Composer 2.6.3 bugs

[elana_chan]

Hi there, after trying multiple reinstalls I'm looking here for help. Every time I go to staff setup, composer freezes without fail. Task manager states that it's still running but I get zero responsiveness out of it and I'm forced to kill the process. In addition to this bug I also have an issue with some midi files not using the correct instrument, for example, instead of using "strings" as shown in the instrument options I get some sort of piano. Opening up the instrument selection temporarily fixes this but only for the remainder of the current play through, if I start from the beginning it reverts to playing the incorrect instrument.

[Sherry C]

Hi Elana,

The two problems you've mentioned may or may not be related.

Are these happening with all files (eg. also with Twinkle.mid that you can download by clicking here (http://www.notation.com/MidiFileExamples/Twinkle.mid)) or just some files? Please try the Twinkle.mid file to see if the problem persists with it as well. If you're having these problems with just particular files, please either post one here or send it to me at support@notation.com and I'll take a look at it/them to see if perhaps it's the file rather than the installation that has nasties in it.

I'll go ahead and address the rest of your post in case it is a persistent problem.

after trying multiple reinstalls I'm looking here for help. Was the software running properly at some point in the past on this machine? If so, then apparently something changed that is interfering with Composer. Typically a reinstallation will settle things out, but it sounds like if this is the case (that Composer was running fine but now isn't and isn't fixed with a reinstallation), then you may want to try rolling back your machine to a point when Composer was running. When you find that point, you should also know from the restore point on the machine what program/change is the culprit.

If the software has not run properly on the machine before, please let me know a bit about the machine - eg., what operating system, the memory, CPU, and the MIDI device(s) that are connected or installed.

Every time I go to staff setup, composer freezes without fail. Task manager states that it's still running but I get zero responsiveness out of it and I'm forced to kill the process. In addition to this bug I also have an issue with some midi files not using the correct instrument, for example, instead of using "strings" as shown in the instrument options I get some sort of piano. Opening up the instrument selection temporarily fixes this but only for the remainder of the current play through, if I start from the beginning it reverts to playing the incorrect instrument. I'm a little confused here. Which Staff Setup freezes, and which one are you able to access to change the instrument selection? There are two ways to access the setup for the staves in a file.


One is via the "big" dialog - Staff menu, then "Setup".
The other is to click a Staff Setup button for a given staff.



ttfn,
Sherry

[elana_chan]

The two problems you've mentioned may or may not be related.

Are these happening with all files (eg. also with Twinkle.mid that you can download by clicking here (http://www.notation.com/MidiFileExamples/Twinkle.mid)) or just some files? Please try the Twinkle.mid file to see if the problem persists with it as well. If you're having these problems with just particular files, please either post one here or send it to me at support@notation.com and I'll take a look at it/them to see if perhaps it's the file rather than the installation that has nasties in it.

I'll go ahead and address the rest of your post in case it is a persistent problem.I would rather avoid bogging you down with multiple files though the issue of not playing the correct instruments seems to appear the most with files that have more than 5 staffs and are at least 20 bars long.

Edit: I have also found that it reverts to the "false" instrument when the program is put into the background, example: if my web browser is brought to the foreground after correcting the instrument, when I go back it reverts even though in the single staff setup it still shows the correct instrument. It does not revert back if the selection is in the process of playing when moved to the background for the continued duration of the play through, but it reverts upon restart when this is the case.

was the software running properly at some point in the past on this machine? If so, then apparently something changed that is interfering with composer. Typically a reinstallation will settle things out, but it sounds like if this is the case (that composer was running fine but now isn't and isn't fixed with a reinstallation), then you may want to try rolling back your machine to a point when composer was running. When you find that point, you should also know from the restore point on the machine what program/change is the culprit.

If the software has not run properly on the machine before, please let me know a bit about the machine - eg., what operating system, the memory, cpu, and the midi device(s) that are connected or installed.It has been too long to do a rollback but once apon a time it did work without any issues.


i'm a little confused here. Which staff setup freezes, and which one are you able to access to change the instrument selection? There are two ways to access the setup for the staves in a file.


one is via the "big" dialog - staff menu, then "setup".
the other is to click a staff setup button for a given staff.

Staff menu then setup always causes the problem of the program freezing.

The setup button on the staff does not cause it to freeze but with increasing frequency any change I make isn't applied when I close the window.

[Sherry C]

Hi Elana,

Do you perchance use any kind of "registry cleaner"?

ttfn,
Sherry

[elana_chan]

No I do not.

[Sherry C]

Hi Elana,

I was curious about the registry cleaner because those types of programs can often goof up as much or more as they help. Given that the program was working in the past, it's often an issue of a registry cleaner removing items that it should have left alone.

Sometimes a "switching instrument" may be due to the file having more than 16 staves and the machine they're playing on only using a single MIDI playback device. If the file has more than 2 instruments assigned to the same channel, then the playback sound may not be correct. If you are using 2 different devices it's easy enough to assign different devices for each of the staves (eg. for a trumpet staff with channel 1 and trumpet, you can assign it to Device 1 and also assign a second staff with piano and channel 1 to Device 2, thus having both staves play correctly because they're using different devices.)

The MIDI device(s) setup may also be part of the freezing issue. If you could please attach or email me a screen shot of the MIDI Device Configuration dialog, that will be helpful.

Thanks!
Sherry

[elana_chan]

I'm using the default "general midi" driver supplied with windows XP. The primary example of "switching instruments" is in a piece that uses 14 staves, because I am unable to access the main staff setup due to the freezing issue I cannot get a good look to see if any of the instruments have overlapping channels. I can tell you however that the instrument being substituted is not used in the piece in question.

Is there a way to wipe composer from the registry to allow for a completely clean install?

[Sherry C]

Hi Elana,

The fact that an open file shows 14 staves does not preclude the possibility of it having more tracks (staves.) When Composer opens a piece, it only shows the staves that actually have notes. However, some files have more tracks (often used just to put in text information about the file) that are present, Composer just doesn't show them in the score. One of my favorite sequencer fellows does this and it drives me to distraction because of the doubled channel usage - every time I open one of his files, I have to go delete about 8-9 of these empty staves in order for the file to play properly. If you can please send along one of these files, I can take a look at it to see if this is the problem.

For the MIDI Device Configuration, this is in Setup -> MIDI Device Configuration (not the "quick" one). Having a screen shot of this will be helpful.
Is there a way to wipe composer from the registry to allow for a completely clean install?
Yes, if you are familiar and comfortable with working in the registry, it can be done. This may end up being the best option, but I'd suggest taking a look (if possible) at the MIDI Device Configuration panel first.

ttfn,
Sherry

[elana_chan]

So, you said there was a way to clear the registry of composer entries, but you haven't given me a list of entries to delete. Can I please have a list so that I may attempt a clean install?

[Sherry C]

Hi Elana,

In the registry you'd need to search for all entries related to "Notation" and remove them. We do not recommend working with the registry unless you're used to working in the registry, which is why we don't give instructions for it.

I'd still recommend looking more closely at the MIDI Devices configuration. I'd be happy to take a look at a screen shot of yours, as well as at the larger files that are not playing back the instrument sounds correctly. These are safer measures than messing around in the registry.

ttfn,
Sherry