duff

Yes, performance specs managed all too frequently. Please note, on a large file, this validation process is EXTREMELY slow. It is now 4:51 pm. I started it this morning. It's now in the resorting portion of the process at 23%. This file has just over 251,000 names in it and a LOT of text material. The last time I did a file validation it took well over two days. Since this is the case, can you shed any light on which specific preferences cause this original error to occur? Users indeed have their Preferences, including obviously prefering to avoid recreating the same circumstances.

OK, well I did that & we shall see. It should be noted that this process caused TMG to act as if it had never opened a last file, necessitating finding and selecting my data file, followed by a rather long 'one-time file validation'. Also, Explorer crashed, sent an error, and reloaded itself, on the fly, while the validation was underway, all without crashing XP. While this may be fodder for a separate post, one concern that I have with TMG after about a year of use now, is that most operations are tediously slow, to the point that one can easily forget what one was up to immediately prior. It should also be noted that my data file is HUGE, having been working on for several years through FTM before converting to TMG. I do all the maintenance stuff, and keep the most useful tools turned off since they seem to slow it down to the point of being unusable. As I've been typing this, the validation continues. It is my fond hope that this process will alleviate the molasses issue.

The update, in my opinion, should be installed in safe mode, for the least greivous outcome. Not bad practice for any type of installation, I suppose. Patch applied in normal mode appeared to complete properly. Program opened but exhibits were not functioning (grey boxes with an x through then, instead of images) Tech support advised at that point to uninstall entire program, delete C:/Program Files/The Master Genealogist folder, download 6.03 trial version, install that and unlock with original unlock code. This I did. I wanted to get these key phrases out there, so here are the specific errors I received, after completing installation process to upgrade to 6.03, and upon initial opening of the program. Tech Support says I'm the first to encounter them. yippee. Then these errors appeared on opening the newly updated tmg: Array dimensions are invalid 26 HIERARCHY. Unknown member CNTIMAGE 364 APPOBJECTSHOW. GOAPP is not an object (twice). Variable "LNSEL" is not found. Exhibits still not working and windows anomalies too. ****** So, full uninstall again, then restart in safe mode (f8 on startup), then install the downloaded Trial 6.03 in safe mode, then restart in normal mode, then unlock, then the same errors: GOAPP is not an object (twice) Variable "LNSEL" is not found However, after that the program did open, and the sample project did show its images in exhibits. It seems to be working ok, though stalls out with all buttons grey maybe every half hour or so, requiring program restart with no data losses noted. Two days later, I've maybe worked out the kinks...we'll see. If you do this process, back up .tbr files (mine are in .../Program Files/The Master Genealogist folder) unless you want to have to rebuild customized toolbars. There may be other customizations to back up also, that's the one that bit me so far. Peace, duff tmg_errors.doc

Yes, XPSP2 512MB. Right now TMG, Task Mgr, and Firefox (2tabs) are open, and Task Manager Performance shows: 2-15% CPU & 411MB PF Thanks for the two tips on centering windows that hide and on the tweak shutdown. Good ideas.

Not using the picklist...it seems random as to occurence. Last happened while saving a birth tag containing only a date, to an existing person. Under File menu, only printer setup is available and the X doesn't work either, so shutdown is by CTL-ALT DEL, which still requires acknowledgement of Program not Responding, then restart program. This is happening about every half hour. Can I send anything that might help fix it? gak.

Sure, I have experienced that...but 3 hours later still at 9%...I think we can call that a crash. Pre-6.03-patch I did a check for duplicates at one point that it took THREE DAYS, no exaggeration, but it never did say not responding, and it did crunch slowly along through the scale of completion. Even after that much work still to be done in merging confirmation...eventually one must move on and come back to the challenge later by attempting to check for duplicates again..hey? So anyway...this one the other day was a fairly restrictive check for duplicates..in order to yield a smaller more manageable pile of confirmations. Also, the not responding-lockup occurs quite frequently in operations that wouldn't seem to require a long time such as add a wife, merge two people, etc. By the way, I did indeed have the expanded picklist enabled, though had not yet used it, so not realized that it was active in any way. That was pretty cool, what I saw of it. Will the expanded picklist function be repaired in a coming patch? Having turned it off now...back to simple picklist, the program crashes perhaps less frequently, but still crashing.

To answer your questions: Nope, haven't done that trouble report. It was not mentioned during the two hour phone support call Who knew? I saw the Trouble.txt file...think I'll hold off on sending that for a sec...lots of proprietary detail there that I'd rather cull. I have 512MB of memory. Not much is loaded at startup except system protection and search tool. All the icons on the left are just shortcuts on the quicktask bar...not loaded...and I usually do not have Outlook open while using TMG...just for the purpose of communicating those errors while they were underway. Yes, I am now resaving the layout after modifying & saving toolbars. Will advise if further freak-outs occur. You had other questions in a mailbox item for me, I'll address them separately. It's hard to know what merits a separate thread.

Ok, again full crash, at 9% of check for duplicate people. Program title bar says not responding Ctl-Alt-Delete Restarted Program Selected Last Project Last Project opens, but suddenly 2 more instances of TMG are open simultaneously, waiting for instructions on what to open. Anomaly-fest.

Customized toolbars 1. loose button action definitions (e.g. type of tag to add); must re-define again, and again 2. loose entire buttons; must add and save again, and again. 3. shut down unexpectedly (the toolbars themselves, entire); must view toolbars and re-select. These behaviors I have experienced several times now.

The overflow information in each tag (beyond the first line) used to pop-up on a manila-colored background in the details window, when the cursor was hovered over the tag line in question. (Notes, for example). Thus one could read some of the contents of the tag without opening it. Post-6.03, there are no pop-ups. Is that a switchable option? I don't find it in preferences. How do I get that preview pop-up back, and how can I back up the file that contains preferences such as that? Thanks. duff

Aha! Thanks much