CarrotNL Posted May 27 Share Posted May 27 I have frequent crashes when working with deep linked files in AFpublisher. I'll try to explain: I make a calender. It has to printen in the A3 format: For these files I create the individual pages in A6 format, which I then link in this file. Each A6 file I import in a frame, which is copied automatically to the right using symbols. The A6 files I create each contain a week of pages, for the front and the back. The mostly contain links to the images and the text for the backside of the calendar pages which you see at the bottom of the A3 page. When load in the saved A3 pages in Publisher, then Publisher most times freezes, I have to kill the application. When then save the A6 files contained in the A3 file, and then load in the A3 file again, it loads fine most times. When I then save the A3 file, close it and try to open the A3 file again, it again crashes. When I don't save the A3 file, I'm fine. System specifications: I'm using the latest release at the moment: 2.5.0 I'm using Windows 10 - 64 bits - Version 22H2 - build 19045.4412. GPU: Inter(R) HD Graphics 4600 CPU: Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-4440 CPU @ 3.10 GHz 3.10 GHz Memory: 32 GB I hope this information is any good. If you have any questions, please let me know. I pretty new at this bug reporting thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarrotNL Posted May 27 Author Share Posted May 27 I forgot to mention: when I open the same file in Designer, it is fine. No crashes. Saving it from Designer does not solve the problem though. when I try to "save as a package" the A3 file in Designer it errors out with: There was a failure to create the Package. It may be incomplete. When I look at the outputted folder, it only contains the A6 files, but not the files the A6 files need. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staff NathanC Posted May 28 Staff Share Posted May 28 Hey @CarrotNL, I'd recommend installing the 2.5.2 beta and then seeing how it goes. There is a known issue in 2.5.0 Publisher with the apps freezing and crashing on documents that have previously opened without any issues. I've linked the Beta signup page below if you'd like to give it a go. https://affinity.serif.com/en-gb/affinity-beta-program/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarrotNL Posted May 29 Author Share Posted May 29 Thank you @NathanC. I just installed the 2.5.2 beta, and unfortunately it had the same issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarrotNL Posted May 30 Author Share Posted May 30 @NathanC I forgot to mention that I've this problem for a while. It began with the A3 files not updating when I made changes to the A6 files. But now it just freeze the way I described in the first post. I was hoping it would be solved in the long run, that somebody had the same problems as me, but over time it only got worse instead of better. Maybe I use it in a different way others do. But if you have any questions, let me know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staff NathanC Posted May 30 Staff Share Posted May 30 Hi @CarrotNL, No problem thanks for trying, if it has been happening for a while it certainly won't be related to the 2.5 issues. In this scenario I think I'll need to take a look at the documents themselves. Could you upload the files used as well as any other linked content so I can investigate further on my side? I'd normally suggest creating a packaged Zip but if that's not working you may just need to upload the content manually. I've included a private upload link below. https://www.dropbox.com/request/2LLpHm2l4kuzAtz4fkxh Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarrotNL Posted May 31 Author Share Posted May 31 @NathanC: I uploaded a zipfile. I also included a readme.txt file with some discription on how I constructed the file, and how it goes on my computer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staff NathanC Posted June 3 Staff Share Posted June 3 Hi @CarrotNL, Thanks for sending everything over, I've had your A3 doc open for a long period on a few different devices and made a few basic edits and flicked through the pages and have thus far not encountered an app hang or freeze. This could indicate that it's something local to your device, or that the original file on your side uses links to an external location (E.G Cloud Drive, External Drive, Network drive etc.) which is causing syncing issues that are resulting in an app hang. Since you've mentioned in your note that you re-constructed the files locally on your C:\ drive I can't see the original paths used for the linked resources on your side in the A3 document, but back in your original A3-week document if you break the path to your linked resources for example by renaming one of the folders in the path or moving the location of those resources, try opening the A3 document again with the resources missing and see if the same freeze occurs. If it doesn't freeze with all the resources now missing, try re-linking back to your files in resource manager to refresh the path and then see how it goes. If the freezes start to occur again and the resources are in an external location, try moving them to a new directory that's local to your machine and re-linking again. Also, make sure you're working in either 2.4.2 or the 2.5.2 Publisher beta as to avoid the known issue with app crashes and hangs in 2.5.0. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarrotNL Posted June 6 Author Share Posted June 6 Hi @NathanC, Sorry for the slow reaction. It's pretty busy at work. I've done some testing. - About the test file: I created/assembled it specifically in the C-drive location I mentioned before, so all links should work from there. The files in the zip are in a state that publisher always freezes in the current stable version. It also freezes when I open the file right after I unpacked it from the zip at the mentioned location. -- clarification: when I say publisher freezes, I mean the file freezes. Not Publisher itself. I can still close the file and open another file. I just cant do anything with the frozen file. So when I say Publisher has frozen, I mean the file. - I've tested on another computer on current affinity version. Seems to work fine. It was windows 11 though. - On my working computer (win10) in the current official affinity version it freezes every time I open the test files. - I updated my graphics card drivers to the latest version on the intel site. - On the latest beta version (I updated it after the last post here) it works a lot better then I first thought. I'm not sure if I made a mistake before, but I may have mistaken it for not working, because I use a different keyboard shortcut for prev and next page. At this moment it sometimes works, sometimes it freezes. - It seems open the file with publisher closed, using 'open with...' in file explorer. - when I drag the file into publisher it mostly opens fine, but once every 2, 3 times it freezes. - I also notice than once publisher freezes, it also doesn't remove the lock file when closing the file. I then remove the lock file manually. Doesn't matter if the publisher has frozen or not. After Publisher has frozen, it doesn't remove the lock file when closing a file, until I close publisher completely. - Sometimes it freezes right away. Some times it freezes after changing pages about 12 times or waiting for between 6 and 15 seconds. - I also did what you instructed in your last post (change path of linked files). When it doesn't find the linked files, it opens normally and asks for the missing files. When linking the files again, problems start again after opening the file again. In the current working version of Publisher this is kind of my workflow. I re-save all A6 files. Then when I open the A3-file it works most times. And as long as I don't save the A3-file, it keeps working. As soon as I save the A3-file, I am in trouble again. Would it help if I make a video showing what happens when I open the file a couple of times? If you have any questions, let me know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staff NathanC Posted June 6 Staff Share Posted June 6 Hi @CarrotNL thanks for getting back to me, 1 hour ago, CarrotNL said: - About the test file: I created/assembled it specifically in the C-drive location I mentioned before, so all links should work from there. The files in the zip are in a state that publisher always freezes in the current stable version. It also freezes when I open the file right after I unpacked it from the zip at the mentioned location. If this freeze is happening when you open the document with all the files linked locally to C:\ I think we can rule out syncing issues with any external storage. I know this probably isn't ideal for your workflow but are you able to get as far as embedding the resources that are in C:\ via resource manager and then seeing if it works as a test? If it won't even let you get as far as embedding let me know and I'll embed the resources on my side and PM you a copy. 1 hour ago, CarrotNL said: -- clarification: when I say publisher freezes, I mean the file freezes. Not Publisher itself. I can still close the file and open another file. I just cant do anything with the frozen file. So when I say Publisher has frozen, I mean the file. Thanks for this clarification, this is quite an important distinction as I've been working off the fact that the app goes goes into an unresponsive state requiring the process to be killed. It's possible that the issue is GPU related, have you tried disabling Hardware Acceleration under Edit > Settings > Performance? Once this has been done close the app and restart when prompted before trying again. 1 hour ago, CarrotNL said: - On the latest beta version (I updated it after the last post here) it works a lot better then I first thought. I'm not sure if I made a mistake before, but I may have mistaken it for not working, because I use a different keyboard shortcut for prev and next page. At this moment it sometimes works, sometimes it freezes. v2.5.2 (the latest beta app) has now been officially released, so you could also try updating and using the app to the latest version instead of using the beta. 2 hours ago, CarrotNL said: Would it help if I make a video showing what happens when I open the file a couple of times? If you have any questions, let me know. Yeah if it's still happening following all of the above a recording showing the issue would be great. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarrotNL Posted June 7 Author Share Posted June 7 Hi @NathanC. Here's an update: Quote Are you able to get as far as embedding the resources that are in C :\ via resource manager and then seeing if it works as a test? I made a new zip, containing 3 versions of the A3-file. ( I could send it to you if you want? If you need it, can I use the same link as before, or do you have to send a new one?) A3-week-fully-embedded.afpub - Everything embedded A3-week-fully-linked.afpub - The old style, everything linked form the folder A6, and OTHER A3-week-pages-embedded-in-A6.afpub - Linked from the folder A6-embedded File 1 (fully embedded) works without a problem. I opened the file about 10 times. I kinda expected file 3 (week-pages-embedded) to work without a problem, since I normally don't have any problems with the A6-files. I thought the problem presented itself more witch multiple levels of linked files. The first time I tried this file, Publisher completely froze. But after I killed the process and restarted Publisher, it was back to it's old ways, freezing every couple of times. Since I only have problems in the A3-files, I wonder if it has anything to do with the Symbols functionality I use to clone each linked A3-file 3 times to the right of the A3-pages, because it is after all a Designer function and I have to switch to the Designer Persona to use it. Quote It's possible that the issue is GPU related, have you tried disabling Hardware Acceleration under Edit > Settings > Performance? Once this has been done close the pp and restart when prompted before trying again. I've never been able to use this hardware acceleration on this machine. (Inter(R) HD Graphics 4600) When I try to use it, it says something like: the GPU doesn't support it. The other machine I used earlier to test the test files on does have a supported GPU (NVIDIA RTX 2060), and it seems to work there. I didn't test very extensively there though. Quote v2.5.2 (the latest beta app) has now been officially released, so you could also try updating and using the app to the latest version instead of using the beta. I've updated to the 2.5.2 branch, and it unfortunate makes no difference. Quote Quote: Yeah if it's still happening following all of the above a recording showing the issue would be great. I dont have enough time to test it today. I will see what I can do next monday. Thank you for your work so far. I'll be back next monday. In the weekend I don't have acces to the machine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarrotNL Posted June 12 Author Share Posted June 12 Hello @NathanC, I did some more testing regarding the symbols. I made 2 new A3 files. One with symbols, and one with the symbols detached. I opened each file 15 times. The one with symbols froze 5 times in the 15 times I opened the file. The files without symbols never froze at all in the 15 times I opened it. In both files the all A6-frames are still linked. I hope this helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarrotNL Posted June 14 Author Share Posted June 14 @NathanC:I placed a hidden video on YouTube. You can view it here. I gave a description under the video. I'll try to add chapters, but I don't know exactly how that works. You'll see them when I can manage to get them to work. -- edit -- Chapters are added to the description Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staff NathanC Posted June 14 Staff Share Posted June 14 Hey @CarrotNL, Thanks for the recording and info, particularly regarding symbols being involved. I've seen this type of app lock up occur previously but it's had a re-producible trigger, while this appears to be localised to your device on this file. I wouldn't worry too much about the ~lock files getting left behind when it occurs as there is a 5 minute timeout of these files in instances of an app crash or freeze. Could you try/advise on the below in order: - I've noticed that you do have a OneDrive personal directory in Explorer which is fine, but to confirm are both the documents and their respective linked files in resource manager all local only and not being synced to Onedrive or any related cloud storage? If either the file or resources contained within are being backed up/synced to Onedrive, can you move them to a location that's entirely local and not being synced and try this? - When the Freeze next occurs what are the GPU/Memory/CPU usages in task manager, is anything capped out and can you provide a screenshot? - I'm presuming you have installed the apps via the default MSIX installer, if you remove these and swap these out for the MSI/EXE(x64) installer using the links below, does it make any difference or is it the same problem? Photo - https://store.serif.com/update/windows/photo/2/ Designer - https://store.serif.com/update/windows/designer/2/ Publisher - https://store.serif.com/update/windows/publisher/2/ - Can you try creating a temporary new Windows user and then try this same workflow on the new Windows user account? This helps rule out local user environment issues as well as any potential problems with the app's local user data. You can do this without creating a whole new MS account, info below. https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows/manage-user-accounts-in-windows-104dc19f-6430-4b49-6a2b-e4dbd1dcdf32# - Finally, if after all the above it's still occurring regardless can you provide us with a memory DMP file from task manager? When the app enters the frozen state if you open Task manager, switch to the 'Details' tab, find Publisher.exe. If you then Right click > 'Create Dump file' and then save the file somewhere so we can take a look? These files are typically HUGE so once you've uploaded it I'd suggest deleting it to free up storage space. Upload: https://www.dropbox.com/request/wHTDB5ZTgQQClcB0TGz1 Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarrotNL Posted June 20 Author Share Posted June 20 Hello @NathanC, Sorry for the long wait. I installed with the installers you mentioned. It made no difference. I also made a new user as you mentioned. Also made no difference. So I made a dump file for you. I'll upload it to the link above after I finish this post. I also saw something I didn't before. When I open the panel Preflight, after a about 8-10 seconds it says a lot of: Linked resource is missing. I think for every linked file in the A3 file. This was with the test files I use for testing. I also tested this with some of the work files I use, and with some this also happens, and some it doesn't happen. It does seem to freeze with both situations though, so I don't know if it helps in this bug. I thought I'd mention it anyway. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarrotNL Posted June 20 Author Share Posted June 20 I forgot to mention that in both in both situations (preflight), the Recourse Manager shows that all links are O.K. And that when I open the linked files, they don't miss links in those files. Seems to be O.K. (I didn't test all linked files, only a few) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staff NathanC Posted June 20 Staff Share Posted June 20 Thanks for the info and running through those suggestions, I've been discussing your issue with other members of the team and we believe these may be memory related errors on your machine. When the next app lockout occurs in your doc if you open task manager check what your memory usage is at, if it's capped out at 100% or near 100 this will be a good indicator. 4 hours ago, CarrotNL said: I also saw something I didn't before. When I open the panel Preflight, after a about 8-10 seconds it says a lot of: Linked resource is missing. I think for every linked file in the A3 file. This is also an interesting point, in the Preflight panel could you try turning the Preflight check from 'Live' to 'Never' so it stops auto-checking the document as your tabbing through your document pages and see if there's any difference here. Also, check in the app Settings > Performance check that the 'RAM Usage Limit' is set to the same value as your available system memory, and is not significantly below or exceeding this value. Could you also share a screenshot of your current performance prefs? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarrotNL Posted June 21 Author Share Posted June 21 @NathanC, The memory is never capped. I have 32 GB installed and when the file is loaded there is still about 24 GB available. We do seem to hit the right spot with the preflight checking disabled though. I made 2 files. One with preflight disabled, and one with it enabled. The enabled one keeps freezing once every few time I open it. The other one did not freeze once when opening it. I had exactly had one time freezing the disabled file after opening it without problems, but then freezing when I enabling the Live button, or the Check Now button. Can't remember exactly which one it was. Didn't happen a second time. I did manage to make the file with preflight enabled, disabled, which was not easy since it froze all the time. After I disabled it, it did not freeze, until I enabled the preflight Live button again, and saving it. I also noticed that, accept for the above mentioned time, it seemed not to be a problem to click the Check Now button after the deactivated file had been loaded in memory. Hope this helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarrotNL Posted June 21 Author Share Posted June 21 @NathanC, And 2 screenshots. One of the Task Manager when the file is frozen: And the requested one of the Performance tab in the settings dialog: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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