Xara Extreme 4.0 Locking Up

[handrawn]

well you can :

close down/save all other apps

disconnect from web

shut down all antivirus/firewall etc still running

if it has not unlocked then - well if you know what you are doing technically, there are other processes you can try shutting down, but you really do need to know what you are doing to avoid more harm than good

it may be a hardware problem as sledger indicated

[steve.ledger]

Close ALL unnecessary programs, close all un required system tray TSRs (notification area icons) and try again. This includes any *security software and especially *ZONEALARM (if you have this installed)
*Remember to disconnect from the internet while you do this.

If the problem persists, run some ram tests

Also run scandisk:
Press the <Start> button.
Click <My Computer>.
Highlight the disk which you want to scan for bad sector on the list of Hard Disk Drives.
Open the <File> menu and select <Properties>
Select the <Tools> tab.
Click the <Check Now...> button.

You can also try uninstalling Xtreme, rebooting install and run ccleaner (including the 'Issues' feature) - reboot and then reinstall Xtreme.

[steve.ledger]

Bloody hell!!!!!!
Again cross posting with SteveJ.

OK - I'll go do some work and come back later

[handrawn]

its cos I can't see you sledge [just kiddin ]

[raynerj1]

I have had xara gag on many large bitmaps and hang. If you can get xara to respond, you could try deleting any unused bitmaps from the bitmap gallery. This might let you have enough room to at least save the new file.

I had about 2 gb of ram and had about 30 full page bitmaps in the file. More ram gives you more room before xara gags, but she is not unlimited.

I have gaged PS and CD on smaller files than what xara can handle.

[tsmithf]

I've had locking with Xtreme 4 Pro for quite a while as well, it's particularly apparent when working with imported PDF's, the attached file being a good example, this is only a small element from an architects CAD drawing that needed a quick overlay, and wasn't the only element that caused Xara to lock at max CPU.

Other elements within the converted drawing were editable just fine, so it's not the whole xara file, but a lot of elements like this, usually containing groups of separated objects cause a lock up when editing and specifically selecting the nodes by windowing, I would be interested to see if anyone has the same problem with this snippet.

Normally we work with the CAD, but that wasn't available by the deadline, and theoretically Xara can do a decent quick job, but this locking up problem has occured more than once, and has occured when editing imported pdf drawings, although it should be noted not from the same source.

Is there possibly a bug in the PDF importer?

[Soquili]

Hi tsmithf,

Welcome to Talkgraphics.

I've opened your .xar file but need an example of what you would be doing when the lock up occurs.

I've selected some nodes and changed their locations, essentially distorting the shapes and moving them about. No indication of a lockup or even increased CPU usage so far.

Ah...I spoke too soon. I've selected a large group of nodes and now Xtreme is showing the wait cursor.

Only 50% CPU usage but Xtreme 4.0 Pro is still showing the wait cursor after several minutes.

[Egg Bramhill]

Welcome to the forums tsmithf. Yes there are problems with your xar file. For example the shapes import as one line. After selection and Arrange / Break shapes your left with 69 objects. There are 34 visible rectangles. On closer inspection the other 35 shapes are lines with no length, really like single node object. Delete all these, it's not difficult if you drag select. However your problems are not over as the 34 remaining shapes can't be filled. They are complete shapes but they have no fill property.

I couldn't duplicate a crash and I find these very rare in XX, but there's problems with your pdf. Perhaps you could attach it here? The problem may not be one of Xtremes, how was the PDF created?

[tsmithf]

At least it's not just me then

I suspect the process that's causing the problem is only single threaded, as it also only locks one CPU core.

I'm not sure how long you may have to wait for it to come back, I seem to remember the last time I had the problem it did eventually come back, I waited that time as I had made the cardinal sin of not saving for a very long time, but this time I gave in after 5 mins.

[Egg Bramhill]

Hi Bill, see you were posting same time as myself. I think the problem may be caused by these single node object. Each rectangle has one in each corner, the left one has 2 single node objects.