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ketchell

Win 64bit and external exhibit freeze

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I moved my TMG to a new Windows 64bit computer a couple of months ago. I have all my exhibits in external folders. I fixed most of them with the TMG tool, and doing some cleanup with the remainders now that were outside the first level exhibit tree folder.

 

Here is my problem, and not sure how it relates to the above. I am renaming the remainders to fit my standard file naming scheme and then reattaching them as an external exhibit to a tag event manually. I think the problem is also occurring with new exhibits that I've added and now attaching to a tag event, but haven't documented that.

 

Everything goes well for a while and then when I drag and drop an image onto a tag event exhibit window TMG stops working entirely. The only option is to force an end task using windows task manager. Then restart. TMG is then at a previous person record. Going back to the person/event where I was trying to drag-and-drop the image, the image is usually there.

 

I have a large database and lots of exhibit links. I usually reindex and reoptimize and backup when the exhibit drag-and-drop freezes TMG, when I start up again and then continue. This was only occasional but now it seems to happen a few times a day when I'm doing a lot of census image attachments.

 

Anyone using TMG 7 with Win64bit and drag-dropping images to tag events have this problem and any solutions? Would appreciate any ideas.

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The issue in general of TMG suddenly "freezing" is often caused by a window or dialog that needs your attention getting behind another window. For example, you do something that causes a confirmation dialog to appear, but it appears behind other windows and you can't click the OK button.

 

I've been successful in fixing this when I can figure out the sequences of events that causes it by making moving the screen which generates the confirmation off to the side enough to leave the center of the main window open. Then when the confirmation opens, while technically behind the other window, at least part of it is visible and I can click on it. In such cases I've found that doing this once seems to cure the problem.

 

In any case, you can usually close TMG more gracefully by using the Check for Updates command on the Help menu, then canceling the update once TMG closes.

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Terry's suggestion is a good one.

 

I saw no mention of "Verify File Integrity" in your list of File Maintenance actions. VFI gives you the opportunity to fix any bad links to external exhibits. To use it, run VFI, it will ask for additional folder names where external exhibits might be found. Enter all folder addresses where you keep exhibit files (you need not mention the default folder specified in your preferences). VFI will search these folders for each exhibit file name and repair addresses when necessary.

 

At the end of VFI's run, it will display a report containing the number of exhibits not found, if any. If this number is not zero, you forgot to mention an exhibit folder(s) (or those exhibit(s) are truly missing) and may cause problems for you. If so, ask for a procedure to find what file names are missing from which IDs, in this forum.

 

It is suggested that you consruct a text file containing all of your exhibit folder names. Then, each time you run VFI, you need only copy and paste the folder addresses.

 

Good luck,

Edited by Mike Talbot

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Just to confirm. Yes I had done the verify file integrity and it came up with no problems. I'll go through the entire verify, reindex, optimize again (have done that many times).

 

The option to use a TMG command to close any windows hidden behind or to close it out more gracefully doesn't work as TMG if completely frozen -- no action works on any of the open TMG windows or menus. Thus why I do the more drastic windows end task. There are no windows behind TMG. However, when I do a Windows end task the TMG windows appear to come back usable but they don't work properly and so the complete end task and restart is the only one that brings TMG back to working order.

 

One time I did get a abort/ignore for some file --- think it was file_S. Does that sound familiar? Next time I'll write down the exact message.

 

I suspect it has something to do with dragging and dropping an image file to the event tag image window. I didn't use that much in the past and adding many images now.

 

Thanks for all ideas!

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The option to use a TMG command to close any windows hidden behind or to close it out more gracefully doesn't work as TMG if completely frozen -- no action works on any of the open TMG windows or menus.

Have you checked the Check for Update command on the Help menu as I suggested? It is almost always available, even when most other menu commands are not.

 

I was not suggesting that you move any windows after the freeze occurs, but rather that you place them to the side before it occurs so the "hidden" window is left visible. That of course requires figuring out what steps lead to the frozen condition so you can anticipate it.

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Re TMG error messages:

Error messages (dated and time-stamped) are stored in the file' error.txt' in the Logs folder, located in Win 7:

C:\Users\User Name\Documents\The Master Genealogist v7\Logs. Only the first message in a series for an event is significant and need be reported.

 

When the program appears to be frozen - with dimmed menus, you may still have two menu options available and should always check for them before using the Task Manager:

 

Window menu > Center the current window (this brings any hidden window to the front)

 

and

 

Help menu > Check for an Update (this will shut down the program normally - closing your open TMG files. You can then cancel the update.)

 

Virginia

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