PDF export aborted

[jclements]

I suppose my PC has something to do with the issue.

[charliescoffee]

Sledger, sorry about my short and somewhat curt reply last night -- it's no excuse, but I was tired and ending a very bad several days. Thanks for your help! You've been helpful so many times . . . You're great and very much appreciated!

I take it that you think the file size is the cause of the error and if we keep file sizes smaller it can be avoided.

Again, thanks.

[charliescoffee]

But, what I don't understand is why it will export a few times, even with a larger file size, and then shut off. Maybe it takes a few exports to wake up the error gnomes and get them working. Who knows!

[handrawn]

I've said it before - I'll say it again - I don't think it has anything to do with file size itself - it has to do with the size of the image[s]/brushes..et al, that are loaded into memory, and how your system deals with this

if memory is not released by your system, gradually that will build up to a point where there is not enough to use any more until you reboot

[charliescoffee]

Yes, Handrawn, what you say makes sense, except that when I reboot, and sometimes I've rebooted several times trying to get a file to export, I still get the error message. Nevertheless, I think you're coming closer to the problem than anything else I've seen. Thanks.

[Karateed]

It's my understanding that a 'reboot' doesn't necessarily clear out RAM completely, that you should probably be shutting your PC right down....ie: shutdown, not restart, and leave it off about 10 seconds.

I've had that experience that restart is not enough but a shutdown of 10 seconds works wonders at times.

It's certainly worth a try since nothing else seems to be helping much.

[handrawn]

depend on the M/Board I think - so yes good point

[steve.ledger]

According to the information I have been given, the way the process is technically implemented the export operation temporary doubles the memory used by the application. Roughly speaking, it makes a second copy of the document in memory that's used for the export process.
That's why you can happily edit and save some documents but you can't export them.
File size is of course relative to contents and .xar files are quite highly compressed when saved but while open and in memory they will be much larger. Large hi-res unoptimised bitmaps for example can slow things down as all the JPEGs are internally unpacked and could use 15 times more memory than JPEGs. As Xtreme is essentially a vector drawing app, the memory use requirements was not originally designed to be that high in comparison to raster editors which needed much more RAM than even swap files could assist with at the time, hence Adobe's 'scratch disc' system.
Although total physical RAM may be low, the system swap file should be able to accommodate the memory required for the export process if set high enough, it will be slower than physical RAM (and you may see 'not responding' in the title bar) but it should complete. Remember that Xtreme is a 32bit application and there are technical limits to how much memory can be addressed. Maybe one day Xara will develop a 64bit version, though there may be technical reasons why this isn't very likely.
In summary, there's a certain amount of prep' work needed before you press the export button or send to your home printer.

[handrawn]

nice summary Steve

[charliescoffee]

Yes, I understand, mostly. I also wonder if part of the problem is that my Win 7 is 64 bit. Also, I didn't mention that when the problem happens, the export function is turned off completely. So after trying unsuccessfully to export a file that's too large, I can't export anything else until I close the program and start it again. Maybe someday I'll have a computer that's got the capacity, and I'll have the skills I need, to do everything (like Sledger). Thanks, all.