Business Plus synchronization server

[cdicken]

We're just in the process of digitally signing the new 9.0.2 build (this is for Vista). After that we will upload it and post a link here and make a general announcement as well.

[Paul Cooper]

As Chris Dicken has said, a version of 9.0.2 will be released tomorrow with a major fix for sync server problems.

We have also discovered some other issues with the sync server, including one which we found with internal testing, but which has never been reported from the field. These problems all occur much less frequently than the one fixed in tomorrow's release, and some have work-arounds. They will all be fixed in the next major release, 9.0.3.

I'm hoping that people won't experience any problems after tomorrow, but they may. I will be posting a summay of the other issues here on Wednesday. It's being compiled for me at the moment and I'm out tomorrow.

Regards,
Chris

Chris, Will this release fix the problem where postcode look up on the MOTO screen works intermittently? The error states the sync server is not running even though it is? Reboot and it's fine, next day it may or may not work.

Thanks

Paul

[cdicken]

Hi Paul - there's a strong possibility this would help as the offline postcode lookup does require the synchronisation server to be up and running.

[cdicken]

The new build of 9.0.2 is now available to download from:

http://www.actinic.co.uk/referrer/Do...4?nCategory=54

It has a different release name - IFZA - and only contains the fix for the synchronisation server, so you only need to use it if you are using Business Plus.

[cdicken]

Sorry chaps - I needed to delete posts here as the first one in the list broke forum guidelines and it's not really worth leaving the responses to a deleted post.

We've now called the customer concerned and are dealing with him directly. The new build hoovers up most people's multi-user issues, but there are still clearly a few outstanding that we are currently working directly with customers to resolve.

[AlistairW]

Interestingly after having problems with the sync server even after having installed the patch I have installed XP service pack 3 to all the terminals. I have since used the software for a much longer period without failure than previously.

Not saying that it is a definitive answer to my problem - I will know tomorrow when its used for a longer period.

[john@stinkyink.]

We are running Mult-User across our Network and have only seen this problem once. We have installed the first program on our Server (Running SBS 2003) and hold all the database files on there. We then have three workstations running XP (SP2) and use these machines to access the program, but hardly ever use the server. In fact the only time we had a sync problem was when I was using the Server (being too idle to switch my machine on) and for some reason the program crashed, which then caused the issue with the Sync Server. I restarted Sync Server on my Server and have been running ever since with no problems. I hope that this helps anyone?

[cbarling]

OK, here's the promised summary of all known issues relating to the Sync server.

- Error message 'Communication with sync server failed, please restart Actinic'. Reported by a number of Actinic customers. This is caused by a bug in Microsoft ATL code that is fixed by Actinic Development using a later version of the Microsoft developer tools. The details of the bug is that when parsing soap xml headers, it checks the out of range global error variable, without checking what it was before the parsing. So, if that variable has been set by some calculation before, it thinks the parsing failed, and then throws a 'Communication with sync server failed, please restart Actinic' error. This happens often on the MOTO form. Actinic reference AC9-1665.
Status: Fixed in 9.0.2 IFZA and 9.0.3 (not yet released)
We believe that this is responsible for the vast majority of reported problems with the sync server.

- When a windows user logs off on the machine running the sync server, the sync server service stops. Reported by one customer. Work-around: do not log out of the PC running the sync server.
Actinic reference AC9-1627.
Status: Fixed in 9.0.2 IFZA and 9.0.3 (not yet released)

- When the sync server machine is under very heavy network load, non fatal errors are not handled properly: it throws an error instead of retrying the request. Found internally when testing under exceptional load conditions, never reported by any customers.
Status: Fixed in 9.0.3 (not yet released)

- If a user logs on with a username that is the same as that stored in the database but accidentally supplies some parts of the username in a different case, the effect is that login is allowed but the user is disabled as soon as they edit content. e.g. username in database is "Chris" but user logs on as "chris". Accidentally introduced in 9.0.2. Reported by one customer. Work-around: use case consistently.
Actinic reference AC9-1373.
Status: Fixed in 9.0.3 (not yet released)

- Changes made on one PC are not reflected on other PCs. Reported by one customer. This is due to the configuration of Windows caching files. For shared Access sites, if changes do not get reflected on other machines, ensure Windows caching is disabled on the shared site.
Status: no software change planned

Essentially, if you upgrade to 9.0.2 IFZA you are unlikely to experience further problems with the Synchronisation Server. If you do encounter any of the reamining outstanding issues, there are easy ways of avoiding them.

I hope that this helps.

Chris

[AlistairW]

A quick note to anyone using XP and still having problems following the installation of the patch - try installing XP service pack 3, this resolved our problems on what were already quite well patched machines.

The sync server now appears to be stable.

[cbarling]

Alistair, do you know which SP level you were on with XP before that i.e. none, SP1 or SP2?

Chris

[Paul Cooper]

Hi Chris D,

You may recall that rather long running dispute with Support you momentarily got dragged into involving my site1 folder, well V9.02 appears to have solved that bug.

Just in case anyone else is suffering the same problem ( I was running v9.01 Business) which is where doing a snapshot crashes the PC with the error ActSyncSvr.exe - Application Error " The application failed to initialise properly (0xc0000142). Click on OK to terminate the application". However clicking on OK simply keeps bring up the same error message. The only way out is to power down, Ctrl Alt Del will not even work!

I have yet to see if solves the postcode lookup problem as that is on the sales PC.

It's nice to be able to report something positive.

Thanks

Paul

[cdicken]

Hi Paul

Thanks for letting us know about this. Very encouraging.

[AlistairW]

Alistair, do you know which SP level you were on with XP before that i.e. none, SP1 or SP2?

Chris

Chris, all the machines were up to XP Service Pack 2, and were patched up to at least within 5 weeks with Microsoft Update patches.

However, I do remember something (though not specific details) having problems following installation of another piece of software with MSXML. I cannot remember though how this was resolved. Could MSXML have an effect on the sync server?

[cbarling]

Thanks for the information.

MSXML4 (which comes from Microsoft) is used by the Sync Server, and if it isn't present or the wrong version is used it definitely has an impact.

I believe that the intricacies of exactly which version gets used is pretty complex because I know there's been a lot of internal discussion among the developers. Frankly I don't personally understand the detail. However, I do know that the discussions have fed into changes in the installer to try to make sure that the correct version is always available. So hopefully it won't be an issue in the future.

Chris

[mikejdavies]

So can anyone confirm where the issues with the Sync Server have been resolved? We are having the same problems as those described in this thread and have tried all the various "fixes" detailed, but to no avail.

We have just tried upgrading to 9.0.3 in the hope that something in there at least reduces the number of times actinic crashes with problems relating to losing communication with the sync server!