This knowledge base article will help outline, define and explain the various Ci file statuses that are visible once a file is uploaded, going through ingest processing or perhaps is in another state.
Queued - The queued status appears when a user is uploading multiple files at a time. To ensure files make it safely to the Ci platform, Ci focuses on a few files at a time.
Initiating Upload - This status is displayed for folder uploads when the Aspera Connect client (on the user’s computer) is identifying the files to upload and establishing a connection with the Ci Aspera servers.
Uploading – This status appears for both file and folder uploads.
- Files - If the Ci user is the uploader, the Ci user should see the progress and time remaining for the upload. If another team member is uploading through the Ci UI or a File Request they will also see their upload progress. If there is no upload progress (typically because the user has abandoned the upload or has connectivity issues) the Uploading status will appear for the user who initiated the upload for 2 hours and other users for 12 hours. If the file isn’t uploaded after that time has passed Ci will mark it as Failed (to be clear, this means the uploader will see the Failed status after 2 hours and other users after 12 hours).
- One thing to note, if the Ci API is being used to upload files the user will not see the upload progress in the UI. A user can determine this by looking at the right context panel and view the “Added From” field which shows the name of the application performing the upload. If that value is not “Workspace” or “Catalog” the user can assume it is an API upload.
- Folders - When a user uploads a folder using Aspera they will see that the folder has an Upload status. Additionally, they can see how many files have been uploaded. However, if the uploader opens up the folder that is uploading they will not see upload progress for each file that is being uploaded. Ci recommends opening the Aspera Connect Client to view the upload progress for the files in the folder. Other users in the Workspace will not be able to see the Uploading status for the folder or the files that are being uploaded.
Waiting to Process – This status appears right before Ci processes your files. When this status appears the file is uploaded and safely stored. It can be downloaded or added to a MediaBox and shared with others for download. If the user's files get stuck in this status longer than expected, that typically means the user or other team members are uploading a lot of files to the same Space at the same time and Ci is waiting for processing capacity to become available for that Space.
- Please note: For folder uploads, some files might appear as Waiting to Process, but are not available for download. This can happen right after the file is uploaded, but before the Ci back-end processes have recognized the file is available for processing.
Processing – Our back-end systems are gathering information about the file and creating web playable proxies and thumbnails. The time it takes to complete this process depends on a variety of factors. For videos, Ci generally expects to complete processing in the time it takes to play your video. Files in this status are uploaded and safely stored. They can also be downloaded or added to a MediaBox and shared with others.
Limited – Web viewable versions of the file were not generated. Typically, this happens if a file isn’t able to be processed with our platform or is corrupted in some way. Files in this status are uploaded and safely stored. They can also be downloaded or added to a MediaBox and shared with others.
Failed – Files in this status failed to upload and are not stored on our platform. Ci recommends trying to re-upload to ensure it is stored safely. There are a few ways a user might encounter a Failed status, below is a description of each and some ideas for troubleshooting. The notes below are intended for users who are performing an upload. They can also be helpful for users who are waiting for another user’s upload. For users waiting on an upload, there is an additional troubleshooting section below these notes that can be helpful.
- Internet connectivity issues - This is by far the most common issue and even intermittent connections can cause problems, especially with Aspera uploads.
- Standard upload - If a user loses internet connectivity and an upload has problems, Ci will attempt to retry the upload multiple times before a file is marked as Failed. If the upload progress isn’t updating, then this could certainly be the issue. In this scenario, Ci recommends trying to browse the internet and ensure the user's connection is still working. If the user's internet is having problems, be patient with the upload and Ci will attempt to retry the upload multiple times. If the retries eventually run out of attempts, Ci will mark the file as Failed and Ci suggests trying again, when the user has a better internet connection. Please note: If a user regains connectivity and tries to refresh the page, the file might change from Failed to Uploading (this status can appear for up to 2 hours). If the user sees this status and are not actively uploading the file, Ci suggests trying to upload again.
- Aspera upload - If a user is uploading from a Space and lose internet connectivity, it will be marked as Failed after the first failed attempt. If uploading via a File Request, a user will see a warning page that notifies the user of a connectivity issue. If this happens, Ci recommends opening the Aspera Connect Client application on the user's computer to get more details about the failure. The user will most likely see an error message that states, “Session data transfer timeout”. If the user sees that message, they should wait a moment and a retry will eventually happen. The default number of retries is 3, but that can be changed in the settings of the Aspera Connect client. If the user has reached the maximum number of retries, Ci suggests trying standard upload or waiting until the user's internet connectivity improves. It is also a good idea to trash and delete the Failed file, if the user attempts to upload again. There are some occasions when Ci cannot get upload progress from the Aspera Connect Client, and therefore cannot show the upload progress in the browser. When this happens File Request users will see a warning page with orange message telling users to check the Connect Client for upload status. Once the upload is complete, Ci recommends clicking the “Done” button in the browser to complete the upload and send delivery notifications. If this happens frequently, Ci recommends restarting your computer.
- Incorrect network configuration (Aspera only) - If the file never starts uploading and the user never sees an upload progress (or see an error notification), it could be the user's network setup. Some networks, especially in offices and public spaces, have unique configurations that can cause problems with Aspera. Ci recommends reviewing this article (https://support.cimediacloud.com/hc/en-us/articles/360039495114-Aspera-Connect-Transfer-Errors-Troubleshooting) and working with a network administrator, if possible.
- Closing the browser - If a user closes the browser while attempting to perform a standard upload, Ci will alert you that closing the browser will stop the upload. If the user decides to close it anyways, the upload will terminate. The file will still have an Uploading status (without upload progress) for 2 hours and then it will go to Failed. Ci suggests trashing and deleting the file, then retrying the upload in this case.
- If a user closes the browser during an Aspera upload, it will continue to upload in the Aspera Connect Client for uploads to both Spaces and File Requests. If a user is uploading to a Ci Space and they re-open their browser, the file will show the Uploading status, but will not show the upload progress (they can view that in the Aspera Connect Client). Also, be aware, that if 2 hours passes, Ci will show a Failed status in the UI even if the Connect Client is still uploading. For File Request users, when closing the browser during an Aspera upload and re-opening it to the File Request, they will not be able to see the upload progress. Additionally, confirmation emails won’t be sent to the requestor and the user won’t receive a delivery receipt for their upload.
- Computer goes to sleep - If a user's computer goes to a sleeping mode, the upload will stop immediately. When the user starts using the computer again, both standard and Aspera uploads will attempt to resume uploading.
- Computer is shut down - If a user's computer is shut down, the upload will stop immediately. Standard uploads will be unable to resume, however, Aspera uploads will attempt to resume when the user starts the Aspera Connect Client. Ci suggests monitoring the Connect Client for upload progress in this scenario. Be aware, when the user navigates back to the folder where they started the upload, they will see a Failed status, even if the file is uploading in the Aspera Connect Client.
- User pauses an upload (Aspera upload only) - If a user opens the Aspera Connect Client and press the stop / pause button, the file will eventually move to a Failed status. If the user decides to resume that upload, the file will go back into an Uploading status.
In each of these scenarios above, users will notice that Ci attempts to mark a file as Failed after a specific time period has passed and the file isn’t uploaded or wasn’t already marked as Failed. For the user performing the upload that time period is 2 hours. For other users looking at the file status in Ci that time period is 12 hours.
Below are some additional troubleshooting notes for users who are waiting on another user’s upload:
- If a file is actively being uploaded from a Space or a File Request the user will see the Uploading status along with the upload progress and time remaining. If the file has an Uploading status, but the user doesn’t see any progress, there is a chance the upload has stalled or failed. Ci recommends looking at the date and time that the file was created. If it was created more than 1 hour ago, it is very possible the upload has failed. In these scenarios, Ci will officially mark the file as Failed after 12 hours, if the file is not uploaded.
- For Aspera uploads, if the upload fails at least one attempt, the user will see the file as Failed, even if another retry will be attempted. In this scenario, the file could go from Failed into another status that indicates it was successfully uploaded.
- If a user closes the browser during an Aspera upload, it will continue uploading in their Aspera Connect Client, however, if the user is watching that file, the user won’t see any upload progress. Once the file is completed, the user will see a status change as the file is processed by Ci.
Virus Detected - Ci detected a virus and recommend removing it from the Ci platform. These files are not available for download and cannot be added to a MediaBox. Customers should contact the Customer Success team for additional information.
Executable Detected – The file was discovered to be an executable and users should only download and share if the file is known to be safe.
Live – Indicates the file is a live streaming video that is available for preview only. It will be available for download and sharing in a MediaBox once the stream is marked complete and the file is processed. Users can create clips from live streams and also add it to a MediaLog session to start logging data.
Rendering – This status appears for RoughCut renders, clips, custom renders, and frame grabs that are being rendered. The time it takes to complete this process depends on a variety of factors. For videos, once the file is done rendering it will go through the regular processing status while Ci creates web playable previews and thumbnails.
Archiving - The file is being archived to a lower cost storage option. It cannot be downloaded until the archive process is complete and the file is restored. If there is a need to download this file immediately, the user can cancel the archiving. The file can be shared in a MediaBox, but will not be available for download.
Restoring - The file is being restored and will be available for download soon. It can be shared in a MediaBox, but will not be available for download until the restore operation is complete.
For any additional questions, please reach out to the Ci Customer Success Team by submitting a request here in the Help Center.