BUG: DMP Error But Upload Allowed To Continue

[TraceyG]

I NEVER had any dmp's before I used 9.0.3 but get them all the time now (3 today) - I have also noticed that I now get them in V8 when again I never had any before

Dmp files were added into v8.5.2 so do you know if you experienced crashes before upgrading to this version but obviously without the dmp files being created? I guess the same question to you Lee?

[Jan]

In addition it also needs to be solved as to why an application that has apparently crashed, can continue to upload for over an hour in the background after the event - a rather important point seemingly completely ignored thus far.

This happens because Actinic upload is now multi-threaded, so in effect the work of uploading is split into tasks and they all run at the same time. When an application crashes, usually all of the internal threads (or tasks) are terminated and the application closes. However, now, as Actinic is in the process of crashing the dmp file is created and the message is displayed, this cause the closing of the application to be delayed until the dialog is closed, while you are waiting for the dialog to be cleared, the other threads carry on working. Once the dialog is closed, I would expect the whole application to then terminate.

So the reason is continues to run is that the dmp file process pauses the application crash until it's dialog is closed, once that happens the crash continues as normal.

Does that make sense?

Regards,

[leehack]

I have long said and advertised on the forum also Tracey, that versions prior to these being added were generally rock solid for me. I always seemed to be on a more stable version than most. This is still the case apart from when DMP errors occur, it is just the frequency of them nowadays and how darn easy they are to create. Whatever is causing these crashes, if it was removed, then IMO it would be back to stability, it's the only real area of concern for me on performance, apart from the missing files bug which is being fixed.

It's very close to something very good now IMO, but there seems to be a bit of pussy footing around of late, which i understand, but you guys have to know the real story in this area because as Bruce has illustrated, you clearly haven't got the correct picture in this part.

[pinbrook]

Has the method od sending dmp files been made simpler? I remember having to jump through hoops in order to be able to send one.

[leehack]

Does that make sense?

Absolutely and exactly what I would guess at without knowing the nuts and bolts. But that is not the point. We are being told that the application crashes, it then creates a DMP file, they are not linked at all, so scrapping DMP files would achieve nothing. When in fact that does not appear to be true, if DMP files did not exist, a site being uploaded that caused Actinic to crash, could never actually get uploaded could it as the core application would cease immediately?

We cannot have an application that has crashed due to a problem, continue to upload a site to the WWW because someone has not clicked OK to a DMP creation. Surely the DMP part is integral to the application, if an action is needed on that part of the software before it ceases to upload.

When we compact a database, we can get a message a couple of minutes later sometimes saying it has finished. The DMP should work similarly (independent window), if actinic crashes, cease the application and all threads immediately and leave a DMP 'OK' window to be acknowledged whenever we want to answer it.

[leehack]

Has the method od sending dmp files been made simpler? I remember having to jump through hoops in order to be able to send one.

Well it has been changed, you now get a URL in the error message, when you visit that URL (has to be an ugly type out as not linked), you get told to phone support (if contracted) and they will give you an email address to send it to or if you are not, then register a support query just as you had to before. So it was certainly looked at, but it stepped sidewards at best, nothing improved at all IMO.

Here's the URL they send you to - http://www.actinic.co.uk/support/attachment.htm

[pinbrook]

wouldn't it be easy if actinic provided an email address dmp at actinic dot co dot uk for example and let us`send dmp files to it.

[leehack]

LOL, woohoo I am not alone in the world of simpleness. So easy, so simple.
I put this motion forward for the April board meeting to discuss, what say you?

[pinbrook]

Kiss .......

[Duncan Rounding]

Dmp file collection should be automated as with microsoft - press yes and it's done.

[RuralWeb]

Dmp files were added into v8.5.2 so do you know if you experienced crashes before upgrading to this version but obviously without the dmp files being created

V8 never really crashed for me at all TBH - but since installing V9 it started to crash.

I agree - if you want dmp file to be sent to you then make it easier - I NEVER talk to support as its like pulling teeth Get Actinic to send them using the built in email system ie they are attached to an email and sent automatically to you.

[cbarling]

There are a lot of good points being made here. In these sorts of cases it's helpful to have issues pointed out which we might otherwise miss.

I can confirm that we are already working on v9.0.4 which will fix another raft of problems. Also we do have a plan to simplify sending in snapshots and dump files (all points taken about the difficulty) but the work isn't scheduled yet.

I guess it's better to eliminate causes of dump files that we already know about, so reducing the number, before we make it easier to send stuff in.

Chris

[Duncan Rounding]

I've just had another two dmps within 2 minutes of each other. As usual they are on upload. In my case Actinic does crash completely and needs restarting. On restarting the upload runs ok. I'm running 903 IMMA upgrdaded from 902 IFZA.

Are these dmp files worth sending in?

[Jan]

I've just had another two dmps within 2 minutes of each other. As usual they are on upload. In my case Actinic does crash completely and needs restarting. On restarting the upload runs ok. I'm running 903 IMMA upgrdaded from 902 IFZA.

Are these dmp files worth sending in?

Yes, definately worth sending in my opinion.

Just to make it clear (in response to other comments made). There is no such thing as a dmp error, they are crashes in Actinic, each one might have a different cause and the dmp part of it is just to help diagnosis, every time Actinic crashes, one will be created.

I guess one improvement could be for Actinic to make sure that every time a dmp file is sent in, the customer gets a response telling them that the bug has been identified, what it is, any work around that is available for it and that a fix will be included in the next release (presuming it will be from the comments made in here). If people see that sending them in actually does cause bugs to be fixed then it might motivate people more to send them in.

Regards,

[markburley]

9.0.3 was tested extensively before it was released and also had customer involvement and it was found to be a lot more stable than v9.0.2. Can you all let me know what version you are on currently (ie 9.0.2, 9.0.3 etc)? If you are on 9.0.3 upgraded from 9.0.2 are the crashes more frequent now, less frequent or about the same.

We installed 9.03 over 9.02 - crashed on many occasions. Windows Vista
Did a clean import from 9.02 to 9.03 (9.02 removed first) - still crashed. Windows Vista
Exported all products and imported into a clean install of 9.03 which was loaded onto a pc that had a clean install of XP - still crashes.

We are linked to EPOS and an external data file, but removing both does not resolve the issue at all.

Jan - would be very interested in your new version of stock control.