[x264] -o NUL vs -o NULL on windows x86/x64

[Kurtnoise]

Here is a bug report (https://sourceforge.net/tracker2/index.php?func=detail&aid=2543569&group_id=156112&atid=798476) from a megui user.

Does anybody can try to reproduce the bug on x64 plateform please ?

coz both works for me (only tested on x86 machine) :

x264.exe --pass 1 --bitrate 800 --stats "C:\Les Liens Du Sang\VIDEO_TS\temp.stats" --bframes 3 --b-adapt 2 --b-pyramid --weightb --direct auto --deblock -1:-1 --subme 2 --partitions none --me dia --threads 2 --thread-input --sar 1:1 --progress --no-psnr --no-ssim --output NUL "C:\Les Liens Du Sang\VIDEO_TS\Les Liens Du Sang 2.avs"

avis [info]: 624x256 @ 25.00 fps (2051 frames)
x264 [info]: using SAR=1/1
x264 [info]: using cpu capabilities: MMX2 SSE2Fast SSSE3 PHADD SSE4.1 Cache64
x264 [info]: profile Main, level 2.1
x264 [info]: slice I:15 Avg QP:19.50 size: 21497
x264 [info]: slice P:765 Avg QP:21.00 size: 7193
x264 [info]: slice B:1271 Avg QP:22.32 size: 2176
x264 [info]: consecutive B-frames: 2.5% 25.7% 51.6% 20.2%
x264 [info]: mb I I16..4: 14.3% 0.0% 85.7%
x264 [info]: mb P I16..4: 16.1% 0.0% 0.0% P16..4: 78.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0
.0% skip: 5.9%
x264 [info]: mb B I16..4: 2.8% 0.0% 0.0% B16..8: 34.9% 0.0% 0.0% direct:
21.5% skip:40.8% L0:21.0% L1:43.8% BI:35.2%
x264 [info]: final ratefactor: 19.75
x264 [info]: direct mvs spatial:99.8% temporal:0.2%
x264 [info]: kb/s:837.7

encoded 2051 frames, 102.15 fps, 837.81 kb/s

[vucloutr]

edit:

i've always used "NUL" and it works. (on server 2008 x64)
with "--output NULL" on first pass i get a file "NULL" which isn't as it's intended but the encode is fine.

[tph]

NULL does not mean anything specific on a Windows machine. NUL on the other hand is comparable to /dev/null

[LoRd_MuldeR]

NUL works for me, tested with x86 and with x64 build on 64-Bit Windows. NULL for obvious reasons doesn't.

[kemuri-_9]

with my x64 build of x264 r1095:

-o NUL = no output
-o NULL = writes to file 'NULL'

--output produces the same effects without errors

if they're having errors it's likely they messed up the other options.
get their full commandline to investigate it.

and note x264 does allow specifying multiple files on -o/--output
creating them all (if they don't exist) but only writing to the last

i.e.

-o 1.h264 -o 2.h264 -o 3.h264 -o -o --output --output -o NUL

will cause it to create the files [1-3].h264, -o, and --output but write the data to NUL so all actual files are empty.
all files that are not written to but specified are empty, regardless of whether they had data originally or not.

[tph]

and note x264 does allow specifying multiple files on -o/--output
creating them all (if they don't exist) but only writing to the last

i.e.

-o 1.h264 -o 2.h264 -o 3.h264 -o -o --output --output -o NUL

will cause it to create the files [1-3].h264, -o, and --output but write the data to NUL so all actual files are empty.
all files that are not written to but specified are empty, regardless of whether they had data originally or not.

That sounds like a bug for sure. It would be more logical if it completely ignored everything but the last one.

[Kurtnoise]

if they're having errors it's likely they messed up the other options.
get their full commandline to investigate it.

the full command line is the one from the quote I wrote (except name for stats file & input of course)...

That's the error reported :
-[Information] Versions
--[NoImage] MeGUI Version : 0.3.1.1010
--[NoImage] OS : Microsoft(R) Windows(R) XP Professional x64 Edition SP2 (5.2.131072.3790)
--[NoImage] Framework used : 2.0 (2.0.50727.42)
-[Information] Hardware
--[NoImage] CPU : AMD Opteron(tm) Processor 248
-[Error] Log for job1 (video, Abyss - Special Edition.avs -> Abyss - Special Edition.mp4)
--[Information] [28/01/2009 10:39:10] Started handling job
--[Information] [28/01/2009 10:39:10] Preprocessing
--[NoImage] Job commandline: "C:\Program Files (x86)\megui\tools\x264\x264.exe" --pass 1 --bitrate 800 --stats "F:\x264 (Working Folder)\Abyss - Special Edition\Abyss - Special Edition.stats" --bframes 3 --b-adapt 2 --b-pyramid --weightb --direct auto --deblock -1:-1 --subme 2 --partitions none --me dia --threads 2 --thread-input --sar 1:1 --progress --no-psnr --no-ssim --output NUL "F:\x264 (Working Folder)\Abyss - Special Edition\Abyss - Special Edition.avs"
--[Information] [28/01/2009 10:39:11] Encoding started
--[Error] An error occurred: x264 [error]: can't open output file `NUL'
--[NoImage] Standard output stream
--[NoImage] Standard error stream

dunno why it fails...

[Sharktooth]

then it's something messed up in his system. NUL was working since DOS...

[LoRd_MuldeR]

then it's something messed up in his system. NUL was working since DOS...

Maybe the result of a buggy antivirus software. Wouldn't be the first time that strange errors turn out to be caused be the a/v software :rolleyes:

(Even if the anvitivrus program didn't display any error message or alerts)

[kemuri-_9]

the full command line is the one from the quote I wrote (except name for stats file & input of course)...

does that commandline he posted work from the command prompt as is (not altering for the NUL/NULL issue)?

I'm on XP x64 SP2 with an AMD processor and i'm not having any problems...

[Kurtnoise]

does that commandline he posted work from the command prompt as is (not altering for the NUL/NULL issue)?
yes it does...apparently.