GUI crashes in Designer

[luckettg]

I discovered that I forgot to move the Favorites so went back and did that. Now I am waiting to see if it crashes again.

[SteveNelson46]

Greg,

Databases like the favorites file are built using contiguous file space. In other words, each pattern begins where the previous pattern ends (sort of). When you delete a pattern it leaves a hole or space. When the next pattern is written to the database it is placed at the end and leaves the hole or space where the previous pattern that was deleted unfilled. That is why the database size never gets smaller. Over time the database can get quite large. So, when the entire database is loaded into memory the program can become unstable. Especially when the database uses memory for storage that the program needs to function properly. When a database is compressed using a utility like SQLite the spaces are eliminated and there by uses less system recourses. Just deleting patterns usually won't make a lot of difference. This is an over simplistic explanation but I think it will help most people understand how some, but not all, databases work. At least this is my understanding of how the patterns are stored in the favorites file.

[luckettg]

Actually, this makes a lot of sense. In programming, it is what we use to call a "heap leak". Memory and space is never unallocated. It is a sign of poor software programming. I know that Designer has had this problem in the past, having discussed it with one of their software folks back then, but had hoped they would correct the problem. It must be very difficult for them to do so or it would not behave as you describe. Thanks for reminding me of that cause. I don't think I ever knew what part of the program was doing the dirty. I moved the Favorites file to a subdirectory, and Designer created a new one, as was suggested. Seems to be running better now but only time will convince me. Thanks again for the help and memory jogging. I appreciate this. If not for the help I have gotten here on these Forums over the years I probably would have tossed the machine out in the ravine a long time ago.

[QUOTE=SteveNelson46;266874]Greg,

Databases like the favorites file are built using contiguous file space. In other words, each pattern begins where the previous pattern ends (sort of). When you delete .....

[luckettg]

Okay, ran Designer for hours yesterday without any crashes. Today, it gets a GUI crash if there is any attempt to extract a pattern. Honesty, this is really flaky software. Cleaning up the Pattern Tool list seems to have helped solve the previous crashing problem, but in my opinion, should never have been needed if programming was done well. This software is years into development with at least 3 major rewrites, and it is still unstable. I wonder what other bugs are lurking?

[luckettg]

Okay Steve. Thanks...LOL. Another bag of worms for me to figure out. Thanks for the link but I must learn to use it too. This is dangerous based on my previous history.

The filename is "favorites.mpn" and it resides in c:\users\your user name\carvewright. You can edit it with sqlitebrowser. Just compacting it will probably help. Be sure to make 2 copies. One for backup and one for editing.

[luckettg]

The crashes when trying to extract a pattern may be caused by using someone elses mpc file. I will experiment with it and see if one I have made still causes the problem. Time for some medicinal brandy?

[bergerud]

If I recall, trying to extract patterns when there is text on the board causes a crash.