v4.1.18 Background:System.AccessViolationException

[Cecily]

I started Flare v4 this morning and accepted the suggestion to upgrade to the latest version, 4.1.18.

It seemed OK till I opened a project and in a Messages panel at the bottom (that I'd never seen before), I got the following:

Background:System.AccessViolationException: Attempted to read or write protected memory. This is often an indication that other memory is corrupt.
at System.Data.SqlServerCe.NativeMethods.GetKeyInfo(IntPtr pTx, String pwszBaseTable, IntPtr prgDbKeyInfo, Int32 cDbKeyInfo, IntPtr pError)
at System.Data.SqlServerCe.SqlCeDataReader.FillMetaData(SqlCeCommand command)
at System.Data.SqlServerCe.SqlCeCommand.InitializeDataReader(SqlCeDataReader reader, Int32 resultType)
at System.Data.SqlServerCe.SqlCeCommand.ExecuteCommand(CommandBehavior behavior, String method, ResultSetOptions options)
at System.Data.SqlServerCe.SqlCeCommand.ExecuteScalar()
at B3.ContentAnalyzerKit.ContentDatabaseWrapper.GetFileId(IUrl url)
at B3.ContentAnalyzerKit.ContentDatabaseWrapper.AquireFileId(IUrl url)
at B3.ContentAnalyzerKit.ContentDatabaseWrapper.AquireScannedFile(IUrl url, Boolean& didScan)
at B3.ContentAnalyzerKit.ContentDatabaseWrapper.ScanProject1(UrlList changedFiles)
at B3.ContentAnalyzerKit.ContentDatabaseWrapper.ScanProject(UrlList changedFiles)
at B3.ContentAnalyzerKit.AnalyzeContentBackgroundWorker.OnDoCustomWork(DoWorkEventArgs e)
at B3.AppKit.CustomBackgroundWorker.OnDoWork(DoWorkEventArgs e)

I don't use Analyzer and I get a similar error with any project.

Should I be worried?

What should I do to clear the error?

[helen]

Yep - same here. I restarted and it's gone away.

Have you tried restarting?

[Cecily]

Yes I have (now), and it seems OK, so that was an easy fix - but needlessly alarming.

[helen]

I agree - it gave me a nasty feeling too!

[Cecily]

Actually, it's not all OK.

Although I don't get those error messages, in one of my projects, when I open some topics, some of the text is invisible! It shows up in print preview (I don't want to compile), but I can't edit what I can't see. If I change the style class, I can see it, but as soon as I change it back to the style class I want it to be, some of it (not even the whole para) becomes invisible.

A quick glance at random topics in other projects doesn't find the problem.

Aargh

(I'd insert a screenshot, comparing editing in Flare with the preview, but I'm not sure how - it seems to need to be uploaded to an http address first.)

[helen]

Roll back, it's what I'm doing right now. It seems text in Spans just vanishes, completely. Even in the output and in print. I can't work like that.

it's not just you...

Edit - rolled back to 4.0 and my text is mysteriously back again. I'll be stearing clear of that update.

[Cecily]

Sounds good - but at the risk of asking a silly question, how do I roll back to 4.0?

[helen]

Uninstall 4.1 from the Control Panel (Add/Remove programs). Then grab the installation file if you still have it locally) for 4.0 or re-download it from the link in your email if you don't - and off you go. That part was at least smooth!

[KevinDAmery]

And if you haven't already, submit a bug report. (And as usual, submit one even if you know someone else already has, the more people report it the more likely Madcap is to jump on fixing it, etc. etc. you've all heard this before, right?)

https://www.madcapsoftware.com/bugs/submit.aspx

[Cecily]

It gets worse... I've uninstalled v4.1, then used my email with hyperlink and licence key etc for v4, but it goes to a page that only has the option to install 4.1.

[RamonS]

I'd drop support a note. I am sure they can hook you up with the desired link.

[Cecily]

Well I only have bronze support and they're about 8 hours behind, so it might not be quick.

But fortunately a colleague kept a local copy of the v4 install. I copied it over and it seems to work. My slight concern is that it didn't ask for my licence key, so I don't know if it's using mine (I guess it may have survived uninstallation in a cookie somewhere) or hers (in which case there could be problems, though we haven't experienced them yet).

Similar issues discussed on this topic: http://forums.madcapsoftware.com/viewto ... 39&start=0

[KevinDAmery]

Well I only have bronze support and they're about 8 hours behind, so it might not be quick.

But fortunately a colleague kept a local copy of the v4 install. I copied it over and it seems to work. My slight concern is that it didn't ask for my licence key, so I don't know if it's using mine (I guess it may have survived uninstallation in a cookie somewhere) or hers (in which case there could be problems, though we haven't experienced them yet).

Similar issues discussed on this topic: http://forums.madcapsoftware.com/viewto ... 39&start=0

AFAIK, the registration is stored in Windows registry, so you shouldn't need to re-enter it unless you move to a new computer or reinstall the OS (or do a really really clean install). The install files aren't unique to specific users, so copying the install file around the office isn't a problem as long as each machine has a valid license code.

[Cecily]

Thanks. That makes sense and is quite a relief after the ups and downs of today.

Once those in the US start logging on and doing the upgrade I expect this forum will get really busy...

[KevinDAmery]

Thanks. That makes sense and is quite a relief after the ups and downs of today.

Once those in the US start logging on and doing the upgrade I expect this forum will get really busy...

US customers have been on for a while now. I'm just outside of Toronto in Canada, which is the same time zone as New York, Florida, etc. and it's noon here. It's just after 9 am in California.

[pvz]

I'd drop support a note. I am sure they can hook you up with the desired link.

Unfortunately I've run into the same problem and phoned support. They tell me that there is no way they can provide me with a link to a download of the pre-updated version, so I'm stuck until they come up with something.

One workaround they offered was to set the layout of a topic to Print rather than Web -- this seems to allow the missing text to display. Not an ideal solution, but better than nothing for those of us who weren't smart enough to either 1) skip the upgrade for a week or two, or 2) keep a download package from the previous version around.

paul

[LTinker68]

One workaround they offered was to set the layout of a topic to Print rather than Web -- this seems to allow the missing text to display.

I think that might have been the other way around, since I saw it in print but not web. Setting mc-hyphenate on the <p> (or <body>) tag to "never" also worked. Once the issue is fixed then you can set that property back to default.

[helen]

I don't see how that workaround would work (although granted I can't test it) - when I was seeing the problem and I published to PDF, my text was still missing, in the actual PDF. Would it really work if I was using online layout? I'm intruiged now!

[Cecily]

[Unfortunately I've run into the same problem and phoned support. They tell me that there is no way they can provide me with a link to a download of the pre-updated version, so I'm stuck until they come up with something.

That's outrageous!
They must have a copy of it somewhere that they could reissue (and if not, why not?)

[LTinker68]

I don't see how that workaround would work (although granted I can't test it) - when I was seeing the problem and I published to PDF, my text was still missing, in the actual PDF. Would it really work if I was using online layout? I'm intruiged now!

When the problem occurred for me, it only happened if I applied the span to text at the end of a row that was automatically being hyphenated. Since I was in print layout, it was easy enough to reproduce (for me) because I have a fixed width on the body frame. But when I applied the span to any other word in the paragraph, it didn't happen. In my case, it didn't appear in online output because I don't have a width value set so there was nothing to force the words to hyphenate, until I brought the XML Editor window in until I could force one of the words to hyphenate, then it happened.

So temporarily setting the mc-hyphenate property to "never" may not work for everyone, but I recommend trying that before taking the time to uninstall 4.1, reinstall 4.0, then later reinstall the corrected 4.1.

(And, yes, the span text did appear when I printed the PDF output.)

[helen]

Sorry Lisa - I was referring to the 'fix' of switching between online and print layout that was mentioned rather than the hyphen property. Come to think of it I think mine only appeared when it was at the end of the line (now you come to mention it) but MadCap camp have a copy of my naughty project and are on the case so hopefully something will be forthcoming soon. I'd like to reinstall 4.1 as there was LOADS of stuff in the fixed list that I've been waiting for - hence I jumped at it, but I will wait until say 3pm tomorrow when no one can reasonably expect a document to be produced.

My text was definitely missing in my final PDF which is what scared me so much - however as I said, I will go back to 4.1 late tomorrow and try that fix!

[Richard Ferrell]

We are aware of the issue, and we should have any answer for our Propeller heads Shortly

[Richard Ferrell]

Deleting the Analyzer folder in your Project normally corrects the issue.