Images folder Bug

[zeroseven]

I have posted this before, and someone else as well.
I CANNOT open pretty much any folder labelled "images" without Explorer crashing, or the program that was browsing the directory crashing. This happens to both the folder labelled "images" in the Resources section, and one I had labelled "images" in the Distribution folder.

I'm on Windows XP if that helps...

[unknown user]

Odd, it works fine over here on both 98SE and XP... Hmmmm...

[Derek]

Yep .. tried that on XP and worked fine. I think you prob picked up the images virus from somewhere. You shouldnt be dloading so much! /ubbthreads/images/icons/wink.gif

[zeroseven]

lol /ubbthreads/images/icons/laugh.gif

I haven't downloaded much of anything in a long time. Anyway, I highly doubt there's some kind of virus that effects ALL the images folders that are being used by Autoplay Media Studio 4... /ubbthreads/images/icons/tongue.gif

[eric_darling]

Yeah, it happens on one project that I'm developing too. I can't seem to isolate what is causing it to occur, but it's consistent on that one project - a pretty simple project at that - just web browser window with only one page. Other projects run fine, even one that I converted from 3.0. I'm running Windows 2000.

[Lorne]

07...when you say you can't open any folder named "images" without crashing...do you mean solely in AutoPlay Media Studio...or in Windows as well?

[zeroseven]

"Update" here

Not sure if the name of the folder being "Images" has anything to do with it. Actually, any folder with images in it. Whether it be a mix of JPEG's and GIF's in the distribution folder, or just GIF's, or just JPEG's in the Resources folder. Any folder that has an image, or images in it! /ubbthreads/images/icons/shocked.gif

(OK ok, here's your answer) This ONLY happens when I'm *trying* to browse folders with images in them that are being used by AMS4. Every other folder with images in Windows is fine... PERFECTLY fine. Like I said, once any image goes into the AMS4 Projects Folder, it's like it gets contaminated /ubbthreads/images/icons/frown.gif

This happened through all of the Beta testing. ALSO, another fact:
This happened before AND after my computer crashed. I was using the Beta, the images problem happened. My computer crashed... had to re-install Windows and everything (we're talking a clean, fresh, brand new start). Then, reinstalled another Beta (new Beta was out at that time). Problem still happened. Basically meaning that whatever "virus" you guys think I might have, I would have had to of had one that would have done something like that in the first place (which I find very weird that anyone would make a virus that would do that... and just to AMS), then, immediately after re-installing Windows, and AMS, etc, I would have then had to have gotten the EXACT same "virus" again.

Face it... it's your program!! /ubbthreads/images/icons/tongue.gif /ubbthreads/images/icons/laugh.gif

[Lorne]

07...I'm afraid I still don't understand exactly what's happening. Can you give detailed, step-by-step instructions that will cause this to happen on your system?

Did you report this during the beta, btw? I don't recall ever seeing any mention of this issue before.

I agree that it doesn't sound like a virus in your case, but it's equally unlikely that AMS 4.0 could have that kind of lingering effect on your system. Or does it only happen when AMS 4.0 is actually running? (Please clarify! /ubbthreads/images/icons/smile.gif)

As for the reinstall...just to make sure we're on the same page, did you reformat and reinstall? Or just reinstall Windows over top of the existing installation (a stability no-no)?

[Derek]

Did you report this during the beta, btw? I don't recall ever seeing any mention of this issue before

... I remember the report. I think Mark questioned it too .. and I did ask for a step by step then but never got it!

[zeroseven]

I'm really not sure what's so difficult to understand about it!!!!!

It's simple really. You double-click on a folder in the AMS Projects directory... (say the Images folder in the Resources folder for example), and when the images inside it start to load, Explorer crashes... sheesh!

Anyway, I made a step by step screenshot page for you guys *slams head against monitor*

http://www.fireworksdesign.net/ams4/

Seriously guys, if you don't understand this after looking at this (and read the captions!), then I seriously give up on this and I'll live with this unbearable bug. /ubbthreads/images/icons/frown.gif

[Lorne]

Grrr. I wrote a lengthy reply but it was all lost in yet another RoboHELP crash. I think if someone from ehelp ever visited our office I'd have to secure myself to my desk to avoid leaping over the cubicle walls and strangling them. I'm starting to feel like Milton ("okay, but...that's the last straw...").

Basically, thanks for answering some of my questions. (Especially, whether you were doing this from inside AutoPlay, e.g. using the My Computer Bar.) Still a couple more questions to go, though: is AutoPlay running when this happens? Did you reformat before you reinstalled XP?

I had a whole bunch of new questions, too, but I can't remember them all. /ubbthreads/images/icons/laugh.gif "I could set the place on fire..." (sigh) I'll try...

Is there anything else running in the background? What are your image file associations set to? Does this happen when AutoPlay is uninstalled? Before it's ever installed? Does it happen if the project folders have no files in them? Does it still happen if you rename the Images folder to something else first?

The fact that this happens outside of AutoPlay is pretty darn suspicious. I wouldn't rule out the possibility that the old man in Redmond is sitting back and having a laugh at our expense. Windows XP can be a strange beast sometimes.

[Derek]

Forgive my opinion, but if the problem exists when opening the folder/file in Windows Explorer, I fail to see how it can be AMS4 just because the folder happens to be part of a AMS project.
Additionally, you say nothing else is running, yet you have icons in the systray ... something is running!

[zeroseven]

Q) Is AutoPlay running when this happens?
A) It happens when it's running, and when it's not running (not a factor)

Q) Did you reformat before you reinstalled XP?
A) Yes. Don't forget, others are reporting this as well.

Q) Is there anything else running in the background?
A) yah, of course.. if yah wanna look at it that way... Sygate Personal Firewall Pro 5.0 (I can;t see it being a problem)

Q) What are your image file associations set to?
A) It doesn't matter. Some folders may have Gifs, some may have Jpgs, some may have both... ALL times it crashes.

Q) Does this happen when AutoPlay is uninstalled?
A) I guess I could try that right now... might be a bit of a hastle. Of course you may have to think in terms that AMS might have infected the files and removing AMS may not do anything.

Q) Before it's ever installed?
A) Well of course not! I'd have to have AMS installed to make projects... which would lead to having images for them, etc.
As for this ever happening.. ever... No, never happened before. (for any program, etc)

Q) Does it happen if the project folders have no files in them?
A) No, only when there's images in them. If the folder has no image(s) in it, it loads fine. (as you should have seen in the Screenshots)

Q) Does it still happen if you rename the Images folder to something else first?
A) I *could* do that, but them none of my projects would work. I figure it doesn't matter, because in my Distribution folder, I had a folder named "Download" and in that folder was 2 images... every time I try to open that folder (like the Images one in the Screenshots you saw) the same thing happens.

Q) ...thanks for answering some of my questions. (Especially, whether you were doing this from inside AutoPlay, e.g. using the My Computer Bar.)
A) well, the same thing happens there. If I were to browse folders with images in it (in the AMS Projects Directory), That program would crash, rather than Explorer.
Look at those screenshots... and picture me doing it from Photoshop. Once the images would load, Photoshop would crash. This goes for ANY and EVERY program. Let's just say folders with images in them located in the AMS Directory are UNACCESSABLE. Period. Whatever program I use to browse those directories.. crashes, Explorer, Photoshop, AMS, you name it.

C) Grrr. I wrote a lengthy reply but it was all lost in yet another RoboHELP crash.
R) ****, gotta HATE that!


Derek - you suck /ubbthreads/images/icons/tongue.gif

[Lorne]

07...seriously, check what your image file associations are set to.

Also, it wouldn't hurt to scrutinize the list of tasks in your task bar, and the list of services that you have running.

Obviously we've done a lot of opening folders with images in them that AutoPlay has used here. (Even poor Adam who was chained to his desk during the beta, generating the wildest projects you could hope to imagine, never encountered this problem, and his system is literally held together with the operating system equivalent of duct tape...if anything ever goes wrong, it usually happens on his machine first.)

[zeroseven]

Ok, well ummm, my File associations... you mean which extensions are set to which program?

ALL image extensions are set to Photoshop, except .BMP - which is set to Paint.

As for programs running in the background... Seriously... Sygate Firewall, but that's about all that's actually running.

Here's my processes:

http://www.fireworksdesign.net/ams4/processes.gif

I've also closed whatever program was running there, and still get the Error when i try to view those images folders:

http://www.fireworksdesign.net/ams4/error.gif

LOL, poor Adam /ubbthreads/images/icons/laugh.gif

[Herm!t]

Issues with Windows Explorer thumbnail view are often resolved by running the Internet Explorer Repair Tool. Not sure where it is under XP but under Win9x it can be found under Control Panel - Add/Remove Software - Microsoft Internet Explorer x.x and Internet Tools - Add/Remove - Repair Internet Explorer.

[Lorne]

I think Herm!t is on to something there...

[eric_darling]

I don't know... My problems only occur in one project, but others that work fine are loaded with images that don't crash AMS.

[Lorne]

What are the view settings set to for that folder, Eric?

I've found XP tends to want to view certain folders in thumbnail mode, even though I have it set to open all folders in Detail mode by default.

There's no real rhyme or reason to it, either. Probably related to some background system management process losing synch, and there's probably some deeper default that XP uses when it can't find a match in the current profile in time...or maybe file corruption (I still don't trust my VIA 686B southbridge 100%, even with the PCI latency BIOS settings tweaked to fix the IDE transfer bugs...of course, it probably doesn't help that the PCI bus is running at 37 MHz instead of 33 /ubbthreads/images/icons/laugh.gif).

[eric_darling]

I'm using Windows 2000, actually.

[eric_darling]

(I still don't trust my VIA 686B southbridge 100%, even with the PCI latency BIOS settings tweaked to fix the IDE transfer bugs...of course, it probably doesn't help that the PCI bus is running at 37 MHz instead of 33 ).


Naw, yer not a geek. /ubbthreads/images/icons/wink.gif

[Lorne]

Are you kidding? Us geeks get all the girls. /ubbthreads/images/icons/laugh.gif (Or in my case, one really good one.)

[Derek]

Well then, how about posting a Pic of Michelle so we can all see her?

[zeroseven]

hehehe /ubbthreads/images/icons/laugh.gif

Please, spare us our eyesight! (kidding) /ubbthreads/images/icons/wink.gif /ubbthreads/images/icons/smile.gif

Oh, PS - the folders are NOT set in thumbnail view, nor do they load in thumbnail view /ubbthreads/images/icons/wink.gif

[Adam]

"Please, spare us our eyesight! (kidding) "

Risky 07, considering we live in the same city...............

[Derek]

LOL ... too right!

[zeroseven]

/ubbthreads/images/icons/shocked.gif

...all I wanted was... *sniff* was a friend... /ubbthreads/images/icons/frown.gif