[Fixed in 2.5.1] PropTool 2.5 Debug problem when including OBJ files
Francis Bauer
Posts: 364
While the default collection of Debug examples for PropTool 2.5 work, I have NOT been able to get any Spin2 program to work in Debug mode if the Spin2 file has OBJ files specified.
PropTool keeps complaining about "Debug needing at least 10MHz external/crystal clocking", whenever any OBJ file is included.
Remove the OBJ file(s) and then PropTool will compile successfully.
Turn-off Debug with the OBJ files included and they compile successfully.
It doesn't seem to be related to whether or not any of OBJ files contain any Debug statements or even a CON _clkfreq definition.
All the default Debug examples don't include any OBJ files, so they work fine...
Let me know if you need a simple example or if any of you have Spin2 programs with OBJs that do work in Debug mode.
I just created an Git issue about this...
Comments
I have the same problem.
Proptool 2.5 is not compiling my project, Pnut has no problem.
Okay. Sorry about this. We will get this fixed today, hopefully.
Thanks for reporting this, especially in the Git Issues list.
I've fixed the problem in v2.5.1:
I just downloaded 2.5.1 and it does indeed work, Yay
Thank you Jeff, for getting the fix out quickly and for all the hard work on Prop Tool.
@"Francis Bauer" when you installed 2.5.1 over 2.5.0 did you get an error when the installer was trying to install the font?
I got this:
I clicked on skip.
I had the same error with older Propeller Tool. Restarting Windows helped. It seems Propeller Tool keeps the ttf file opened, so the installer cannot overwrite it. Skipping will also do the job, as the ttf file is allready present and doesn't need to be reinstalled.
Ok. So it's not just me. This occurs because the installer can not remove the Parallax.ttf from a previous install because Windows thinks it is still use. I've found one of the following actions work:
1) Skip the file during install and manually install it afterwards by dropping it onto the Fonts window.
2) Rebooting Windows then reinstalling Propeller Tool.
I got that error/message screen when I went from 2.4.1 to 2.5 and had Font file update issues, but not when I went from 2.5 to 2.5.1
When I did the 2.5.1 update I ran the installer with "Run As Administrator" and made sure to NOT have any other application running. For me I also unchecked the USB driver install, since that has given me trouble in past updates. Since I already had the USB drivers installed, there was no reason to try and update them again.
It appears that the best insurance/process when installing PropTool is to NOT have any other application running (including whatever browser/app you used to download the update).
Interesting and frustrating. I've "fixed" this before... so I thought. I'll recheck what the installer does, but if it's true that Windows thinks the font file is still in use, there may be nothing I can do.
I believe I've tested while my administrator account was logged in, which may explain why I'm not seeing the error when I test before release? When it was first reported a couple versions ago, my testing did show the problem, I made an installer adjustment that seemed to solve it for future releases, and I was under the impression that the "uninstaller" of the v1.3.x era Propeller Tools wasn't uninstalling the font properly. Thought that'd be the end of it.
I'll retry to solve this.
Yes install after rebooting do work.
Start and close Propeller Tool, then install cannot write the font.
In testing today, my first step was to try installing as a "standard user" to see if that made a difference. The first prompt I was met with was:
Which confirmed my installer settings (for v2.4.1, v2.5.0, and v2.5.1) where I had set the installer package to require admin privileges. I think I did this once the first font installation problem was reported and it seemed to solve the problem in my tests back then.
I use VMWare to perform multiple tests so that I can snapshot a machine condition (ex: "virgin machine") and retest from that point without worry of state issues changing my results.
Next I tried installing v2.4.1 (on a virgin machine) and ran Propeller Tool, then closed it and installed v2.5.1. No errors.
Next I tried installing v2.4.1 (on a virgin machine), ran Propeller Tool and left it running, then installed v2.5.1. It complained that Propeller Tool was running and offered to close it. I opened Notepad, set it to use the Parallax Font, typed some text to verify, closed Propeller Tool and continued the v2.5.1 install. No errors.
Next I tried installing v2.4.1 (on a virgin machine) and ran Propeller Tool, then closed it and rebooted. Ran Propeller Tool again and killed it with Task Manager, then installed v2.5.1. No errors.
I did that previous test in case the font was not being closed because the Propeller Tool excepted and had to be forced closed in a previous session (assuming that leaves the font open).
Question: Have each of you had Propeller Tool v1.3.2 installed on your system before, and uninstalled it prior to installing any of the later versions?
Next I tried installing v1.3.2 (on a virgin machine) and ran Propeller Tool, then closed it and rebooted. Ran Propeller Tool again, closed it, uninstalled it. It told me there are some resources that will not be uninstalled until after a reboot. I continued (but did not reboot after uninstall) and then I checked the Windows\fonts folder (with Windows Explorer) and saw that the Parallax font was no longer there... but, I've seen this before. I opened up a command prompt and checked the Windows\fonts folder to find that the Parallax font file was still there.
The fonts folder is a pseudo folder that's special in that it holds files but those files are not recognized as "fonts" until those fonts are directly "installed" or "registered" in the system... it doesn't show up in Windows Explorer unless it's been properly installed/registered.
I rebooted.
Checked Windows Explorer and command prompt again. Same results as before. I installed v2.4.1. No errors. I ran Propeller Tool, no issues. I checked the fonts folder with Windows Explorer - the Parallax font is there (installed and registered properly).
I must be overlooking something here. Anyone have an idea of what I missed because I can't find the right combination that causes the future install to fail to replace the font file.
I was having the same issue. I then right clicked the install and ran as administrator and I did not get the error. I was always logged in as an administrator. Could the Windows version be the issue? I am running version 10.0.19042 Build 19042
@"Jeff Martin"
I have no idea when I installed which version, but I still had version 1.3.2 installed in another folder.
After uninstalling version 1.3.2 it seems to work now.
I don't remember having the font problem before. Only when installing version 2.51.
Wow. Excuse my ignorance; VentilatorOS?
I just retried downloading to P1 on an unconnected COM port; I swiftly get a "Serial port < portid > does not exist or is excluded." If I plug in and hold the P1 reset button down, I get "No Propeller 1 found on serial port..."
Can you screenshot the error box loop for me?
I also tried opening the Parallax font with Windows Explorer and keeping it open while installing v2.5.1. No error, though this time it did pause when it was installing the font.
It's also possible that it's another tool I'm using that's opening the Parallax font and keeping it open. I use TurboCAD, KiCAD, Visual Studio Code, Apache Netbeans, SceneBuilder, and Pruser Slicer on a routine daily basis. BTW, I run under an Administrator account on Windows Home version 20H2 OS build 19042.804 Windows Feature Experience Pack 120.2212.551.0. I think the problem is definitely Windows won't allow the font to be deleted because something is using it. The question is: how do you determine what is using the font? Is there a command that will tell me what apps are using a particular resource?
Sounds like the same windows but that will not release an external USB drive because it thinks it's in use. It's also in windows server too.
You're all forgetting virus scanners. They hook very deep into windows file functions and have bugs and cause side effects. I would say 90 percent of the time users aren't even aware that Norton 360 crapware is installed.
You can't even say "please disable your antivirus software during install" because it's not even an option given to the user anymore.
There's another problem with PropTool 2.5.1: Many non US keyboard layouts use an
Alt-Grfor a third layer of characters for keys.Unfortunatly
Alt-Gris coded asCtrl+Altand PropTool use this combination for shortcuts for "New Template". Every time I try to type a@character I get a new Tab with P2-Template instead. Very annoying if you now how often you need that character in Spin.So never use
Ctrl+Altfor any shortcuts, onlyAltorCtrlalone.Andy
@"Jeff Martin"
I think you accidentially edited my post instead of replying.
VentilatorOS is just a simple OS which I can load on my P1 board (by way of a small BIOS program in the EEPROM). It can be set to present a shell on the serial port and I can use that fine. It has a DNLOAD command that drops into the serial loader, which is successfully able to receive a program if I stop PropTool from resetting the chip.
I will get more details next time I hook the P1 up.
Unrelatedly: What do I need to do to load an already compiled P2 binary? If I drag one in that I compiled with flexspin, it comes up with the P1 object info window.
Never use ctrl-alt-ANYTHING as a shortcut... We use (in Poland) unmodified American keyboard layout, but additional 9 characters are available with right alt (=ctrl-alt) + basic character. Things like | and @ are left intact, so the problem is not as big as in the example above: only comments can be affected if not written in English.
Sorry about the edit; I wondered why it showed up like that and don't know how I did that without noticing yesterday.
Doing what you did is intended to work but currently does not because I was unable to complete the P2 support in the Info features yet. I'll raise the priority of that.
Does Shift+Alt-Gr do anything special, and does Propeller Tool's Ctrl+Shift+Alt combinations interfere also?
Ctrl + Shift + Alt + $ : Insert Sterling Character ( £ )
Ctrl + Shift + Alt + < : Insert Left Bullet Character ( ◀ )
Ctrl + Shift + Alt + > : Insert Right Bullet Character ( ▶ )
Ctrl + Shift + Alt + Down : Insert Down Arrow Bullet Character ( ↓ )
Ctrl + Shift + Alt + Left : Insert Left Arrow Bullet Character ( ← )
Ctrl + Shift + Alt + Right : Insert Right Arrow Bullet Character ( → )
Ctrl + Shift + Alt + Up : Insert Up Arrow Bullet Character ( ↑ )
I figured out a workaround though, that being to simply create a spin2 file like this
Regarding various shortcut key issues presented recently, I've started a GitHub issue here to track and resolve it.
These combinations work okay (if I use the keys on which the $, > and < are on US keyboards). So together with Shift
Alt+Ctrlseems not to be a problem.Thank you, @Ariba.
These combinations work as expected.