could get the standalone version of QuickTracks 5 I could test this out.

Quote I think Cyberlink unintenitally clobbered something with their latest PD17 update. I would submit this to CL support, but they would just say QT has not been support since PD14. Going to SmartSound won't work because they will just say QT is no longer supported. Going to SonicFire won't work because it's not supported in PD.

I think it's better to push ahead and see what happens rather than restrict your options based on assumptions.

I contacted SmartSound and received a detailed and helpful reply regarding these two issues. I've attached a PDF for anyone interested.

I followed the instructions in the PDF file, and no longer get the error message. We'll have to wait and see until the next update of it's a permanent fix. In any case, thanks for contacting SmartSount and getting this info. I normally do contact the provider, but erroneously assumed they would no longer support QuickTracks.

Be advised the PDF references a file, but does not have a link to it. The file name is master.ssdb. I found it here.
http://back.smartsound.com/support/Master.ssdb

Quote

I think it's better to push ahead and see what happens rather than restrict your options based on assumptions.

I contacted SmartSound and received a detailed and helpful reply regarding these two issues. I've attached a PDF for anyone interested.

Hi

I had SmartSound included in one of the versions of PD that I had previously, probably PD13-Ult, MediaSuite13-Ult, or DirectorSuite2. Everything was still working with PDS365 until the previous update to this month's. For some reason, when I run the plug-in, I now get 'Purchase' for every QuickTracks I select, so all my Core Foundation files have gone AWOL. I've tried all the suggestions in the PDF but without success. I know I ran the two executables (Quicktracks5.1.8.exe & SmartSoundCommonData.exe) but I didn't back up anything, because I didn't know I needed to. Until now, I wouldn't have been able to ascertain where to find them. Now I know, but is it too late I wonder?

Any ideas on how I can retrieve/replace my CF files?

TIA, DrEcosse

Quote Did you try Rebuilding the database?
Did you look into the Common Data installer?
Back up your current SmartSound folders before you attempt anything.
SmartSound-PowerDirector

I wish I had seen your post - significantly the sentence marked in red - before I ran the two executables.
I've replied to another post below!

You should be OK. All my existing tracks are intact after updated to the new PD365, and you should be able to reinstall all your purchased tracks from the SmartSound Music Purchase Orders page.

All my orders from 2013 are still there 👍

Quote You should be OK. All my existing tracks are intact after updated to the new PD365, and you should be able to reinstall all your purchased tracks from the SmartSound Music Purchase Orders page.

All my orders from 2013 are still there 👍

My problem is that I never purchased any separate tracks, to my knowledge, as SmartSound came built-in with one of the CL-PD packages I mentioned. I also had my own website and may have subscribed with my business email, which is no longer valid. Cyberlink can see all my purchases but I'm not sure whether SmartSound are able to verify any at their end. I'm currently going through my PDS files to find the last successful usage. That's no small feat, given that I create about half a dozen videos every week.

If you never purchased any tracks, then all you need to do is install the older version of PD and the SmartSound QuickTracks plug-in and all CL provided tracks will be restored. It may be better to temporarily uninstall PD365 before doing that, and when you reinstall it PD365 will find the plugin and database and you should have full functionality again.

FYI my sign-in to SmartSound is also with a business email I no longer use but the credentials are still valid. I just don't get any marketing email from them

Quote If you never purchased any tracks, then all you need to do is install the older version of PD and the SmartSound QuickTracks plug-in and all CL provided tracks will be restored. It may be better to temporarily uninstall PD365 before doing that, and when you reinstall it PD365 will find the plugin and database and you should have full functionality again.

FYI my sign-in to SmartSound is also with a business email I no longer use but the credentials are still valid. I just don't get any marketing email from them

I no longer have these old versions on my PC. I had a major problem with my main hard drive and got a new 1Tb SSD with a fresh Win10Pro and MSOPro2019 installed. A lot of data was lost, including these legacy PD programs. I then subscribed to PDS365 (not just PD365) and have EVERY update installed since, apart from some Japanese/Chinese stuff.

My original Cyberlink subscription came with the HP Pavilion Elite I still use but that software was corrupted by the hardrive hardware failure. I don't think I've ever signed onto SmartSound directly, as it was working perfectly until recently. It looks like I'll just have to do without it now. I'll check if I've got any of the older versions on external drives but I seriously have my doubts.

No reason to worry about old drives.

All you need to do is log in to your CL account and verify that at least one older PD version is registered to you. You can then ask customer service to send you an installer link which is all you need to load QuickTracks and all the previously provided music tracks will be copied onto your new system.

Quote No reason to worry about old drives.

All you need to do is log in to your CL account and verify that at least one older PD version is registered to you. You can then ask customer service to send you an installer link which is all you need to load QuickTracks and all the previously provided music tracks will be copied onto your new system.

Perfect! I'll give that a go but I'm still a bit apprehensive about the impact on my PDS365 sub files.

UPDATE

I've managed to find my copy of the QX518_CF.zip file to reistall QuickTracks from scratch and restore the Core Foundations files. I just get errors trying to update it now.

Any advice on how I can get these would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Quote I followed the instructions in the PDF file, and no longer get the error message. We'll have to wait and see until the next update of it's a permanent fix. In any case, thanks for contacting SmartSount and getting this info.

This wasn't a permanent fix. The error message came back the first time CL had another update for the music. So updates going forward are not installing.

I'm not clear on which update you're referring to. PD17 hasn't been updated since Feb 8.

If you're talking about a SmartSound update, they've added a free "Automotive Commercial" track, and by following the steps in the PDF I linked to and using the helpful link to the latest Master.ssdb link that you posted, everything is up-to date on my end:



Since my earlier posts here, I've updated my PCs to Win11 and have also been switched from the PD19-based 365 to the PD20 version and my last SmartSound encoding update is still working properly.