Flowcode6 and legacy WinXPsp2/3 failures

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choskins
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Flowcode6 and legacy WinXPsp2/3 failures

Post by choskins »

There has to be a serious problem with the Boostc PIC part of the Flowcode6 compiler process and WinXP sp2 / sp3. I have now installed the trial on 3 different xp systems in order to get the Boostc compiler to work with absolutely no joy. The PIC16, AVR and ARM works perfectly on my test machines but the standard Boostc PIC compilation is a dud.
Machine 1 Win XP sp3 - Flowcode 6 hangs (actually crashes the OS) when compiling with Boostc. End up with watching a bunch of dots trailing accross the compiler window ad infinitum
Machine 2 WinXP sp3 laptop - PIC 18 does compile and assemble to HEX but any PIC 12F and 16F produces an Error Code 118
Machine 3 WinXP sp2 - same hardware as Machine 1 but running inside a VMware virtual workstation. The virtual XP platform is a virgin Microsoft installation platform i.e. XP sp2 and no other apps other than Flowcode 6. - Result = Completed Boost C compilation, return = 255. This happens within about 4 seconds of hitting the Compile to HEX option in Flowcode.

IN ALL CASES PIC16, ARM AND AVR WORK PERFECTLY THEREFORE THERE HAS TO BE A BUG IN THE BOOSTC HANDLING MECHANISM OR COMMAND SCRIPTS THAT ARE INCOMPATIBLE WITH THE OS.

It would seem legacy testing with Boostc Flowcode 6 and WinXP sp2/3 has been minimal and to be honest as a potential purchaser of the product I'm currently not sure this is an encouraging sign. I also note in the forum there have been other problems regarding XP freezing up so I suspect the testing with XP has been glossed over. This needs to get sorted! For the record, the installation path in all tests was the default c:\program files\Flowcode 6\.

The tests consisted of a simple loop (loop 1 - forever) with a 1 ms delay inserted in the middle of the loop. Nothing more. The files were saved to the c: drive and then compiled to HEX - except that in the case of the Boostc compiler the entire process falls flat on its face at the assembly point on machines 1 & 2 and at the compiler point on Machine 3.

================================================
LATE UPDATE 2.14am EST

Since writing above have now tried (with special permission from my other half) the demo on my wife's HP Win 7 high powered office laptop and just want to let you know the compilations work perfectly across the board PIC, PIC16, AVR, ARM so the problem IS with legacy WinXP

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JonnyW
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Re: Flowcode6 and legacy WinXPsp2/3 failures

Post by JonnyW »

Hello. We have not seen this here (my home PC is Win XP, and we have XP 32 and 64bit VMs here).

Unfortunately with 3 different XP machines and 4 different results I can only guess at the problem without more info.

For each compile (maybe not any that lock up) there is a .msg.txt file generated. Can you post or cut-paste the text in all outcomes, including the successful 18f compile, it might give us something to go on. Error code 118 from BoostC is a failure to attach the license - can you try running this in admin mode and see what happens?

Do you have a virus checker on your PC - is it consistent across all PCs (except the VM with nothing on it)? It is possible this is flagging something in BoostC as a virus and preventing it from running.

Any more details you can provide would be very helpful - hopefully we can fix this issue.

Jonny

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Re: Flowcode6 and legacy WinXPsp2/3 failures

Post by dazz »

Hi
Have you tried the step in this post
http://www.matrixmultimedia.com/mmforum ... 54&t=12697
Regards
Dazz
To sign up to the V5 forum follow this link http://www.matrixmultimedia.com/forum_upgrades.php

choskins
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Re: Flowcode6 and legacy WinXPsp2/3 failures

Post by choskins »

Johnny

OK give me a little time to go back and record the txt file o/p from the compiles. To answer your questions about virus checkers they are either switched off or not installed and in all cases I am logged on as machine admin. Interesting about you mentioning a possible license issue. I assumed, maybe incorrectly, that as I had gone through the trial registration process (manually) and got the "x number of days remaining" showing in the help>about window that Flowcode was registered but I suppose it's always possible BoostC isn't seeing the license for some reason.

choskins
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Re: Flowcode6 and legacy WinXPsp2/3 failures

Post by choskins »

Here is one of the report files.
WinXP sp2 logged on as admin (also same txt msg when starting up flowcode.exe by right clicking and selecting "run as..." deselect radio button to protect computer etc.) BTW There is a .c file created so the compiling takes place. The code 255 seems to be generated immediately after the .c file is created.
I'll do the laptop next as soon as I can get the battery charged up.
===============================================================


Target folder: C:\DOCUME~1\ADMINI~1\Desktop
Source name: C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Desktop\Flowcode1.fcfx
Title:
Description:
Device: PIC.16F.16F88
Generated by: Flowcode v6.0.1.0
Date: Tuesday, September 24, 2013 12:51:45
Users: 0
Registered to: 51789736
Licence key: TCUF02
NOT FOR COMMERCIAL USE
http://www.matrixmultimedia.com
Launching the compiler...
C:\Program Files\Flowcode6\compilers\pic\boostc\boostc_16F.exe -v -t PIC16F88 "Flowcode1.c"
Completed BoostC compilation, return = 255

C:\Program Files\Flowcode6\compilers\pic\boostc\boostc_16F.exe reported error code 255


FINISHED

choskins
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Re: Flowcode6 and legacy WinXPsp2/3 failures

Post by choskins »

Here is the text report from the XP laptop. It seems that the PIC 16 is now able to start compiling as well as the PIC18 before the 118 error. I can't explain why the sudden change other than that I started Flowcode using the "run as account" and deselected the radio button referring to computer protection.
==========================================================================================

Target folder: C:\PROGRA~1\FLOWCO~1
Source name: C:\Program Files\Flowcode 6\Flowcode1.fcfx
Title:
Description:
Device: PIC.16F.16F88
Generated by: Flowcode v6.0.1.0
Date: Tuesday, September 24, 2013 22:39:43
Users: 0
Registered to: 51789736
Licence key: TCUF02
NOT FOR COMMERCIAL USE
http://www.matrixmultimedia.com
Launching the compiler...
C:\Program Files\Flowcode 6\compilers\pic\boostc\boostc_16F.exe -v -t PIC16F88 "Flowcode1.c"
.........................................
Launched program C:\Program Files\Flowcode 6\compilers\pic\boostc\boostc_16F.exe
Launching BoostC...
....................................................
Launched program C:\Program Files\Flowcode 6\compilers\pic\boostc\boostc_16F.exe
Completed BoostC compilation, return = 118

C:\Program Files\Flowcode 6\compilers\pic\boostc\boostc_16F.exe reported error code 118


FINISHED

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Re: Flowcode6 and legacy WinXPsp2/3 failures

Post by JonnyW »

Hi.

Thanks for getting us those reports. There seem to be a couple of issues - it appears my XP machine at home is immune to them all, probably because of the apps I have installed.

Anyway, the first issue we have replicated is that one of the files needed .NET to run on XP. This has been fixed now and is probably responsible for the 'WinXP sp2 logged on as admin' issue.

On a clean XP-32bit machine this then reports tdf.dll is corrupted or missing. We are looking into this, hopefully BoostC has updates to fix it. Either way, we can package the .NET issue in the latest patch.

The 118 error is BoostC protection could not be applied. Once it is applied once things will start to work, but PIC is different from all the other platforms as it uses its own protection on top of ours. I have no idea why 18Fs worked and 16Fs didn't though, but glad it is sorted.

Jonny

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Re: Flowcode6 and legacy WinXPsp2/3 failures

Post by acestu »

Hi Jonny,

Just a quick note, most of the time I use my laptop with Flowcode 6, now sometimes I will get the 118 error when trying to program a device but I keep trying and about the fourth attempt it will program as if there has never been anything wrong... a bit weird but I have not tried since patch 6 on 29/09/13.

cheers
Acestu
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Re: Flowcode6 and legacy WinXPsp2/3 failures

Post by JonnyW »

Hi. Without much detail on the BoostC security, there is a time limit between applying the security to BoostC in Flowcode and launching BoostC - it can not be run outside of Flowcode.

I think this time limit is quite tight, and if something stalls opening the process then the security window can be missed and error 118 is returned. Perhaps I can try temporarily raising the priority of the task or something in order to let it kick in if running it is flakey.

Jonny

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Re: Flowcode6 and legacy WinXPsp2/3 failures

Post by choskins »

acestu wrote:Hi Jonny,

Just a quick note, most of the time I use my laptop with Flowcode 6, now sometimes I will get the 118 error when trying to program a device but I keep trying and about the fourth attempt it will program as if there has never been anything wrong.
Acestu
yes, I have also encountered this and I also sometimes get a msg. along the lines of "Error: can't run BoostC without supported application". That's not the exact wording but it's along those lines and supports what Johnny is saying about the tight time allowance on the BoostC security recognition. I really hope Matrix gets all these problems sorted out.

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Re: Flowcode6 and legacy WinXPsp2/3 failures

Post by medelec35 »

I too have seen the 118 error.
when that occurs, not knowing reason for error I just selected file, Reload and then compiled ok for me.


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Re: Flowcode6 and legacy WinXPsp2/3 failures

Post by acestu »

Hi Jonny,

I have noticed that if my laptop is doing something else in the background and dragging its heels, then when I try to compile a pic project it can take 25 - 30 attempts before I don't get the 118 error, and I suspect that this is when the CPU is taking a break......

This fits in with what you say here:

" I think this time limit is quite tight, and if something stalls opening the process then the security window can be missed and error 118 is returned. Perhaps I can try temporarily raising the priority of the task or something in order to let it kick in if running it is flakey. "

thanks
Acestu
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Re: Flowcode6 and legacy WinXPsp2/3 failures

Post by Rudi »

JonnyW wrote:Hi.

Anyway, the first issue we have replicated is that one of the files needed .NET to run on XP. This has been fixed now and is probably responsible for the 'WinXP sp2 logged on as admin' issue.

On a clean XP-32bit machine this then reports tdf.dll is corrupted or missing. We are looking into this, hopefully BoostC has updates to fix it. Either way, we can package the .NET issue in the latest patch.


Jonny

Hi Jonny,

i am new in FC6.
I bought it with Chip Packs..
After i run test in PIC18F2550 i get "tdf.dll is corrupted or missing"

You wrote, that is perhabs in clean xp 32 maschine..
i have a clean xp 32 with the all updates and SP3

I read the tip with .net - so i installed .net framework 4.0
I read the tip with admin acount - so i start FC6 from a normal user.

All time i get the "tdf.dll is corrupted or missing" message if i try to build the hex.

i am sitting more as 6 hour at this maschine but i do not know the right way.,...

you wrote, "This has been fixed now and is probably responsible for the 'WinXP sp2 logged on as admin' issue."...
i have install the 6.0.4 patch too... no change - this message comes all time: "tdf.dll is corrupted or missing" ?

The other - i test FC6 as a trial before i bought the prof version with chip packs.. and had install it to my "old" laptop with xp 32 sp3... this xp is last updated .. SP3 ...
but i can build all fine....

i do not know what is missing at the new pc with new win xp sp3...
i have standard install + .net 4.0 i have install separat.

Do you have any idea what i must make more?...

the file "tdf.dll" is still under

c:\Programme\Flowcode 6\compilers\pic\boostc\tdf.dll


I have install Flowcode as admin - was this wrong?
( On Laptop i install the FC6 Trial as admin too but it runs well..)



Thank you for your help!

Best wishes from Germany ;-)

Rudi

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Re: Flowcode6 and legacy WinXPsp2/3 failures

Post by JonnyW »

Hello Rudi.

I am sorry to say I have not got any further with this. You ave installed .NET and this problem persists?

I will see how things go here and raise the priority of this issue to let you get on with things.

Cheers,

Jonny

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Re: Flowcode6 and legacy WinXPsp2/3 failures

Post by Rudi »

Hi Jonny -

in last try - i have try a manual update in windows -
and ... there where 3 updates that was missing? - because - now its running!

TiP
fresh window after all update...
make a manual update at finnish -
there 3 updates as "update for update"
this will not install automatic -
so do it manual and all is good!

best wishes

Rudi

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Re: Flowcode6 and legacy WinXPsp2/3 failures

Post by JonnyW »

Hi Rudi. Thanks for getting back on this.

Problems like that are nearly impossible to replicate - a specific set of updates in a certain order, so I am glad you got sorted in the end, I don't like thinking that users can't even get to use the product which is a real shame.

Anyway, thanks for letting us know, we will make a note of this for any similar future issues.

Jonny

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