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[GH-ISSUE #44] "Format failed" error on Windows despite successful LLM API initialization (spawn ENOENT error) #40

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opened 2026-02-26 21:30:58 +03:00 by kerem · 3 comments

kerem commented

2026-02-26 21:30:58 +03:00

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Originally created by @nickalps on GitHub (Feb 9, 2026).
Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/fspecii/ace-step-ui/issues/44

I installed the UI on Windows following the instructions in the README.

Steps to Reproduce:

Start the API server and the UI application using "start-all.bat"
Try to use the "Format" feature on either "Lyrics" or "Style".

Result:

The UI shows a popup error: "Format failed. The LLM may not be available."

However, the API server command window shows that the LLM model was loaded successfully (see logs below).
The UI command window shows a spawn error related to the Python executable in the virtual environment (see logs below).

Logs:
From the API Server CMD window:
2026-02-09 20:10:11.248 | INFO | acestep.llm_inference:_initialize_5hz_lm_vllm:454 - 5Hz LM initialized successfully in 20.01 seconds
2026-02-09 20:10:11.248 | INFO | acestep.llm_inference:initialize:390 - 5Hz LM status message: ✅ 5Hz LM initialized successfully
Model: F:\ACE-Step-1.5\checkpoints\acestep-5Hz-lm-0.6B
Device: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060
GPU Memory Utilization: 0.250
Low GPU Memory Mode: False
[API Server] LLM model loaded: acestep-5Hz-lm-0.6B
[API Server] All models initialized successfully!

From the UI CMD window (when the format button is clicked):
[Format] CWD: ..\ACE-Step-1.5
[Format] Spawn error: spawn ..\ACE-Step-1.5.venv\Scripts\python.exe ENOENT
[Format] Python error: spawn ..\ACE-Step-1.5.venv\Scripts\python.exe ENOENT
[Format] Process exited with code -4058

Environment:
OS: Windows 11
ACE-Step: Portable from Readme
UI istalled using: git clone https://github.com/fspecii/ace-step-ui and then setup.bat

When I use the "enhance" button in the "gradio ui", it works well.

Originally created by @nickalps on GitHub (Feb 9, 2026). Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/fspecii/ace-step-ui/issues/44 I installed the UI on Windows following the instructions in the README. Steps to Reproduce: - Start the API server and the UI application using "start-all.bat" - Try to use the "Format" feature on either "Lyrics" or "Style". Result: - The UI shows a popup error: "Format failed. The LLM may not be available." However, the API server command window shows that the LLM model was loaded successfully (see logs below). The UI command window shows a spawn error related to the Python executable in the virtual environment (see logs below). Logs: From the API Server CMD window: 2026-02-09 20:10:11.248 | INFO | acestep.llm_inference:_initialize_5hz_lm_vllm:454 - 5Hz LM initialized successfully in 20.01 seconds 2026-02-09 20:10:11.248 | INFO | acestep.llm_inference:initialize:390 - 5Hz LM status message: ✅ 5Hz LM initialized successfully Model: F:\ACE-Step-1.5\checkpoints\acestep-5Hz-lm-0.6B Device: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 GPU Memory Utilization: 0.250 Low GPU Memory Mode: False [API Server] LLM model loaded: acestep-5Hz-lm-0.6B [API Server] All models initialized successfully! From the UI CMD window (when the format button is clicked): [Format] CWD: ..\ACE-Step-1.5 [Format] Spawn error: spawn ..\ACE-Step-1.5\.venv\Scripts\python.exe ENOENT [Format] Python error: spawn ..\ACE-Step-1.5\.venv\Scripts\python.exe ENOENT [Format] Process exited with code -4058 Environment: OS: Windows 11 ACE-Step: Portable from Readme UI istalled using: git clone https://github.com/fspecii/ace-step-ui and then setup.bat When I use the "enhance" button in the "gradio ui", it works well.

kerem commented

2026-02-26 21:31:00 +03:00

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@nickalps commented on GitHub (Feb 9, 2026):

Today I was too lazy to check and fix it myself. I used an LLM to resolve the issue. I don't have time to create a proper commit, so I'll just post the LLM's report.

To give the LLM more context, I used the text from two other related issues:

Here is what the LLM suggested to make it work for me:

Fixes for Format Feature and Deprecated Arguments Issues

Overview

This document describes the fixes applied to resolve three linked issues:

Format feature failing on Windows due to incorrect Python path resolution
Similar format failures with empty error messages
Deprecated --lm-backend and --lm-model arguments causing failures when ACE-Step API is unavailable

Problems Identified

Issue 1 & 2: Python Path Resolution Failure

The resolvePythonPath() function only checked for .venv but users may have venvs with different naming patterns (e.g., ACE-Step-1.5.venv)
Path resolution was inconsistent - some routes used inline path resolution instead of a centralized function
Relative paths were resolved from process.cwd() instead of the workspace root, causing incorrect paths like F:\ace-step-ui\ACE-Step-1.5\ instead of F:\ACE-Step-1.5\
Paths weren't always normalized to absolute paths before use

Issue 3: Deprecated Arguments

--lm-backend and --lm-model arguments were being passed to simple_generate.py but are deprecated
These arguments are still valid for format_sample.py, so they should only be removed from generation calls

Solutions Implemented

1. Enhanced Python Path Resolution (`server/src/services/acestep.ts`)

Changes:

Enhanced resolvePythonPath() to check multiple venv naming patterns:
- Standard .venv
- Directories ending with .venv (e.g., ACE-Step-1.5.venv)
- Portable installation (python_embeded)
Ensured all paths are normalized to absolute paths using path.resolve()
Added validation to check if paths exist before returning
Added fallback to system Python with clear warning messages
Added comprehensive logging for debugging

Key Code Changes:

// Before: Only checked .venv
return path.join(baseDir, '.venv', 'Scripts', pythonExe);

// After: Checks multiple patterns and ensures absolute paths
const absoluteBaseDir = path.isAbsolute(baseDir) ? baseDir : path.resolve(baseDir);
// ... checks for portable, .venv, and *.venv patterns

2. Fixed ACE-Step Path Resolution (`server/src/services/acestep.ts`)

Changes:

Updated resolveAceStepPath() to resolve relative paths from workspace root instead of process.cwd()
Exported the function for reuse across routes
Added path normalization for Windows case sensitivity
Added logging to show resolved path at startup

Key Code Changes:

// Before: Resolved relative paths from process.cwd()
return path.isAbsolute(envPath) ? envPath : path.resolve(process.cwd(), envPath);

// After: Resolves from workspace root
const workspaceRoot = path.resolve(__dirname, '../../..');
const resolvedPath = path.resolve(workspaceRoot, envPath);
return path.normalize(resolvedPath);

3. Removed Deprecated Arguments (`server/src/services/acestep.ts`)

Changes:

Removed --lm-backend and --lm-model arguments from simple_generate.py calls in processGeneration() function
Added comment explaining why they were removed
These arguments remain valid for format_sample.py calls

Key Code Changes:

// Before:
if (params.lmBackend) args.push('--lm-backend', params.lmBackend);
if (params.lmModel) args.push('--lm-model', params.lmModel);

// After:
// Note: --lm-backend and --lm-model are deprecated for simple_generate.py
// They are still valid for format_sample.py

4. Unified Path Resolution (`server/src/routes/generate.ts`)

Changes:

Updated format route to use resolveAceStepPath() instead of inline path resolution
Updated limits route to use resolveAceStepPath() for consistency
Added Python path validation before spawning processes
Improved error messages for spawn failures

Key Code Changes:

// Before: Inline path resolution
const ACESTEP_DIR = process.env.ACESTEP_PATH || path.resolve(path.dirname(fileURLToPath(import.meta.url)), '../../../../ACE-Step-1.5');

// After: Using centralized function
const ACESTEP_DIR = resolveAceStepPath();

5. Enhanced Error Handling

Changes:

Added Python executable path validation before spawning processes
Added script file existence checks
Improved error messages with more context
Added logging for debugging spawn errors

Files Modified

`server/src/services/acestep.ts`

Line 31: Changed function resolveAceStepPath() to export function resolveAceStepPath()
Lines 31-47: Enhanced path resolution logic to handle relative paths correctly
Line 50: Added absoluteBaseDir variable to ensure absolute paths
Lines 54-95: Enhanced resolvePythonPath() to check multiple venv patterns and validate paths
Line 97: Added logging for resolved ACE-Step directory
Lines 713-714: Removed deprecated --lm-backend and --lm-model arguments (replaced with comment)
Line 3: Added readdirSync import for directory scanning
Lines 790-808: Added Python path and script validation in runPythonGeneration()

`server/src/routes/generate.ts`

Line 4: Added existsSync import
Line 17: Added resolveAceStepPath to imports
Line 570: Changed limits route to use resolveAceStepPath()
Line 647: Changed format route to use resolveAceStepPath()
Lines 653-665: Added Python path and script validation before spawning
Lines 732-735: Enhanced error handling in spawn error callback

Testing Recommendations

Test with different venv naming patterns:
- .venv (standard)
- ACE-Step-1.5.venv (Windows pattern)
- Portable installation (python_embeded)
Test path resolution:
- With ACESTEP_PATH environment variable set to absolute path
- With ACESTEP_PATH set to relative path (e.g., ..\ACE-Step-1.5)
- Without ACESTEP_PATH (should default to sibling directory)
Verify format feature:
- Test format for both "Lyrics" and "Style" options
- Verify it correctly finds Python executable
- Verify it works with API server running and without
Verify generation without API:
- Ensure deprecated arguments are not passed to simple_generate.py
- Verify generation still works correctly

Impact

✅ Format feature now works correctly on Windows with various venv naming conventions
✅ Path resolution is consistent across all routes
✅ Deprecated arguments removed, preventing errors when API is unavailable
✅ Better error messages help users diagnose configuration issues
✅ Improved logging aids in debugging path resolution problems

Notes

The fixes maintain backward compatibility with existing configurations
All changes are non-breaking and improve robustness
The format feature now correctly uses the embedded Python (python_embeded) when available, as shown in the API server logs

@nickalps commented on GitHub (Feb 9, 2026): Today I was too lazy to check and fix it myself. I used an LLM to resolve the issue. I don't have time to create a proper commit, so I'll just post the LLM's report. To give the LLM more context, I used the text from two other related issues: - https://github.com/fspecii/ace-step-ui/issues/34 - https://github.com/fspecii/ace-step-ui/issues/32 Here is what the LLM suggested to make it work for me: ----- # Fixes for Format Feature and Deprecated Arguments Issues ## Overview This document describes the fixes applied to resolve three linked issues: 1. Format feature failing on Windows due to incorrect Python path resolution 2. Similar format failures with empty error messages 3. Deprecated `--lm-backend` and `--lm-model` arguments causing failures when ACE-Step API is unavailable ## Problems Identified ### Issue 1 & 2: Python Path Resolution Failure - The `resolvePythonPath()` function only checked for `.venv` but users may have venvs with different naming patterns (e.g., `ACE-Step-1.5.venv`) - Path resolution was inconsistent - some routes used inline path resolution instead of a centralized function - Relative paths were resolved from `process.cwd()` instead of the workspace root, causing incorrect paths like `F:\ace-step-ui\ACE-Step-1.5\` instead of `F:\ACE-Step-1.5\` - Paths weren't always normalized to absolute paths before use ### Issue 3: Deprecated Arguments - `--lm-backend` and `--lm-model` arguments were being passed to `simple_generate.py` but are deprecated - These arguments are still valid for `format_sample.py`, so they should only be removed from generation calls ## Solutions Implemented ### 1. Enhanced Python Path Resolution (`server/src/services/acestep.ts`) **Changes:** - Enhanced `resolvePythonPath()` to check multiple venv naming patterns: - Standard `.venv` - Directories ending with `.venv` (e.g., `ACE-Step-1.5.venv`) - Portable installation (`python_embeded`) - Ensured all paths are normalized to absolute paths using `path.resolve()` - Added validation to check if paths exist before returning - Added fallback to system Python with clear warning messages - Added comprehensive logging for debugging **Key Code Changes:** ```typescript // Before: Only checked .venv return path.join(baseDir, '.venv', 'Scripts', pythonExe); // After: Checks multiple patterns and ensures absolute paths const absoluteBaseDir = path.isAbsolute(baseDir) ? baseDir : path.resolve(baseDir); // ... checks for portable, .venv, and *.venv patterns ``` ### 2. Fixed ACE-Step Path Resolution (`server/src/services/acestep.ts`) **Changes:** - Updated `resolveAceStepPath()` to resolve relative paths from workspace root instead of `process.cwd()` - Exported the function for reuse across routes - Added path normalization for Windows case sensitivity - Added logging to show resolved path at startup **Key Code Changes:** ```typescript // Before: Resolved relative paths from process.cwd() return path.isAbsolute(envPath) ? envPath : path.resolve(process.cwd(), envPath); // After: Resolves from workspace root const workspaceRoot = path.resolve(__dirname, '../../..'); const resolvedPath = path.resolve(workspaceRoot, envPath); return path.normalize(resolvedPath); ``` ### 3. Removed Deprecated Arguments (`server/src/services/acestep.ts`) **Changes:** - Removed `--lm-backend` and `--lm-model` arguments from `simple_generate.py` calls in `processGeneration()` function - Added comment explaining why they were removed - These arguments remain valid for `format_sample.py` calls **Key Code Changes:** ```typescript // Before: if (params.lmBackend) args.push('--lm-backend', params.lmBackend); if (params.lmModel) args.push('--lm-model', params.lmModel); // After: // Note: --lm-backend and --lm-model are deprecated for simple_generate.py // They are still valid for format_sample.py ``` ### 4. Unified Path Resolution (`server/src/routes/generate.ts`) **Changes:** - Updated format route to use `resolveAceStepPath()` instead of inline path resolution - Updated limits route to use `resolveAceStepPath()` for consistency - Added Python path validation before spawning processes - Improved error messages for spawn failures **Key Code Changes:** ```typescript // Before: Inline path resolution const ACESTEP_DIR = process.env.ACESTEP_PATH || path.resolve(path.dirname(fileURLToPath(import.meta.url)), '../../../../ACE-Step-1.5'); // After: Using centralized function const ACESTEP_DIR = resolveAceStepPath(); ``` ### 5. Enhanced Error Handling **Changes:** - Added Python executable path validation before spawning processes - Added script file existence checks - Improved error messages with more context - Added logging for debugging spawn errors ## Files Modified ### `server/src/services/acestep.ts` 1. **Line 31**: Changed `function resolveAceStepPath()` to `export function resolveAceStepPath()` 2. **Lines 31-47**: Enhanced path resolution logic to handle relative paths correctly 3. **Line 50**: Added `absoluteBaseDir` variable to ensure absolute paths 4. **Lines 54-95**: Enhanced `resolvePythonPath()` to check multiple venv patterns and validate paths 5. **Line 97**: Added logging for resolved ACE-Step directory 6. **Lines 713-714**: Removed deprecated `--lm-backend` and `--lm-model` arguments (replaced with comment) 7. **Line 3**: Added `readdirSync` import for directory scanning 8. **Lines 790-808**: Added Python path and script validation in `runPythonGeneration()` ### `server/src/routes/generate.ts` 1. **Line 4**: Added `existsSync` import 2. **Line 17**: Added `resolveAceStepPath` to imports 3. **Line 570**: Changed limits route to use `resolveAceStepPath()` 4. **Line 647**: Changed format route to use `resolveAceStepPath()` 5. **Lines 653-665**: Added Python path and script validation before spawning 6. **Lines 732-735**: Enhanced error handling in spawn error callback ## Testing Recommendations 1. **Test with different venv naming patterns:** - `.venv` (standard) - `ACE-Step-1.5.venv` (Windows pattern) - Portable installation (`python_embeded`) 2. **Test path resolution:** - With `ACESTEP_PATH` environment variable set to absolute path - With `ACESTEP_PATH` set to relative path (e.g., `..\ACE-Step-1.5`) - Without `ACESTEP_PATH` (should default to sibling directory) 3. **Verify format feature:** - Test format for both "Lyrics" and "Style" options - Verify it correctly finds Python executable - Verify it works with API server running and without 4. **Verify generation without API:** - Ensure deprecated arguments are not passed to `simple_generate.py` - Verify generation still works correctly ## Impact - ✅ Format feature now works correctly on Windows with various venv naming conventions - ✅ Path resolution is consistent across all routes - ✅ Deprecated arguments removed, preventing errors when API is unavailable - ✅ Better error messages help users diagnose configuration issues - ✅ Improved logging aids in debugging path resolution problems ## Notes - The fixes maintain backward compatibility with existing configurations - All changes are non-breaking and improve robustness - The format feature now correctly uses the embedded Python (`python_embeded`) when available, as shown in the API server logs

kerem commented

2026-02-26 21:31:00 +03:00

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Owner

@nickalps commented on GitHub (Feb 9, 2026):

Also this error may have been initially caused by the fact that my portable ACE-Step-1.5 was updated when I tested it and checked how the gradio ui works. But I'm not sure 😅

@nickalps commented on GitHub (Feb 9, 2026): Also this error may have been initially caused by the fact that my portable ACE-Step-1.5 was updated when I tested it and checked how the gradio ui works. But I'm not sure 😅

kerem commented

2026-02-26 21:31:00 +03:00

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Owner

@cynical2010 commented on GitHub (Feb 11, 2026):

same for me > [https://github.com/fspecii/ace-step-ui/issues/46]
Windows GPT 5 Mini
not Tested and will not Test it.

Maybe it helps someone

Good luck i'm outta here ➡️🏃‍♂️‍➡️😂

@cynical2010 commented on GitHub (Feb 11, 2026): same for me > [https://github.com/fspecii/ace-step-ui/issues/46] Windows GPT 5 Mini not Tested and will not Test it. Maybe it helps someone Good luck i'm outta here ➡️🏃‍♂️‍➡️😂

kerem referenced this issue

2026-03-01 18:16:08 +03:00

[GH-ISSUE #40] 679788 #37

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[GH-ISSUE #44] "Format failed" error on Windows despite successful LLM API initialization (spawn ENOENT error) #40

Fixes for Format Feature and Deprecated Arguments Issues

Overview

Problems Identified

Issue 1 & 2: Python Path Resolution Failure

Issue 3: Deprecated Arguments

Solutions Implemented

1. Enhanced Python Path Resolution (server/src/services/acestep.ts)

2. Fixed ACE-Step Path Resolution (server/src/services/acestep.ts)

3. Removed Deprecated Arguments (server/src/services/acestep.ts)

4. Unified Path Resolution (server/src/routes/generate.ts)

5. Enhanced Error Handling

Files Modified

server/src/services/acestep.ts

server/src/routes/generate.ts

Testing Recommendations

Impact

Notes

1. Enhanced Python Path Resolution (`server/src/services/acestep.ts`)

2. Fixed ACE-Step Path Resolution (`server/src/services/acestep.ts`)

3. Removed Deprecated Arguments (`server/src/services/acestep.ts`)

4. Unified Path Resolution (`server/src/routes/generate.ts`)

`server/src/services/acestep.ts`

`server/src/routes/generate.ts`