Publisher v2 keeps crashing on one particular file (Windows 11, 2.5.5.2636)

[CocoEzhao]

2.5.5.2636 keeps crashing over 1 file that I have created. It works with other docs just fine.

It freezes when trying to go to pages or work with text tool or zoom in and out, basically any actions except when going through menus. The way it goes off is some text in my doc goes blurry and the app stops responding. I've been working on this document for quite a while. It's around 140 pages and the problem started appearing around the time I created a 100-ish page
Couple times I had different docs opened first to make sure it's this one is the problem. Works with other docs fine even when the problematic doc is open until you touch the troublemaker.
For a brief moment after opening it I can navigate through pages fine, then it just freezes. I don't have any font managers, tablets although my laptop is touch-screen (I don't use that feature) and I have an external monitor connected (disconnecting it doesn't solve it).

- It used to work off a fresh system boot, when you go to the app's parameters and choose Repair. Then it works okay once. Since you close and reopen it, the bug reappears. This workaround did well for a week then it stopped.

- I've deactivated all the hardware acceleration and disabled all the cloud services. It worked once. Then the issue reappeared.

- I've moved the file along with the linked files folder away from my cloud service. It worked once. Then the issue reappeared.

- I've disconnected the linked files library to see if the issue is in some image(s) linked. Didn't work at all.

- I've tried using 2.6 beta and had the exact same results.

- I've tried reinstalling from different installers, it didn't help.

I've ran WinDbg to create a report, hope that helps. Also attached are a video of a crash and the file itself.

Thanks!

27.11 01.dml Cards_2.afpub 2024-11-27 23-51-28.mkv

[Hangman]

Hi @CocoEzhao and welcome to the forums,

So far I'm not experiencing any issues with your file but that's likely because we don't have the Linked graphics included with the file...

Could you zip the Linked graphics and upload the zip file so we can test with the Linked graphics in place... I appreciate that you've tried disconnecting the linked files to see if it makes a difference and that didn't work at all but even though I can't be completely sure I very much suspect one of them is the most likely root cause of the problem you're experiencing...

[CocoEzhao]

Hi @Hangman, and thanks a lot for your help. Attached is the links library.

Links.zip

[Hangman]

Hi @CocoEzhao,

Thanks for those... the Affinity Designer files are missing from the upload, could you zip those up and upload as well...

[CocoEzhao]

@Hangman sure thing

Symbols.zip

[Obscured]

.

[Hangman]

2 minutes ago, Return said:

Preflight still throws missing linked files errors(Symbols Small Black.afdesign) although the files are all present.

As mentioned above, the Affinity Designer files are not included in the file upload which is why Pre-flight shows them as missing...

[CocoEzhao]

@Hangman @Return I've had some strange preflight warnings before, and I had to relink them manually after I moved the entire project folder away from cloud service. Meaning, it did not update some of the instances when I hooked up the files through the Resource Manager and it didn't have the "Fix" button as usual. Although, none of the files linked inside this afpub are on any cloud folders currently.

Symbols Small Black.afdesign are present as pinned objects on some master pages and these are the ones that strangely didn't update automatically.

[Hangman]

Hi @CocoEzhao,

The Affinity Designer files are Placed files so are effectively missing since they're not included as part of the Linked File upload which is why we'd still need those...

If you double-click on e.g., one instance of Symbols Small Black.afdesign I see the following error message which may be a small clue...

[CocoEzhao]

@Hangman Please check the Symbols.zip archive from earlier. Symbols Small Black.afdesign is the source file for all the missing links left. I have no idea why Publisher treats them differently. I've also checked all the placed instances, and none of them have checked as "read only".

[Hangman]

@CocoEzhao,

There are no Affinity Designer files included in the Symbols.zip archive and no files named Symbols Small Black.afdesign.

 

[CocoEzhao]

@HangmanIt's pretty strange, I'm sure I've posted that one. Please kindly check for this post's zip attachment. The one you're refering to is Links.zip and it has none of the afdesign files, that's true.

Symbols.zip

Edited November 28, 2024 by CocoEzhao

[Hangman]

My bad, apologies, I'd completely missed that you'd uploaded a second zip file so ignore me completely...

[Hangman]

Hi @CocoEzhao,

I'm still looking at your file... to date, I've not experienced any of the issues you mentioned in your initial post, the file hasn't crashed and is as smooth as butter when zooming in and out, navigating between pages and when working with the text tool so at this stage I'm unsure whether that suggests a system issue...

There are a couple of general issues concerning two of the Linked Affinity Designer files that appear on two Master Pages, namely:

• Special.afdesign - Card Special 2 Master | Pages 93, 94, 95, 134, 135, 138, 139, 140 and 141
• Symbols Small Black.afdesign - Health / Actions Master | Pages 6, 41, 78, 113, 114, 115 and 116

These indicate they are missing and where I see the error message shown in the previous post when double-clicking the placed file on the respective page possibly suggesting the Link hasn't been updated when the files were moved from their original location...

Reapplying the Health / Actions Master to the respective pages to fix the 'missing' Designer file issue also means reapplying the relevant colour swatches and Colour Overlay FX which isn't a major problem...

Concerning the Symbols Small Black.afdesign it's the same issue...

It's quite likely you won't see this issue on your system if the link to both files is still accessible. The first thing I would do is update both these Designer files on the pages listed above so you know the link to the original location is completely removed and see whether or not that makes any difference at all to the problems you've been experiencing or if in doing so still results in the same problems...

Let us know how you get on...

[CocoEzhao]

@Hangman Thank you! I've disconnected thr library once again, then reapplied the masters and swapped the graphics. The app runs smooth so far causing no trouble. Thank you for your help!

[Hangman]

@CocoEzhao, That's really good to hear...

Hopefully, that has fixed the issues you were experiencing but if you start to see a repeat of any of the original problems don't hesitate to let us know...