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Error message when converting screenshots from BMP to GIF

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K.C.
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Error message when converting screenshots from BMP to GIF

Wed Aug 29, 2007 8:23 pm

When I make a screenshot with CCS64 and try to convert it to .GIF with the frontend (Ctrl/P, BMP->GIF button), an hourglass appears for about 3 seconds.
Then I get an error message that the file (CCS0.GIF) could not be found. When I press Esc and press Ctrl/P again, I see 2 files: CCS0.BMP and CCS0.GIF. So the file is converted, but the frontend seems not to know that the .GIF file is created!
After that I can manually delete the .BMP and rename the .GIF, but this is much more time consuming.

I had this problem on another PC after some time using the frontend. I have another PC now and it worked well for some months, until last week.
I was hoping that version 1.2 would solve this problem, because there have been changes in the routines that display screenshots. But unfortunately the problem is still there in v1.2.
Brataccas
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Mon Sep 03, 2007 5:48 pm

The problem is caused by the use of an external tool (BMP2GIF.EXE) to perform the conversion. The front-end does not get any kind of completion message from the tool, so it sits for a while checking for the new file to show up in the directory.

I increased the length of the timeout period before giving up on the conversion to 10 seconds. The fact that you are seeing the hourglass for only 3 seconds, indicates that perhaps the file is showing up in the directory listing, but that it may not be accessible for a short period.

Is it possible that you are running anti-virus software on this machine that could slow down the process?
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Mon Sep 03, 2007 7:24 pm

Brataccas wrote:I increased the length of the timeout period before giving up on the conversion to 10 seconds.
Did you increase this value in the available version 1.2?
The point is that I had this problem some time ago with version 1.1 of the frontend. Some months ago I started to use a newer PC. After copying the frontend and database to it, I could convert the screenshots fine again.
Until some weeks ago, the same problem was back. I was hoping that V1.2 would solve it, because some screenshot-related things were changed, but it didn't.
Brataccas wrote:Is it possible that you are running anti-virus software on this machine that could slow down the process?
Not in my situation. I already tried to disable the on access scanner, it didn't show any difference. I am not aware of installing some sort of software just before the problem showed up.
Brataccas
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Mon Sep 03, 2007 10:52 pm

The extended timeout is in v1.2. Based on your description, this sounds more like an issue of timing between two processes.

I believe I also put in an arbitrary delay between the check for the new file and the deletion of the old. Problem with this method, is that it delays the overall conversion process - have to walk a fine line between bug fixing and making the conversion too slow for everyone.

Have you every used FileMon from SysInternals? Here's a link to the tech info and download:
FileMon
(For XP-SP2 and Vista, the new version is ProcessMon)

If you have time, it would helpful to find out what types of file operations are running in the background during the conversion. I am hoping that something may jump out at us, because I can not reproduce the problem on any machine that I have access to.

To use FileMon, simply run it, and it should begin logging everything. It is useful to know that CTRL-E toggles logging (suspend/resume) and CTRL-X clears the log. You should see tons of individual disk IO activity as Windows runs normally.

I recommend the following to focus in on what is going on during the image conversion process:

Press CTRL-E to suspend logging.
Press CTRL-X to clear the log.
Run GB64 and navigate to the screenshot requestor.
In FileMon, press CTRL-E to resume logging.
In GB64, hit the convert BMP->GIF button.
When done, go back to FileMon and press CTRL-E to stop logging.

You can cut and paste the log to a text file to analyze.
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K.C.
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Tue Sep 04, 2007 6:27 pm

Thanks for helping me.
I have isolated the problem to the virus scanner. I'm using Norman Virus Control.
After starting processmon I got an application error. It told me that NVCOAS.EXE crashed in module nvcmflt.dll. NVCOAS.EXE is the on access scanner from Norman. After that error message I suddenly could convert the screenshots!
After a restart the problem came back. Disabling the on access scanner (with the GUI from Norman) didn't help. Also excluding the folders used by Gamebase and the database didn't help.
But after I manually terminated the services used by the virus scanner (Norman NJeeves, Norman Virus Control on-access component and Norman Virus Control Scheduler) there was no problem anymore!
I think that I can safely say now that the source of the problem isn't the Gamebase frontend, but a bug in the virus scanner.

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