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Propeller Tool Error: Access violation — Parallax Forums

Propeller Tool Error: Access violation

godzichgodzich Posts: 74
edited 2008-10-06 16:50 in Propeller 1
Hi,

I got this error (popup window) when I tried to close down the propeller tool:

Access violation at address 00000018. Read of address 00000018.

Clicking OK closes this popup·window, but the application cannot be killed, unless I go to the task manager and kill it from there.

Also the objec view pane is EMPTY.

Is this something new or a recognized error? What is the cause for the error? Is there something I can do to prevent it?

Christian

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The future does not exist - we must invent it!

Comments

  • BradCBradC Posts: 2,601
    edited 2008-10-02 15:12
    Actually, I got this a couple of days ago.. I have zero idea what I did to cause it, but I just forcibly closed the VM..

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    Pull my finger!
  • Mike GreenMike Green Posts: 23,101
    edited 2008-10-02 15:36
    I've gotten this error when I try to run the Propeller Tool under Wine and try to expand or move around through the directory tree.
  • hippyhippy Posts: 1,981
    edited 2008-10-02 15:37
    I get similar fairly frequently during editing, especially when closing a source file tab but they don't usually crash PropTool. It seems to depend on having done an amount of cutting and pasting but I've never nailed down exactly what so just live with it. It is a bit of a worry when it happens after you click "Yes" to save an edited source on closing but I've not lost any edits so far. Had the same problem with all versions of PropTool I've used.

    Win XP + SP2
  • pmrobertpmrobert Posts: 673
    edited 2008-10-02 15:55
    I've seen this several times - always when attempting to close a source tab that was not the first one opened or the last one opened.

    -Mike
  • BradCBradC Posts: 2,601
    edited 2008-10-02 16:15
    Mike Green said...
    I've gotten this error when I try to run the Propeller Tool under Wine and try to expand or move around through the directory tree.
    Yeah, that one is a bit different but I've seen this one also. I kinda got a bit into debugging it and got sidetracked. It's caused by the DirTree component Proptool uses not coping with the way WINE presents directory entries. That particular one should not happen under Windows proper though.

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    Pull my finger!
  • AleAle Posts: 2,363
    edited 2008-10-02 16:50
    I've never seen it and I only used PropTool under vmware.
  • BadgerBadger Posts: 184
    edited 2008-10-02 18:23
    Hello

    Unless you are using linux with wine or using vm ware those programs handle all the io to and from the usb and serial ports. If you are using a usb port with the prop tool in windows xp or vista and getting this error. I would try changing your usb driver to either a new version or maybe one step down. Also look at the drivers you have installed if you have any other usb or serial drivers loaded that are third party that are not microsoft like for the serial port and such. Remove that driver and see if you get the same result. Access violations are caused by some program trying to read protected memory or memory in use. This is mostly caused by either a poorly written program for with the prop tool is not. Or some other software or driver you have loaded that is conflicting with it. Are you trying to use 2 different boards at the same time this could have an effect as well.

    I hope this helps

    Badger
  • hippyhippy Posts: 1,981
    edited 2008-10-02 18:51
    @ Badger : I'm not convinced it's a USB driver problem, firstly that PropTool is the only application which exhibits such a problem, and in the nature of the error it gives. Looks like a good old fashioned 'pointer into a black hole' bug to me, a bug within the PropTool and not elsewhere.
  • BadgerBadger Posts: 184
    edited 2008-10-02 20:12
    Hippy

    I am not going to dispute your conclusion i am not there. but if you remember that the prop tool relies heavily on the usb communications .. i have problems with mine loosing the connection with the prop. I removed a driver for another tool that i had for the armlite and the problem cleared. for the lack of someone to blame i blame Microsoft sorry i do not like that company. if all the software on the market that i need to use was not written for microsoft products i would use Red Hat or Fedora Linix. But any time i have ever run into an access violation is when i have more than one program running and one stomps over the others protected memory. microsofts os's have a long history of having these problems clear back from dos 3.12 is when i first got into the computer world.

    Badger
  • hippyhippy Posts: 1,981
    edited 2008-10-02 21:53
    I think it's completely unfair to blame Microsoft in the absence of any evidence pointing in their direction.

    I'm no great fan of Microsoft, they've done some good things, but I have some fundamental issues with them technologically and otherwise but I can also point to the fact that nearly every Linux I have ever tried has crashed and hung at some point. I'm sure Linux is robust and so are many applications for Linux but that doesn't matter when my PC is as responsive as a dead dodo ( and no it's not my PC, this has been over a whole variety of them and I've seen Linux die on PDA and UPMC ). I've also seen Linux running with years of up-time.
  • godzichgodzich Posts: 74
    edited 2008-10-03 14:44
    BTW, is this error recognized by Parallax, and listed in the bug fix cue?

    It now happends for me quite often, especially when browsing the drectory tree. I'm on Vista 64 bit.

    Christian

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    The future does not exist - we must invent it!
  • Chris SavageChris Savage Parallax Engineering Posts: 14,406
    edited 2008-10-03 15:03
    Hello,

    Most of the Parallax Engineers do not frequent the forums as it takes considerable time away from R&D efforts and other tasks here at Parallax. However, those of us who do frequent the forums try to identify such messages and refer them to the appropriate engineer to answer. I have sent this thread to Jeff Martin, our Senior Software Engineer. Hopefully he can offer some advice. Take care.

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    Chris Savage
    Parallax Engineering
  • godzichgodzich Posts: 74
    edited 2008-10-03 15:41
    Chris,

    Thanks, and very much appreciated!!! I'm gladly providing any additional debugging info that Jeff might need.

    Regards,

    Christian

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    The future does not exist - we must invent it!
  • Paul BakerPaul Baker Posts: 6,351
    edited 2008-10-03 17:42
    I also sent a link to Jeff regarding this thread yesterday morning (I do this as a general rule for IDE issues I do not have an immediate answer), I just didn't mention it here because he is so busy it can take a while before he gets a chance to look at it.

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    Paul Baker
    Propeller Applications Engineer

    Parallax, Inc.

    Post Edited (Paul Baker (Parallax)) : 10/3/2008 5:47:40 PM GMT
  • Jeff MartinJeff Martin Posts: 757
    edited 2008-10-06 16:50
    Hi everyone,

    This is a long-time issue that I've seen on an infrequent basis.· I've been trying to track it down but have never been able to recreate the error in a deterministic way to find the source of the problem.· I suspect it is related to a pointer that gets cleared before a later event occurs that tries to use it when closing an editor tab.

    As mentioned by someone on this thread, I've never seen any data get lost as a result of this error as it appears to happen late enough in the process that the source is already safely saved.

    It has been impossible for me to find the source of this problem because I can't figure out the exact sequence of events that causes it to happen every time. [noparse]:([/noparse]· If someone can make it happen always with a specific series of steps (on a standard WinXP 32/64 or WinVista 32/64 system) I'd love to see that information.

    Another possible solution: godzich mentioned he would gladly help and I'm sure a few others of you may like to do so as well.· I may choose to make a special version of the Propeller Tool this week to deliver only to those that request it (for this problem) that will trap the error and will email me some vital information I need to track down the error and hopefully fix it.· If you are interested in participating in this, I will make the special version as soon as possible and send it to you this week; just send me a private email as I'd rather not distribute this special version on this thread for every casual user to try out (either on purpose or by accident).· If the error occurs while you're using the software, the information that will be sent to me will be shown to you first, and you always have the choice to not send it, but just so you know, it won't contain any private information from your computer.

    By the way, I believe some of the errors mentioned as relating to either USB or the directory tree control to be related to a different issue than the one that started this thread (which seems to have to do with closing one or more open editor tabs).

    Thank you.

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    --Jeff Martin

    · Sr. Software Engineer
    · Parallax, Inc.
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