IODisplay Runtime Crashing - Windows Error

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IODisplay Runtime Crashing - Windows Error

travis1286 07-09-2008, 8:45 AM
EDIT: We have the "PAC" software, not the "I/O". Sorry for the confusion.

We are using PAC Project Basic with Windows XP to control atmospheric conditions within enclosed chambers. After saving our interface in PAC Display and loading Runtime, our program operates normal for roughly 45 minutes...then crashes. A MS Windows error pops up asking to send an Error Report and we can restart Runtime and it runs great until the next crash in about 45 minutes time. I did some searching on here and took the following actions:

-Un-checked "Enable Runtime Operator Action Logging" in PAC Display "Configure/Runtime/Security".
-Removed all anti-virus software.

Neither made any difference, it still crashes as it did before. I know others have had this same issue...any help is appreciated as we are unable to do any long term testing when our system keeps malfunctioning like this. Thanks,

Travis

Re: IODisplay Runtime Crashing - Windows Error

gmitchell@optomation.es 07-10-2008, 4:58 AM
It may be helpful to logon and check out the knowledge database.

https://www.opto22.com/site/documents/kbarticles.aspx

Introducing the text Runtime Crash will return an interesting variety of related problems with running PACDisplay under Windows. Its amazing what obscure features of Windows will intereact with PACDisplay functionality. One of my favourites is KB49838 associated with memory leaks when you do not use the defualt windows theme for your desktop. Its not clear whether you are using XP ServicePack2, but I would strongly recommend it if you are not using it.

Another popular one is KB49838 associated with random crashes due to a conflictive .dll file that may be preinstalled by other software running in your PC. Version control and overwriting existing .dlls has never bwwn a strong point of the Windows operating system. You can find a patch at www.opto22.com/site/downloads/drilldown.aspx?aid=3535

Hope this provides some help. It would also be helpful to know the revision of PACProject you are using.

Re: IODisplay Runtime Crashing - Windows Error

travis1286 07-10-2008, 10:30 AM
Thanks for the response.

I am running Windows XP w/service pack 2. I have been in contact with some Opto support people and using the articles and suggestions they provided along with my research, this is what i've tried up until now:

-Switched from Windows XP package 2 theme to Windows Classic, as mentioned in a thread in this forum.
-In PAC Display, un-checked "Enable Runtime Operator Action Logging" in Configure / Runtime / Security.
-Removed all anti-virus software from my laptop.
-Removed original PAC Project version 8.1 we were using, installed version 8.2 in place of it.
-Removed file "cw3220.dll" and replaced with the updated file.

I also heard from an Opto support advisor that our computers may be the issue. I'm using an ancient IBM T30 and my fellow intern is using
an IBM T43.

Re: IODisplay Runtime Crashing - Windows Error

gmitchell 07-15-2008, 12:12 AM
The IBM T30 from 2002, is not so new, but not so old either, assuming its got enough RAM and isnt overheating with the stress. But its not a bad idea to try another computer although don't try one thats "too new" or you may find a different problem. See KB80147 OptoDisplay, ioDisplay and PAC Display may have problems on PCs with dual-core processors, although according to Opto22 this is fixed with 8.2a software.

Its not such a bad test to set up a new simple PACDisplay project, scanning a few variables, trending, reporting, alarms using relatively high scan rates to see whether the computer falls over. Is so, its probably not your Display project that is at fault and could indicate a hardware problem. If you project runs successfully on another computer then its definitley your laptop.

Re: IODisplay Runtime Crashing - Windows Error

travis1286 07-15-2008, 4:40 AM
Thanks for the tips.

I switched all of the software over to a very lightly used IBM T41 because the T30 was about to die. I ran the same program, and it crashed after 40 minutes of Runtime. The T41 has 512MB of RAM, which should be enough for this program...I thought. I also played with the settings in PAC Display under "Configure - Runtime", but nothing seems to be working.

I then created a simple Display program with only one input tag and one window. I ran the program for 2 hours and it never missed a beat, no errors, nothing. Perhaps a data logging/storage issue?

I archived my strategy and display program and sent them to a tech support at Opto. He's going to run the program and see if he gets the same error. If he doesn't, like you said, we'll know that our laptops are most certainly at fault.

Re: IODisplay Runtime Crashing - Windows Error

travis1286 07-22-2008, 11:56 AM
Just an update for others having similar issues...

We discovered that the combination of our old(er) laptops and our large Display program were too much for our system to handle. To "lighten the load", we staggered all of our refresh rates on our trends and set conservative refresh rates for our input values. As a result, we are now able to run our program for long periods of time with no errors.

Although, we are getting the same error on occasion, but only if we hit two keys at once, click too many times, or little things like that. We're still working on trying to figure out this error.....

Re: IODisplay Runtime Crashing - Windows Error

ebahr 07-24-2008, 2:59 PM

I am having the same issues with PacDisplay 8.2b. I will have to try managing my refresh rates different because this might be my problem too. It's weird because it used to work just fine then some of my x-y graphs decided they wanted to re-size themselves in Runtime, so I deleted them and re-created them and started to get frequent errors. So I deleted them off my display completely and I still get the errors. Not sure whats going on, but it is very frustrating seeing how all of the important data that needs to be collected is sent to the computer via PacDisplay.

And as a side note, my computer is a P4 2.3GHz with 1GB RAM and XP SP2.

Re: IODisplay Runtime Crashing - Windows Error

travis1286 08-01-2008, 12:21 PM
Ebahr, we just fixed our second error problem, the one that happens when pushing two or more keys at once or clicking the mouse too fast. I received a zip file containing the latest Runtime beta updates from an Opto rep and extracted them into my PAC program. We've been beating on the keyboard and mouse trying to create the error again (which we could easily do prior to the updates), but it seems to have been repaired because we have been running all day with no errors. Give that a shot and see if it helps your case.