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SlickEdit Product Discussion => SlickEdit® => Topic started by: wraith808 on December 03, 2008, 07:48:04 PM

Title: SlickEdit stops responding when file dialog is shown
Post by: wraith808 on December 03, 2008, 07:48:04 PM
I've been having this problem for a while, and it continues to get worse.  I have SlickEdit 2007 and every time I add a file (or do anything that calls up the file dialog box) the entire application freezes.  I have to end the task.  I thought it was something with the source control (I use source safe), but even when I don't log into VSS it still happens.  Any ideas?
Title: Re: SlickEdit stops responding when file dialog is shown
Post by: ScottW, VP of Dev on December 05, 2008, 08:38:08 PM
Unfortunately, this is hard to debug without a lot more information. Do you have maintenance and support? That would be the best way to resolve this.
Title: Re: SlickEdit stops responding when file dialog is shown
Post by: Graeme on December 05, 2008, 09:07:54 PM
What is the "file dialog box"?

An easy thing to try is a new configuration folder.  Invoke slick with the -sc switch
vs.exe +new -sc c:\temp\virgin-config

and see if the problem is gone?

A similar thing to try is - close slick, backup your config folder, delete vslick.sta, run slick, see if the problem is gone.

Graeme
Title: Re: SlickEdit stops responding when file dialog is shown
Post by: wraith808 on December 08, 2008, 05:08:43 PM
By file dialog box, I meant any time a dialog comes up to allow you to select a file- whether it is add a file, new file, etc.

Thanks for your suggestion- the new config worked.
Title: Re: SlickEdit stops responding when file dialog is shown
Post by: allank on March 22, 2009, 02:26:44 PM
I have started having a similar problem with any file open dialog box (or similar). Unfortunately the solution given above doesn't work for me.

Doing file open or open workspace will result in an unresponsive SE. I was using 2008. I uninstalled it, eliminated all directories related to SE (such as My SlickEdit) and went through the registry trying to eliminate remnants.

I then did a 'clean' install of SE2009. Same problem.

Using WinXP, latest updates. NO other program has any problem with dialog boxes.
Title: Re: SlickEdit stops responding when file dialog is shown
Post by: ScottW, VP of Dev on March 22, 2009, 07:28:55 PM
@allank: please try the -sc approach posted by Graeme. It's the only way to be sure you are using a default config.

This most likely relates to slow network resources on your machine. That's whay these are hard to debug without a lot more information, like:
What platform are you on? Please post the Help > About information.
Where's your config? Answered by above.
Where are you source files stored?
Where are your project files: .vpw and .vpj?
Title: Re: SlickEdit stops responding when file dialog is shown
Post by: allank on March 23, 2009, 03:27:58 AM
I tried both of Graeme's suggestions and the problem doesn't go away.

Here is the About info:

SlickEdit Version 14.0.0.5

Serial number: WB335823
Licensed number of users: Single user
License file: C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\slickedit\14\slickedit.lic

Build Date: March 19, 2009
Emulation: Brief

OS: Windows XP
Version: 5.01.2600  Service Pack 3
Memory: 36% Load, 0MB/2097MB Physical, 206MB/2097MB Virtual

Installation Directory: C:\Program Files\SlickEdit 2009\ (non-removable drive,NTFS,63133MB free)
Configuration Directory: C:\Documents and Settings\Allan Kaminsky\My Documents\My SlickEdit Config\14.0.0\ (non-removable drive,NTFS,63133MB free)

Source and project files are in a directory under C: that I can't get to because of the problem.
Title: Re: SlickEdit stops responding when file dialog is shown
Post by: Graeme on March 23, 2009, 10:45:13 AM
When you say "the problem doesn't go away", what exactly do you mean?  Did you try to open a file or did you try to open your project?  If you tried to open a file, can you describe exactly at what point slickedit hangs - what do you see on the screen.

What happens if you use the "edit" command on the slick command line - edit somefile.cpp.  See if slick hangs when you do that.
You could also try opening a workspace from the command line  -  try - workspace_open c:/somedir/someworkspace.vpw.

When slickedit hangs, you could try pressing Ctrl-Alt-Shift-F2 and see if slick reacts - it should bring up a stack trace dialog that tells you where it was executing.  You could also try the slick debugger to see where slick is getting hung if you wanted.

Another thing you could try is process explorer from sysinternals
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb896653.aspx (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb896653.aspx)  - and see what CPU time slick is using when it hangs.

Also, if you haven't already done so, try creating a new project in a directory well away from the one that's giving problems.  Have you tried opening files from directories other than your project directory?

Has slickedit being working ok up till now or has it never worked properly?  If the problem just suddenly came along, did you change anything on your system?

Graeme

Title: Re: SlickEdit stops responding when file dialog is shown
Post by: allank on March 23, 2009, 12:02:09 PM
When I try to open a file or a workspace using the dialog box, I can navigate upward without problem. If I try to scroll at the current level, I get an endless hourglass. If I'm already at the proper level and try to open a file (or workspace), I again get the endless hourglass. I can end SE with task manager (if I'm patient).

Using SE 2009's Smart Open works WITHOUT problems. Opening a project from the SE command line works WITHOUT problem.

Pressing Ctrl-Alt-Shift-F2 during the hang doesn't work. I'm not sure how to use Process Explorer. Total CPU time being used is ~5% and the computer is responsive for other tasks.

It would seem to be the Windows dialog box malfunctioning, but no other program has this problem Also, Windows Explorer can browse the entire computer and LAN.

I hadn't used SE in some months, but it had been working properly then. After trying the solutions above, I did as close to a 'clean' install as I could, to no benefit. I have now done a clean install of SE 2009 and the problem persists.

I had been using Visual Studio with SE tools without problem.

Allan
Title: Re: SlickEdit stops responding when file dialog is shown
Post by: allank on March 23, 2009, 12:07:01 PM
I mean to also say that navigating down also hangs (double-clicking on a subdirectory). The only functioning dialog box maneuver is navigating up.
Title: Re: SlickEdit stops responding when file dialog is shown
Post by: ScottW, VP of Dev on March 23, 2009, 02:54:25 PM
Not that it should make a difference, but can you try switching to CUA emulation and see if you have the same problem?
Title: Re: SlickEdit stops responding when file dialog is shown
Post by: allank on March 23, 2009, 03:26:11 PM
Switching to CUA makes no difference. I'd think there's a clue in the fact that Smart Open works fine as do project open commands from the SE command line.
Title: Re: SlickEdit stops responding when file dialog is shown
Post by: Clark on March 23, 2009, 04:05:36 PM
This is definitely something specific with the Windows File Open dialog. I'll bet you can't reproduce this on another machine even if you copied your installation.  If you can, then we might be able to reproduce your Windows configuration here. I believe we need to replicate your Windows configuration in order to reproduce this problem.
Title: Re: SlickEdit stops responding when file dialog is shown
Post by: Graeme on March 24, 2009, 08:38:46 AM
Quote
It would seem to be the Windows dialog box malfunctioning, but no other program has this problem

It might be something to do with the fact that SlickEdit presents a "customized" file open dialog.  Do the applications where the file open dialog works use a customized or non-customized dialog.  You can see the non customized dialog by doing file open in Notepad.

Does it make any difference if you initiate the file open using Ctrl-O, the toolbar or the File menu?

SlickEdit used to have a Windows 3.1 style file open dialog option but this seems to be gone from Slick 2009.

Googling for "file open dialog" hangs  -  finds a couple of suggestions - doesn't sound like your problem though.
1.  Windows is hunting for icons
2. Your path has a non-existent network path in it.

To see the path setting you can open the build toolbar and type path.  SlickEdit adds the slick installation "win" folder to the path.

For the icon thing, the suggested solution is this

Quote
Goto this key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Curr entVersion\Explorer\Shell
Icons

Just delete Shell Icons or rename it and the problems will go away. It
will force the shell to just goto shell32.dll for icons.

Another thing I saw mentioned was that stardock "windowblinds" can cause problems.  Have you installed any skinning/theme stuff recently?

Graeme
Title: Re: SlickEdit stops responding when file dialog is shown
Post by: allank on March 25, 2009, 08:46:04 AM
Notepad works. I'm not sure what programs use a customized file open dialog. If you can suggest one, I'll be happy to install it.

It makes no difference how the file open dialog is opened.

I checked the path: all the items are valid.

I haven't installed any skinning/theme stuff.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Curr entVersion\Explorer\

doesn't have the key Shell Icons under it.

Allan
Title: Re: SlickEdit stops responding when file dialog is shown
Post by: Graeme on March 25, 2009, 11:32:38 AM
It turns out that Slick 2009 still has the alternative file open dialog.  If you want to try it, on the slick cmd line, type set-var then def_fast_open and change it from zero to one.  Then try opening a file or workspace  - it should work for you if smart open works.  Another possibility is to click the "find file" button at the bottom of the file open dialog and open a file that way.  I have WinXP SP3 same as you with no problems.

I don't have any more suggestions really, except you could look at how Mark Russinovich debugged a problem with the file open dialog.  He used Windbg.  http://blogs.technet.com/markrussinovich/archive/2006/11/27/532465.aspx (http://blogs.technet.com/markrussinovich/archive/2006/11/27/532465.aspx).

Is your disk drive busy when the file open dialog hangs?  If you do File -> Save as, can you browse up and down the directory tree or scroll?  You could try a drive mapping  e.g. subst z: c:\somepath (type it in the build window) and see if the file open dialog lets you get at your files through z:.  You could try process monitor to see what's happening on your system when the file open dialog hangs http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb896645.aspx (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb896645.aspx)

You say you can navigate upwards without problems.  Can you open a file from a higher directory or any other directory?  If you temporarily remove all the files from the folder that you can't scroll in and replace with something else, can you scroll or open them?

Graeme
Title: Re: SlickEdit stops responding when file dialog is shown
Post by: allank on March 25, 2009, 04:49:57 PM
The alternative file open dialog works. No problems with either file opening or Projects. When I get a chance, I'll try some of your other suggestions.

Thanks, Graeme, for your efforts in finding a workaround.

Allan