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Something broke Propeller Tool — Parallax Forums

Something broke Propeller Tool

Jeff HaasJeff Haas Posts: 421
in Propeller 1
I recently updated Windows to the current set of updates after the security alert went out, and something has broken Propeller Tool. I reinstalled it to see if that would fix it, but no luck.

What I see is in the attached picture. The black vertical bar is blinking, it seems to be the cursor. If I scroll my mouse wheel, the scroll bar on the right moves up and down as expected, and the black bar gets wider. But no text appears on screen. Picking the Condensed, Summary, or Documentation buttons gets different versions of the same thing.

I was able to get the current version of Propeller IDE from GitHub, so I can continue to edit Spin, but I hope someone can figure out why this is going on.

My system:
Windows 10 Home, 64-bit
8 GB

Most recent updates:
2017-05 Cumulative Update for Windows 10 Version 1703 for x64-based Systems (KB4016871)
2017-05 Security Update for Adobe Flash Player for Windows 10 Version 1703 for x64-based Systems (KB4020821)
Security Update for Adobe Flash Player for Windows 10 Version 1703 (for x64-based Systems) (KB4018483)
Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool for Windows 8, 8.1, 10 and Windows Server 2012, 2012 R2, 2016 x64 Edition - May 2017 (KB890830)

(Yes, I still seem to have Flash hanging around - can't quite dump it yet!)
Propeller Tool broken.PNG
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Comments

  • JonnyMacJonnyMac Posts: 9,104
    edited 2017-05-15 23:01
    Is it a font issue? My machine went through the update and I'm not having any trouble (well, any more) with Propeller Tool. It is still my primary IDE (I like block selecting and the way it handles smart tabs), but on a current project I actually have to compile with PropellerIDE to remove unused code -- the the program is so long Propeller Tool says it runs past memory.

    I wish Propeller Tool could be re-compiled using the latest dead-code removing Spin latest compiler.
  • Jeff HaasJeff Haas Posts: 421
    It is some kind of font issue - bringing up the character chart gives what's in the attached screenshot.

    I looked through all the menus and the prefs, and can't find anything to change the font.
    Propeller character.PNG
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  • Jeff HaasJeff Haas Posts: 421
    Ok, fixed it. I could not see the Parallax font installed in the Fonts folder (Windows\Fonts) and it didn't come up in a search, either.

    I searched this forum and found an old post with the font attached:
    http://forums.parallax.com/discussion/84853/parallax-true-type-font

    I installed it (technically, re-installed it - apparently it was already installed even though I couldn't see it) and now Propeller Tool is working again.

    Update: Apparently there's some kind of special view in the Windows 10 UI that prevents you from seeing all the fonts installed in the font folder. Using the command prompt to go there will show the font.
  • kwinnkwinn Posts: 8,697
    edited 2017-05-15 20:37
    Jeff Haas wrote: »
    Ok, fixed it. I could not see the Parallax font installed in the Fonts folder (Windows\Fonts) and it didn't come up in a search, either.

    I searched this forum and found an old post with the font attached:
    http://forums.parallax.com/discussion/84853/parallax-true-type-font

    I installed it (technically, re-installed it - apparently it was already installed even though I couldn't see it) and now Propeller Tool is working again.

    Update: Apparently there's some kind of special view in the Windows 10 UI that prevents you from seeing all the fonts installed in the font folder. Using the command prompt to go there will show the font.

    When you are in the font folder select the view tab and make sure the "hidden items" box is checked. AFAICS that box is unchecked by default.
  • Capt. QuirkCapt. Quirk Posts: 872
    I just had the same problem, and my computer is very similar. Win10, 64bit.

    I found the parallax font, but it was renamed Parallax2. So far I haven't fixed it yet,
    I am going to try a reboot.



    Bill M.
    Propeller tool problem.png
    1599 x 866 - 178K
  • localrogerlocalroger Posts: 3,451
    I am having a slightly different problem. I have PropTool loaded on one Win10 home 64-bit box and a couple of Win10 32-bit tablets. It runs on all of them, but on one of the tablets if I click on a .spin file in the Propeller folder (which is on the micro-SD card drive D:) PT locks up and sucks up one of the four CPU cores until I kill it with Task Manager. If I open PropTool from the desktop, click File - Open, navigate to the same file and click Load, it opens without trouble. Weird.
  • dbpagedbpage Posts: 217
    I successfully (re)installed the Parallax font by following the direction in the post by Jeff Hass.

    Here is my experience with Windows 10 and Parallax font:
    1. The font file did not show in File Explorer and search did not find it. (The view tab does not seem to be available for the font folder.)
    2. I copied and pasted font file into the C:/Windows/Fonts folder. A dialog box appeared advising that the font is already installed. On re-checking the Propeller tool, no fonts were displayed. I went ahead and overwrote the file
    4. The font file appeared in File Explorer
    5. The Propeller Tool displayed correctly
    6. After a subsequent restart, the font disappeared again
    7. I reinstalled the font file again and opened properties. I found this: "Security: This file came from another computer and might be blocked to help protect this computer" I clicked "Unblock"

    I wonder if Windows 10 is blocking the Parallax font file.
  • msrobotsmsrobots Posts: 3,709
    Windows is protecting the windows folder and since a while files you downloaded from the internet, get somehow (meta-data?) marked as 'unsave'.

    Quite annoyingly you have to open the file properties and unblock it, then the option disappears, so you are not able to block a file by yourself.

    Another new quirk is that you are not allowed to continue to 'not confirmed certificate' https websites anymore.

    the continue anyways option is sort of missing.

    Mike
  • Heater.Heater. Posts: 21,230
    It's all for your own good.

    Just do what Microsoft tells you to do. Do not try to do what they don't want you to do.

    Then you will be happy.
  • jmgjmg Posts: 15,173
    dbpage wrote: »
    I successfully (re)installed the Parallax font by following the direction in the post by Jeff Hass.

    Here is my experience with Windows 10 and Parallax font:
    1. The font file did not show in File Explorer and search did not find it. (The view tab does not seem to be available for the font folder.)
    2. I copied and pasted font file into the C:/Windows/Fonts folder. A dialog box appeared advising that the font is already installed. On re-checking the Propeller tool, no fonts were displayed. I went ahead and overwrote the file
    4. The font file appeared in File Explorer
    5. The Propeller Tool displayed correctly
    6. After a subsequent restart, the font disappeared again
    7. I reinstalled the font file again and opened properties. I found this: "Security: This file came from another computer and might be blocked to help protect this computer" I clicked "Unblock"

    I wonder if Windows 10 is blocking the Parallax font file.

    To save all this dance, does this mean Parallax should register their Font file with Microsoft, so it does not keep being deleted ?

  • RaymanRayman Posts: 14,646
    You can see how I fixed it here:
    http://forums.parallax.com/discussion/166968/prop-tool-broke-after-win-10-update
  • MacTuxLinMacTuxLin Posts: 821
    Thanks for posting. Helped me with mine too.
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