Is it possible to open two instances of Synthesia at the same time?

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Pure1108
Posts: 19

Post by Pure1108 »

I have two midi files that I'd like to compare side-by-side on my dual monitors - is there a way to open two instances of Synthesia at the same time?
Nicholas
Posts: 13132

Post by Nicholas »

There isn't a way to open two instances today. We specifically guard against it because it's dangerous to the data files: Synthesia writes all its data just as the app is closing. So whichever window is closed last would "win" and overwrite any new/changed information from the other window's data. Worse: if you closed them at roughly the same time, they might step on each other's toes and arbitrarily be denied access to some of the files or--in the worst case--introduce a bit of inconsistency (or even corruption) where one instance writes to certain files and the other instance is allowed to write to others.

As I start migrating Synthesia's data files over to something more robust (a SQLite database with the WAL-mode enabled), all of these problems disappear. Data will be written as it is changed so a crash doesn't lose anything. The format is inherently more robust against corruption. Everything will be transaction-based so multiple instances shouldn't be able to step on each other's toes.

I hadn't considered that we'd be able to relax the multiple-instances restriction afterward, but thinking about it just now, it should be safe to do.
Pure1108
Posts: 19

Post by Pure1108 »

Many thanks Nick, this is very informative :D
Piotr Barcz
Posts: 5

Post by Piotr Barcz »

I've had two windows of Synthesia open by some miracle, I think it was because my computer had just started and everything was a bit laggy, then I clicked on the synthesia app button a ton of times and I opened two windows
Pure1108 wrote: 10-06-21 5:40 am I have two midi files that I'd like to compare side-by-side on my dual monitors - is there a way to open two instances of Synthesia at the same time?
Why don't you download Piano From Above and use that as the second program? It's definitely nowhere close to Synthesia quality but it's free (I think Brian Pantano wanted a free synthesia alternative or he just made it because he wanted to join in the popularity of this type of software)

Anyway, you could use that as the second visualizer.
Nicholas
Posts: 13132

Post by Nicholas »

Piotr Barcz wrote: 10-21-21 9:34 am... but it's free (I think Brian Pantano wanted a free synthesia alternative or he just made it because he wanted to join in the popularity of this type of software)
It wasn't originally free and his reasoning for making it can be found at the bottom of this page. :lol:
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