PDA

View Full Version : First Notation software run stalls on file load


NotationUser
10-13-2010, 01:59 PM
Hi.

I am new here and about making a purchase decision.

I've been testing on Vista 64, 4gb. Q8200 actually.

When I start Notation Software (Player or Notation Composer demo - both same issue) for the first time after boot and try to load a file with any of the available options the software stalls, just hinting "engraving notes" and nothing happens any more. I have to terminate the process via task manager.

I've tried to run with admin rights the first time too - no difference.

When I start Notation Software again (any version), loading files work fine and fast.

Is this a known issue or a bug? Is there any solution?

Thanks in advance!

Sherry C
10-13-2010, 06:03 PM
Hi,

I think you also related this problem in an Uninstall survey, so I'll answer here in case there may be other folks who have this problem as well, and they can contribute to the discussion.

I have not heard of others having this same problem that I recall. I've looked through our log of issues, and the closest related one I can find was a simliar problem but it was on the initial start up of Musician, not on opening a file.

My best suggestion for now is to make sure that your video and printer drivers are updated. Then try running the software and opening a song file.

If that doesn't help, please let me know.

Has anyone else run into this problem? If so, how did you fix it?

Thanks!
Sherry

NotationUser
10-13-2010, 09:02 PM
I am digging but I am not sure about this particular problem.

I tried running Notation Software in NT compatibility mode and discovered that it tries to create an obscure "Songs" folder in C:\Program Files (x86)\Notation\Composer

I have attached the message box Notation Composer throws in the early phase of opening files - before the file open dialog appears.

When I run Notation Composer "normally" under Vista I don't see this message.

Not sure if this is related to the stalling problem - I'll check that now... always booting to create the "first run after boot" condition is exhausting... :D

NotationUser
10-13-2010, 09:27 PM
Meanwhile I got another message box.

It's strange that I shall create these folders manually, but ok I did.

While doing this I found that the last re-installation created these two folders (Songs and Templates) also in C:\Users\Public\Documents - yes, no typo, not in C:\Users\Public\Documents\Notation where these are to be found too, with some content.

I'm starting to think that the Notation Software installation in Vista is somewhat strange... :confused:

However it didn't change the "stalling on file load on first Notation software run" problem. ATM I have no new idea what to try next... :eek:

...except probably trying an install on an NT machine...

Sherry C
10-13-2010, 11:20 PM
Hi,

Yeah, Vista created more headaches than any other OS ever. Thankfully, a lot of the weirdness was fixed in Windows 7....

ttfn,
Sherry

NotationUser
10-14-2010, 07:04 AM
Notation Software is the first program that gives me that type of headache. I am sure Vista is not the "problem".

When I run Notation Composer with administrator rights for all users the "first run" problem does not occur.

In my opinion Notation software has issues concerning rights management on Win x64 and not especially on Vista.

Have Notation Software installs been tested on Vista x64? It's not me who claims Notation Software to be "Vista compatible"... :p

Don't misunderstand. I am not complaining about anything. I wouldn't take any effort to fix things if I didn't like the program itself. I just want to get all fixed proper. The workaround suggestions I've seen here so far seem not to address the real issues IMHO.

I have no machine running Win 7. So that's no option for me.

So no fix ideas on Notation Composer Vista x64 installation? :mad:

Sherry C
10-14-2010, 11:53 AM
Hi,

I can certainly understand your frustration - it's hard when something doesn't work properly. However, the answers that I've given you have worked for the vast majority of the folks that have run into the issue regarding the folders. There may be some setting on any particular machine that can goof up even the best design, and we can't test every possible option on every system.

Does anyone else have a similar configuration? I had Vista on a 64 bit machine for a while, but didn't have the folders problem (I upgraded to Win 7).

ttfn,
Sherry

NotationUser
10-14-2010, 01:36 PM
The folders issue isn't the main question - I just stumbled across this. In the meantime I got a third request to create a folder...

...no, the main issue here in this question is why Notation software stalls when I launch it the first time after boot when trying to open a file in it...

Only "dirty workaround" is starting Notation Software twice and open the file just with the second start. Dummy starting Notation Software seems to "initiate" anything here... :confused:

No I am not frustrated - it needs more for this...:cool:... I'm just looking for a better solution than starting Notation Software always twice before opening a file... ;)

I don't think all this here will influence my purchase decision much too. There are other things that are by far more important. The score transcription from midi files is really convincing - as well as transcriptions of what I play...

NotationUser
10-15-2010, 09:24 AM
Concerning the folders creation warning the knowledge base gives a partial answer with the article "Warning: 7274 help creating directory"...

I my case it seems to be related to the attempts running Composer in "XP compatibility mode" in Vista.

However it's funny that after going back to running Composer "normally" in Vista the folder "c:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Notation\Compose r" referred to in the article as usual location for Notation Software files to be stored (instead of the windows program folders) was nor created, neither requested to be created manually...

Ok, I created that manually to make sure it is not related to this - it isn't.

I also checked the weird thing with security access rights - these were already set to full after creation.

But still - this is not the real problem.

The initial problem remains that running any Notation Software demo (or player) for the first tim in my Vista64 stalls on file load... never had that with any other program... :mad:

More "secret" articles I should know about? :eek:

BTW, what is the latest version of Notation Software? 2.6.1 or 2.6.2 ??:confused:

lyndon243
10-15-2010, 11:12 AM
Hi,

Yeah, Vista created more headaches than any other OS ever. Thankfully, a lot of the weirdness was fixed in Windows 7....

ttfn,
Sherry I agree with you. ;)

Sherry C
10-15-2010, 02:44 PM
Hi,



The initial problem remains that running any Notation Software demo (or player) for the first tim in my Vista64 stalls on file load... never had that with any other program...

Are you running the software first and then opening a file, or are you double-clicking a file to open it in the program? I'm asking because if it's the latter, then it may be an issue with a MIDI driver which may need to be updated.

BTW, what is the latest version of Notation Software? 2.6.1 or 2.6.2 ??:confused:

Notation Composer is version 2.6.1, Notation Musician is 2.6.2, and Notation Player is 2.6(.0) They are separate products, and during the initial release sequence there were some issues that needed immediate attention and thus the small discrepancy in release numbers.

ttfn,
Sherry

NotationUser
10-15-2010, 02:50 PM
I disagree.

Since I use Vista64 the only major thing I had to resolve was getting 64bit compatible system software like drivers. Everything else I used worked fine.

I never faced similar oddities like with Notation Software installation before.

I really wished I'd understand the reason for "First Notation software run stalls on file load" finding. The only fix - running Notation Software always as administrator - is a bit mad too... :mad:

NotationUser
10-19-2010, 11:29 AM
I'm running Notation Software first.

But then any option to open a file creates that effect, via menu bar, dragging a file or choosing from the options page history - during the first start.

Never had issues with the midi drivers with other software. What kind of problem do you think of? But I've boiled down the used midi ports in Composer now to just the ones I need and see...

BTW, I now have the full version and it behaves the same.

I wished I could find out what is different with the second start of Composer. Without understanding this I think we have no chance to fix the issue... :confused:

NotationUser
10-19-2010, 11:45 AM
...I've just disabled all midi ports in Composer but the problem persists. :rolleyes:

Sherry C
10-19-2010, 11:52 AM
Hi,

Thanks for the extra info - knowing that you started Composer first but the problem happens on opening any file rules out the MIDI driver as the culprit.

I'm going to ask Mark to mull this one as he'll have a better feel for what the issue might be. I've not run into this one myself.

ttfn,
Sherry

NotationUser
10-19-2010, 12:03 PM
I am willing to do some further debugging.

Maybe Mark can tell me which tools to use - for instance to monitor file access of Composer during initial start phase. :cool:

Mark W
10-19-2010, 06:03 PM
Hello NotationUser,

I am willing to do some further debugging.

Maybe Mark can tell me which tools to use - for instance to monitor file access of Composer during initial start phase. :cool:As a first step, it would help a lot if you might consolidate this somewhat long conversation into a concise bug report, since it is somewhat difficult for me to pull it altogether.

The concise bug report would go something like this:
1. I installed Notation Compser in Vista (or Windows 7 64-bits).
2. I tried using File/Open but it could find the (name of) directory.
3. So I worked-around this problem by doing...

There might be more than one bug report here.

Thanks!

Cheers
-- Mark

NotationUser
10-19-2010, 07:57 PM
Hi Mark.
I understand your problem. The findings with file access problems interfered and finally covered the original problem.

Here is the basic issue summed up once again:

1. I installed Notation Composer in Vista 64-bits

2. I rebooted Vista.

3. I started Composer and tried using File/Open or dragging a file into Composer or choosing one from the recent files in the open page.

4. Composer prompts "Engraving the score..." and hangs up. Only way to terminate Composer is via Windows process termination.

5. I repeat at step 3 and from now on now all works fine - with the same file chosen with any method - step 4. does not occur any more.

6. Going back to step 2 and same story again.

So far the original bug or issue I had and still have.


In the meantime I uninstalled Composer demo via Windows software removal and installed the regular Composer 2.6.1 version (as administrator). Still the same behavior.


Hope this is clear enough.

Mark W
10-20-2010, 01:12 AM
Hi Mark.
Here is the basic issue summed up once again:

1. I installed Notation Composer in Vista 64-bits

2. I rebooted Vista.

3. I started Composer and tried using File/Open or dragging a file into Composer or choosing one from the recent files in the open page.

4. Composer prompts "Engraving the score..." and hangs up. Only way to terminate Composer is via Windows process termination.

5. I repeat at step 3 and from now on now all works fine - with the same file chosen with any method - step 4. does not occur any more.

6. Going back to step 2 and same story again.
That's a good, clear bug report. Thanks!

I'll probably be able to reproduce that here on a Vista machine. Once I can reproduce the problem, then I'm halfway there to fix it.

Thanks!

Cheers
-- Mark

NotationUser
10-20-2010, 08:32 AM
If possible test on Vista 64 please.

Win 64bit has some more protection mechanisms than the 32bit versions so maybe the secret is hidden with 64bit only.

NotationUser
10-20-2010, 10:10 AM
Hi Mark.

It seems that I found the issue today!

For short, the problem is not Vista but Vista OEM installations.

I guess a clean Vista installation may not show up the problem I struggled with.

I use an Acer PC with pre-installed Vista 64 home premium OEM - which adds a lot of useless stuff I try to eliminate since I have that...

Accidentally I stumbled across a process called "pcmmediasharing" which annoyed me for long as it is also knocking on my firewall all the time.

When I terminated that process in task-manager prior to starting Composer the first time opening files worked!

To deactivate this process permanently I did the following:

1. run "msconfig" (simply type this in the Vista search in the start menu)
2. confirm security request
3. a system dialog opens
4. click tab "systemstart"
5. remove check at entry "pcmmediasharing".
6. confirm dialog (click OK button)
7. reboot Vista


I still don't know how this process is related to Notation Software but removing it seems to fix the issue!

Hope this did it and I do not find something else...

Mark W
10-20-2010, 05:12 PM
Hello NotationUser,

Wow, your digging into nasty technical problems is quite impressive!

You research into Composer's File / Open problem very strongly suggests that the problem arises only in very unusual circumstances. That is consistent with the fact that, as far as I know, this problem has not been reported by the many of 1000s of users who have purchased Composer in the recent past.

Your research also saved me probably several hours trying to further pin down the problem, because I would not have been able to reduce the problem at all, given the very specific conditions on your Windows setup.

Thanks!!

Cheers
-- Mark

NotationUser
10-20-2010, 06:29 PM
Hi Mark.

Well, that's my other dark side... resistance is futile and the force is with me... :D

Probably you can add a hint in the knowledge base for Acer users... As far as I could retrieve from the web "pcmmediasharing" seems to be contained in most or all current Acer OEM windows installations.

I don't know in which circumstances or why this interferes with Notation Software... but it's as with bitter medicine, what counts is if it helps or not... :D

To be honest, I was annoyed by this effect. Finanally both my suspicions turned out to be true, it was no Vista issue and no Notation Software issue.

Now I am completely happy with my installation... :cool:

Mark W
10-21-2010, 08:07 PM
Hello NotationUser,

This is probably greedy of me to ask, but here it is: Would you be willing the write up the Knowledge Base (KB) article about this Acer-specific problem?

It would be difficult for me to write it up well without have the Acer machine here.

Our KB articles are usually very concise. You can look at a few to see the style. The KB article usually starts with the specific computer configuration where there is a problem, if the configuration is relevant. Then it describes the symptom. Then it describes the fix, if the user can do that at his end. Or, if the problem is in Composer and it has been fixed, then we tell the user to upgrade to a current maintenance release of Composer. Or, if there is a work-around, we describe the work-around. And, if it is a bug in Composer and there isn't a work-around, then we apologize and let the user know it's a known bug that we'll fix.

Cheers
-- Mark

NotationUser
10-21-2010, 11:39 PM
I'll look into that. Maybe I can do it tomorrow. :rolleyes:

NotationUser
10-22-2010, 09:56 AM
Hi Mark.

I've sent a ticket containing a raw article text and some hints.

Hope this helps.

Mark W
10-23-2010, 06:22 AM
Hello NotationUser,

Yes! Thanks for writing up that KnowledgeBase article!

I must show your article here so that other Notation users can see what a great KB article you wrote:

--------
Notation stalls/freezes when I load a file - Acer OEM Vista64 - other Acer OEM Windows systems


The following problem and fix has beed found by a user running Notation Software on an Acer Vista 64 OEM installation on a Acer X1700 PC, Q8200 cpu, 4GB ram.

Also this problem and fix has been verified on this particular Acer OEM Vista64 system only it might apply to other Acer OEM Windows installations and systems too.


If you encounter the problem that Notation Software stalls/freezes when running for the very first time after system (re-)boot but all works fine after you have canceled and restarted Notation Software in the same session, then this might be related to an interference/incompatibility with Acer OEM Vista software installation and a process named "PCMMediaSharing.exe".



A) Verify the issue
If you run Vista64 Acer OEM, please check first if "PCMMediaSharing.exe" is running on your system.

1) To open the Windows task manager, right click on the taskbar and choose task manager from the context popup menu.
2) Click on the tab "processes" and search for "PCMMediaSharing.exe". To easier find that, sort the process list by name via clicking on the names header column.


B) Check if the fix is working
If you find "PCMMediaSharing.exe" running on your Acer system you can try the following fix:

3) Reboot your machine
4) Do NOT run Notation software before you have eliminated "PCMMediaSharing.exe".
5) Open the task manager again as described in steps 1-2) and locate "PCMMediaSharing.exe".
6) Right click on it and choose "terminate process" or "terminate process structure".
7) Check if "PCMMediaSharing.exe" disappears from the list.
8) Close task manager (optional step).
9) Start Notation Software and check if loading files work proper now.

Before you continue please check this:

10) If this procedure succeded and fixed the problem with Notation Software, make sure you don't use other ACER software that needs "PCMMediaSharing.exe" services.


C) Apply fix permanently
If you have checked 10) you can permanently disable "PCMMediaSharing.exe" from loading at boottime. If this fix causes any problems you can easily reactivate "PCMMediaSharing.exe" again if necessary...

11) Run "msconfig" - simply type this in the Vista search line on the bottom of Vista start menu.
12) Confirm security request.
13) A system configuration dialog opens.
14) Click tab "systemstart".
15) Remove check at entry "PCMMediaSharing.exe".
16) Confirm dialog (click OK button).
17) Reboot Vista.

After reboot loading files in Notation Software should work now even witht the first run.
-----------

Wow, I'm impressed with your work here, NotationUser!

Cheers
-- Mark

NotationUser
10-23-2010, 11:40 AM
Thanks for the kind words, glad to help.

Yes it was a bit of work to put that together.

I just tried to follow your "guidelines" and write it a way everybody should be able to understand and follow.

Finally I hate if such information would get lost. It was some effort to find out and will probably help solving the same or similar issue faster in future.

Sherry C
06-17-2013, 12:03 AM
Hi friends,

If you're experiencing this issue and don't have an Acer, then the issue may be that the Harmony.ttf font was not properly installed on your computer.

To remedy that:


Download the Harmony.ttf font file HARMONY_.TTF (http://www.notation.com/vb-forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=948&d=1371423373)
Open Windows Explorer and navigate to C:\Windows\Fonts
Drag-n-drop the Harmony.ttf file to that folder - the font should then self-install and be there properly for you.

Enjoy!
Sherry