Flare 4.1 so far

[enricosavazzi]

Download was slow, installation uneventful.

I loaded a large project I had just built under Flare 4.0, which generated a 300+ pages manual. Nothing different showed up in the editor, but I did not look at everything. The bug that displays a framed span incorrectly in the editor is still there. Still there is also the "out of memory" or "incorrect command" bug that prevents me from generating PDF output directly from Flare (I have to generate Word output from Flare, then save as PDF from Word).

The first indication that something was wrong came after generating the Word target. The 300 page manual had grown to over 6,000 pages. It turns out that a small .PNG logo in the header of every page (located in a PageLayout), instead of printing at the correct size like in Flare 4.0, was stretched to the height of about 20 pages, leaving no space for the actual text. Removing the logo almost corrects the problem (the logo was placed within a table, and the table borders now don't print out at all if I remove the picture - but at least I am back to 300 pages). Re-inserting the logo brings the problem back. Converting the logo to a .GIF file makes no difference.

Aside from the thought that I might use version 4.1 to show my boss how much I am writing these days (as long as he does not want to read the actual output file), I think I will be back to version 4.0 for now, unless there is an easy fix.

[Cecily]

I think I will be back to version 4.0 for now, unless there is an easy fix.

The consensus is that that's a good idea. For example:

• V 4.1 | My text becomes invisible after applying Span to it! http://forums.madcapsoftware.com/viewto ... &sk=t&sd=a
• v4.1.18 Background:System.AccessViolationException http://forums.madcapsoftware.com/viewto ... &sk=t&sd=a
• Flare v4.1 Released http://forums.madcapsoftware.com/viewto ... &sk=t&sd=a
• Flare 4.1 update no longer available after cancelled downloa http://forums.madcapsoftware.com/viewto ... 415#p43397

[RamonS]

And if you already haven't, please log the bug here:
https://www.madcapsoftware.com/bugs/submit.aspx

What the MadCappers don't know about is difficult for them to fix. I know, it wouldn't have been an issue at all if they didn't break it in the first place....

[Cecily]

Has anyone who's logged these problems had a reply yet and if so, do we know when they're hoping to release a usable 4.1.x?
(I only have bronze support, so may not get a response for a few more days.)

When there is a new version, are there any volunteers on the forum to try it out and report back?!

[KevinDAmery]

Richard has already posted a few times that they have reproduced the problem and are working on a fix. We haven't heard a release date yet - I would expect it sooner rather than later given their history with other show-stopper problems.

Usually they give the patch to a few customer who have had the problem, and if it works for those users they release it to the world. Typically it's taken a few days, but that of course depends on how difficult the issue is to fix.

[helen]

Yes I received a very prompt reply and I know they've been able to reproduce it (and probably on my project) but certainly a project. They are working on a fix and as usual MadCap support is being exceptional in every way. I know I had to roll back as I couldn't work with text I couldn't see - however I am very keen to get to 4.1 as there is loads of stuff on that "fixed" list which directly impacts me. As soon as a fix is out (and I don't suppose it will be that long or at least as fast as humanly possible) I will be going straight back to 4.1.

[Richard Ferrell]

Yes We are working on the issue, As Soon as I get the answer back from our Development Guru's I will post in the fourms!

[RamonS]

There goes the weekend for developers and QA....you have QA at MadCap, do you?

[KeithM]

I wasn't experiencing the problem yesterday, but I came in this morning, rebooted my computer (out of habit, not necessity), and now I'm experiencing the MIA text issue and sporadic behavior surrounding it (could bold once from the Format menu, tried turning off hyphenation, adjusted the size of the editor window) as well.

I'm running 32-bit XP Pro with IE7 (default) upgraded on top IE6 and FF3 installed, and now I'm following the yellow brick road back to 4.0. And I was so enjoying the speed boost in the editor.

Just submitted the problem to support.

[enricosavazzi]

Has anyone who's logged these problems had a reply yet and if so, do we know when they're hoping to release a usable 4.1.x?
(I only have bronze support, so may not get a response for a few more days.)

When there is a new version, are there any volunteers on the forum to try it out and report back?!

When I reported bugs, most of the time I received no replies. Once or twice I received a canned e-mail saying, basically, that they had logged my report and I would learn if and when they had fixed it by reading the release notes.

I have gold support but have not used it so far. I guess I will try.

[RamonS]

The notification of bugs fixed is done manually and may take some time to take place. I also think that since the knowledge base lists the fixes sending out personalized notifications has a low priority. Nevertheless, I have received them in the past and I don't think it has anything to do with the maintenance plan purchased.

[Cecily]

When I reported bugs, most of the time I received no replies....
I have gold support but have not used it so far. I guess I will try.

It's paid for, so surely it would be good to use it. With gold support, you can even phone them an unlimited number of times, rather than waiting for email replies.

The notification of bugs fixed is done manually and may take some time to take place. I also think that since the knowledge base lists the fixes sending out personalized notifications has a low priority. Nevertheless, I have received them in the past and I don't think it has anything to do with the maintenance plan purchased.

Certainly the speed of any response relates to your maintenance plan, which is fair enough really. The autoresponse to my logging of 4.1 problems includes this:

Due to the large volume of calls currently Platinum maintenance customers can expect to receive a response within 48 hours. All other customers, please expect to receive a response within 72 hours. If your matter is urgent and you have Platinum or Gold support please contact customer support via phone.

[Andrew]

For what it's worth, 4.1 fixed the major table problems I was having with PDF output. They now flow properly across pages.

[Richard Ferrell]

From this Forum Post http://forums.madcapsoftware.com/viewto ... 735#p43462


Dear Propeller Heads!

A new update for Flare 4.1 has been released, you can download it from the Same Link you downloaded 4.1. This corrects the issue about the Span Tag and Invisible text. If you don't have the download page Click the PM button and let me know and I will send you a link.

I can't post the link in the Forums as Google finds it and then that creates lots of problems!

Thanks for all of your help in troubleshooting this issue.

[helen]

Thank you!

I best get 4.1 installed on Monday morning before I head to London for training!

[RamonS]

The notification of bugs fixed is done manually and may take some time to take place. I also think that since the knowledge base lists the fixes sending out personalized notifications has a low priority. Nevertheless, I have received them in the past and I don't think it has anything to do with the maintenance plan purchased.

Certainly the speed of any response relates to your maintenance plan, which is fair enough really. The autoresponse to my logging of 4.1 problems includes this:

Due to the large volume of calls currently Platinum maintenance customers can expect to receive a response within 48 hours. All other customers, please expect to receive a response within 72 hours. If your matter is urgent and you have Platinum or Gold support please contact customer support via phone.

Well, yes, but that is for a support request, not when you filed a bug report and the bug got fixed. Those messages are sent out individually and I heavily doubt that the supporter goes through the extra trouble to check which maintenance plan the bug reporter has. I'm not talking about responses to support tickets.

[Richard Ferrell]

Support Plan Requests are normally answered with 24-48 hours, Bug and Features requests are handled with 7-10 days, Any flare user without a support contract can submit a bug request, and if its more of a user error than a bug, we try to point them in the right direction.

[enricosavazzi]

From this Forum Post http://forums.madcapsoftware.com/viewto ... 735#p43462
A new update for Flare 4.1 has been released, you can download it from the Same Link you downloaded 4.1.

Can we get the updated download(s) through Flare's Help->Check for Updates, or does this still point to the original 4.1?

[helen]

From this Forum Post http://forums.madcapsoftware.com/viewto ... 735#p43462
A new update for Flare 4.1 has been released, you can download it from the Same Link you downloaded 4.1.

Can we get the updated download(s) through Flare's Help->Check for Updates, or does this still point to the original 4.1?

I believe you can download it through Help > Check for Updates. It will download version 4.12 (I'm doing it now), the broken version was 4.10 (still got it on my desktop) so I would assume that it's the new 4.1 that it's pointing to.

[Cecily]

Are you sure it was 4.10, not 4.1.10 or similar?
Version 4.1.18 (downloaded on Thursday 4th) was also a "broken" one.

[helen]

The file "SetupMadCapFlare0410.exe" was downloaded on Thursday. The file "SetupMadCapFlare0412.exe" was downloaded today - hence my assumption. I do not have the exact build numbers.

As I've not gone back to 4.1 yet (bit rushed today as I'm training in London tomorrow and still have a long train journey ahead of me), I can't be 100% sure. I'm just going on the above filenames tbh.

[Cecily]

Well, yes, but that is for a support request, not when you filed a bug report and the bug got fixed. Those messages are sent out individually and I heavily doubt that the supporter goes through the extra trouble to check which maintenance plan the bug reporter has. I'm not talking about responses to support tickets.

I'm not clear about which way to contact Support in which circumstances, but as that's not directly related to 4.1, I've posted a query in a new topic: http://forums.madcapsoftware.com/viewto ... 518#p43518.

[KevinDAmery]

Are you sure it was 4.10, not 4.1.10 or similar?
Version 4.1.18 (downloaded on Thursday 4th) was also a "broken" one.

Madcap replaced the original download with the fixed version on Friday. The fixed setup file is SetupMadCapFlare0412.exe.

[Cecily]

Lots of people posted on the four or five topics about problems with the initial release of v4.1, particularly span text becoming invisible, and many of them rolled back to v4.0 (including me).

MadCap quickly released a fixed version, but what news since? Presumably the lack of subsequent posts means either that those people are, like me, waiting to see if others who had the problems have successfully installed and used the new 4.1, or that they are using it without problems. It would be nice to know which...

Thanks

[helen]

4.1 (take two) fixed the vanishing span tag (and a whole heap of other stuff too).