Order display screen going blank?

[BrianCurtis]

Hi all,

Got something very annoying going on with the Actinic display. When I click the orders tab after a few seconds the screen goes the same b-ground color (cream) as the surrounding borders and all the orders vanish. Once I then start to click on the window the orders become hi-lighted and if I drag the screen to a small corner and then re-open it or make Actinic go behind a program and then jump back, all looks normal . . for a few seconds and then same again?

It's driving me nuts! Please see attached screen grabs for better explanation.

PS: Nothing like this is going on in any other programs.

Thanks

Beej

[Bruce]

Brian,

I would suggest raising a support ticket on this one as we will need to see a snapshot to try and replicate the issue. Ticket can be raised at http://www.actinic.co.uk/support/register.htm.

Kind regards,

[BrianCurtis]

Hi Bruce,

Well, this is the response from support I'm afraid:

Hi,

Thanks for contacting Actinic Software support, however version 6 of the software is no longer supported.
You can however, still obtain support from our knowledgebase at http://knowledge.actinic.com/ and from our excellent community members at http://community.actinic.com/

Kind Regards,
G.W.Green
Actinic Software Support

----------

So if anyone has a suggestion then great!

Thanks all . .
Beej

[Mike Hughes]

Looks to me like something is broken.

I would:

1. make a snapshot and save somewhere safe. Also make a copy of all the actinic files and the security keys from Housekeeping > Security.

Then I would:

2. Compact the database. If this fixes it fine.

3. If not, install actinic onto another PC and try importing the snapshot and/or use the backup files. If this works then either use that PC or remove and re-install actinic on the original PC.

Mike

[BrianCurtis]

Look at that - the date of this post was almost a year to the day and I STILL haven't sorted this! Hehe

I did not see Mike's post actually and have started to get concerned as it still happens in Actinic but I've got lazy and got used to it, a bit like you do with a niggly pain somewhere - no solution there!

So, I have done regular snapshots and just completed one for today. I have also saved Security info as suggested. If I now go to 'Compact Database' what actually happens? Do I select both check boxes Catalog & Shipping? Will I be able to run the catalog as usual after I have done that?

PS: Will I be able to use Jan's email extractor for V6 after compacting databases as I'm looking to purchase it soon.

Thanks for the info, help appreciated as always. Right, I'm off to see the doctor about this neck pain - had it for 10 yrs now!

Beej

[TraceyG]

Hi Brian,

If I now go to 'Compact Database' what actually happens?

It really just removes unwanted/unneccessary space from the database. See http://www.databasedev.co.uk/compact...ms-access.html for more information about it. Take a look at the size of your ActinicCatalog.mdb file before doing it and then after compacting and you will see how the size goes down.

Do I select both check boxes Catalog & Shipping?

It's worth selecting both. It won't do any harm.

Will I be able to run the catalog as usual after I have done that?

Yes. After compacting the software will close down and you should get a message to say it was successful. Then just re-open the software and it will work as normal.

PS: Will I be able to use Jan's email extractor for V6 after compacting databases as I'm looking to purchase it soon.

I can't see any reason why not.

[BrianCurtis]

Hi Tracy

Thank you for your help. I have done as suggested but it still happened . . and then, i have changed something else and I think I may have found a glitch! I guess it doesn't really matter seeing as I'm still on V6 but, just to lay this to rest, I would be very interested to see if it is what i think?

I'll report back after running it today to check first.

Thanks again

B.

[BrianCurtis]

You know I thin k this was something i did, how weird is that! I'm not 100% positive but seems to ahev stopped at the mo?

I right-clicked the desktop and navigated thru to Display Properties>Appearance and switched font size from large to Normal! I also noticed that around the text menus there was a white rectangle. The text hadn't got any bigger (I don't think anyway) but, when I changed this it went to back to normal looking black on greay and the grey solid boxes which filled my order window (was only the order window NOT the Catalog set-up window) is looking healthy again!

How weird!

Beej

[BrianCurtis]

You know I thin k this was something I did, how weird is that! I'm not 100% positive but seems to have stopped at the mo?

Spoke too soon . . just fired up the software, clicked on the Pending window and in a flash, all goes grey! As soon as I drag an open window in front of it, browser software, anything else, or even switch back to catalog window and then back o order window, all goes normal again, for a few seconds . .

It's really puzzling me, I was sure I had sorted it!

Bar deleting and re-installing, not sure what else to try and I am not happy at about messing with it at the mo as I have spent the last 4 weeks solid working on the site and I am very pleased with it all at the mo. It's never as straight-forward as simply re-installing is it!

I know some of you may say I SHOULD do that but to be honest, it did this before and I then installed this version (which reads V6.1.1.0.0.0.EGRA on my 'About Actinic' menu) on another machine, exported a Snapshot from this site and imported that on the new install - same thing happened.

So, any more suggestion would be most welcome at the mo! I have a new HP Pavilion a6455 and I would LOVE to put Actinic on this ( a newer version too) because all my CS3 ison here and I have to use the network to jump from this machine via a 2-linked monitor, to the laptop where the Actinic sits and it's really annoying!

I guess I have put off the inevitable 'Upgrade' for too long now . . it's all about cost right now though as I have a second website which needs launching in December and I need to build that in Actinic and the version I have is Developer which will allow me to do that. I can't spare a grand right now b4 Christmas with so much going on, so any help to fix this issue would be really appreciated as I'm baffled now?

Thanks all.

PS: Promised you all I'd post this if I found it Wrote this for the (I think) 2001 annual conference where I did a demo of my site and then read it out to the staff . . seems like so long ago now! [edit] just found the date/venue details: Regency Park Hotel 15/11/02

Actinic: A Hard Act to Follow

So it started back in 96
July it all began
A Primary Act Developed
From a Barling-Grumball plan

A Catalog of Products
With a familiar interface
Delivering on-line shopping
It was falling into place

Order Manager, Catalog
Sub Sections, Custom Themes
Cut & Paste at such a pace
It was the software of my dreams
I had to try it out for sure
So spoke then to Mark Rice
'It's Free!', he said, 'To demo.'

I thought, 'That's cheap at twice the price!'

So I got my copy through the post
Installed it and with ease
Within a day I had a store
Chuffin' eck man, was I pleased!

But this was Version 4 I think?
And I had BIG ideas
To sell my art on-line world-wide
But it wouldn't work, I feared

So Mark again he phones me
Talks of a product 'off the shelf'
'We have these plans for downloads. . .
But keep it to yourself!'

And in no time my store was full
Of links to digital files
No need to email artwork now
Or send a CD miles

I've custom all over
Who really would like to thank ya
Even though they'll never know
My Hell with that damn Template Manager!

So thank you Mr Baling
I guess I mustn't Grumball
Netquotevars had me seeing stars
But John's Heart makes me humble

I hope I entertained you
Must say thank you to Chris Dicken
I'm off in a mo, I'm hungry you know
'Cos dinner is free but it's chicken!

You are the Components and Attributes
And please, let me hazard guess
Is Actinic a Hard Act to follow?
Of course, you guys make it a success.


Beej

[TraceyG]

Hi Brian,

Can I suggest that you download v9 and try importing your snapshot into it to see if you get the same thing happening. It will install separately to your v6 so will not affect your live site (as long as you don't upload from it - might be worth switching it to Test Mode to make sure you don't do something accidentally (Web | Switch to Test Mode).

My gut feeling though is that this is something set on the pc that's causing this odd screen reaction or I'm sure we would've had many customers complaining about it and I can't find any previous references to an issue like this.

Boy, your poem brought back memories!

[BrianCurtis]

Thanks Tracy, I will give that a try then next week.

And seeing as I'm in stoopid mode - just out of interest, in there somewhere I can find more re the 'Seperate Shipping' check-box? Tis about time I knew hat that little blighter was for!

B

[TraceyG]

just out of interest, in there somewhere I can find more re the 'Seperate Shipping' check-box?

Do you mean 'Ship Separately' on the product details? Where ever you mean just click the '?' in the top right corner of the window and then click on the check-box and you will get some context sensitive help display.

[BrianCurtis]

Thanks Tracy,

Just been reading up on that and now I rembered it from ages ago! Don't really use it as most of my items ship collectively and are small.

Thanks for you help today, reallyappreciated I am SO ready to move up to V 9 so one question b4 I go . . your suggestion earlier to import my site into a new version of 9 . . that would be on Vista, right?

Thanks, have a good weekend.

B

[TraceyG]

. . that would be on Vista, right?

Yes, it is ok to use Vista.

[BrianCurtis]

OK, I haven't had the chance yet to try this again on Vista with a new version but I am now tearing my hair out!

NEW PC - no xtra's on it at all. D-loaded Actinic 6.1.5 and installed. Imported snapshot from other PC and imported and bugger me - - - I am STILL gettting the blank screens (as screenshot above) so what the heck could that be???? Now I know it's not to do with the PC Tracey but a) I am really baffled and b) it's really annoying!

I don't really know what else to do now?

The only thing I have ever changed to Actinic was addingt the label-printing facility widget that Jan designed and it happened after that. Not saying that is it but, just trying to pinpoint what's gone wrong with my snapshot. And this was a new snapshot btw.

How do I uninstal the MoleEnd invoice labelling to see if it could be that?

Thanks for any help anyone can suggest as this is really worrying me now.

Beej