I am running Absolute Telnet 3.65 under Windows 98 SP 1. I had the identical behavior with A.T. 3.50 and 3.63.
I establish a PPP connection to my ISP with MS Dialup Networking. I start A.T. in order to log into a Linux shell account on the ISP's server. I have a shortcut icon on the desktop pointing to a .tnt file. When things work, they work correctly, and I am happy.
Unfortunately, they do not always work. Sometimes I click on the icon and A.T. does not seem to start, even when I have no other applications running. Nothing happens. If I then try to start, say, Windows Explorer, it will not start, either. Ctl-Alt-Del shows a task for A.T. running, but nothing is happening. If I cancel the task, one of two things happens. 1) After a time I get the screen to cancel the A.T. task. When I cancel it, Explorer then starts, and the A.T. task cancels. 2) On the other hand, sometimes trying to cancel A.T. will in fact start it, and I get the usual login screen from my ISP. If I reject the Windows cancellation, all is well, I can login to the server, and Explorer also starts in a window, which I then close.
This behavior of A.T. failing to start even though the task list shows it is completely unpredictable. I can usually eventually get it started after fiddling with cancellations, but it is a nuisance. I am happy with A.T. except for this annoying bahavior.
[size=1][ February 09, 2005, 12:30 PM: Message edited by: Brian T. Pence ][/size]
Paul,
I hope I can help work through this issue, but I have a few questions first...
1. When AbsoluteTelnet doesn't start, is there an item on the TaskBar for it?
2. How often would you say this is happening? Multiple times a day, daily, weekly?
3. Do you run any firewall software on your PC?
4. Do you run in a single-monitor or multi-monitor configuration?
5. How long do you wait before cancelling the App? Have you tried waiting an extended period of time to see if it will eventually come up? While this is still not acceptable behavior, it could still provide a clue as to why this is happening.
6. When you say that sometimes cancelling the app starts it, do you mean you actually hit the button to terminate the app, or that Absolute actually starts operating just before you hit the final 'kill this app' button?
Thanks for your help!
Brian
...My replies interpolated:
1. When AbsoluteTelnet doesn't start, is there an item on the TaskBar for it?
...No.
2. How often would you say this is happening? Multiple times a day, daily, weekly?
...Probably two or three times a week (i.e., two or three times out of ten).
3. Do you run any firewall software on your PC?
...Yes. Norton Personal Firewall.
4. Do you run in a single-monitor or multi-monitor configuration?
...Single monitor.
5. How long do you wait before cancelling the App? Have you tried waiting an extended period of time to see if it will eventually come up? While this is still not acceptable behavior, it could still provide a clue as to why this is happening.
...I have never pulled out a stopwatch, but I have probably waited a minute or two. Sometimes it eventually comes up and sometimes it doesn't.
6. When you say that sometimes cancelling the app starts it, do you mean you actually hit the button to terminate the app, or that Absolute actually starts operating just before you hit the final 'kill this app' button?
...Just before I hit the final button, i.e., just as Win presents the message box to end the task or to cancel the operation, A.T. will sometimes come up. This is after using the Ctl-Alt-Del sequence in WIn98 to bring up hte taks list. For me, "coming up" is connecting to the ISP server and presenting the shell login screen.
Are you doing telnet, SSH1, or SSH2 connection to your shell account?
Telnet.
I know you said the error is unpredictable, but can you force it to happen by repeatedly starting and exiting Absolute?
I've never tried. Usually when I start A.T. I do it to establish a telnet session with my ISP and leave it at that. Sometimes a session will go on for an hour and a half, and many days I do it only once. I can try it, although it will be a day or two before I can get to it. (Friday is always busy for me.)
Give it a try when you get a chance. Knowing how to reproduce the problem is 95% of fixing it.
Brian
Paul,
I'm theorizing about a possible cause of this problem.... In version 3.50, I added a feature that numbers each AbsoluteTelnet window with a unique session number. To do this, I first enumerate the open windows to see what the MAX session number is and then add one for the new session.
My theory is that some other hung window (from some other hung or waiting app) is causing the window enumeration to hang. The reason I'm going down this path is that there are only a few things that occur prior to creation of the window (and the line item in the task bar). This is one of them, and it has the potential to be affected by interactions with other windows and programs.
It's even possible that Explorer is not being hung waiting on Absolute, but that both Absolute and Explorer are hung waiting on some other resource! Have you ever noticed Explorer hanging without AbsoluteTelnet even having started?
It's possible that if you always start Absolute, then Explorer, you've made an assumption that Explorer is hung waiting on AbsoluteTelnet. For awhile, try running them the other way... Explorer and then Absolute. See if Explorer will hang first. Do this for a couple of days, or as long as it takes to convince yourself that it does or does not go both ways.
Does this usually happen after a fresh reboot or have you noticed it also at random durations after a boot?
Did you ever try a version prior to 3.50?? If so, did you notice this problem there?
Your feedback and assistance is greatly appreciated!!
Brian
I'm theorizing about a possible cause of this problem.... In version 3.50, I added a feature that numbers each AbsoluteTelnet window with a unique session number.
...I noticed that. Usually the A.T. session number is (1). However, I recall on one occasion seeing (2). That was some time ago, and I do not remember the circumstances. I don't think I had another A.T. session running, as I only use it for one purpose: to login into my Linux shell account on the server. It ordinarily works very well for that one task I have for it, and therefore I have been satisfied enough with the product that I have been willing to spend my money on it.
Have you ever noticed Explorer hanging without AbsoluteTelnet even having started?
...Not that I can recall. But my memory is not as good as it used to be.
It's possible that if you always start Absolute, then Explorer, you've made an assumption that Explorer is hung waiting on AbsoluteTelnet. For awhile, try running them the other way... Explorer and then Absolute.
...I can try that.
Does this usually happen after a fresh reboot or have you noticed it also at random durations after a boot?
...It most often happens after I have had Win98 up for some time (I always shut it down at the end of the day) and doing various things, the only thing of importance using the same PPP connection is having run Mozilla 1.7.2 earlier. (I keep Mozilla minimized to the system tray after I close it for the "fast startup.") HOWEVER, the hang sometimes occurs almost first thing after a fresh reboot or initial power-up and Windows load. It just seems to be more common after I have been running a while. (And, for whatever it's worth, I can run A.T. and Mozilla at the same time over the same PPP connection, although I do not ordinarily do so.)
Did you ever try a version prior to 3.50?? If so, did you notice this problem there?
...The first version I used was before 3.50, but I do not recall the version number. However, I do not *remember* the problem occurring before 3.50. (That's not to say that it didn't happen, but if it did, I don't remember it.)
....I still will not have the opportunity to try these other things until later. I just noticed some email notifcations that you had made further replies and jumped back.
Paul,
Based on my theories in a previous post, I've recoded the feature I mentioned. I use a less error-prone method of doing the same thing (using EnumWindows() instead of FindWindow()) in the Windows API. I still haven't been able to reproduce the error, so I'll need you to give the new code a try. Let me know when you get a chance...
Thanks a bunch! Brian
I downloaded the new version, but I am tight on time for the next day or two, so it may be Wednesday before I can get to it. Please refresh my memory. Do I install over the top of what I already have, or do I de-install the old version first?
Paul,
No hurry. Just install it and use it as you normall would. I know from the erratic nature of the problem that it may take a few days of clean runs before we're convinced that this new version is any different or better. Also, be sure to start explorer first before you start Absolute to see if explorer is haning on Absolute or both explorer and Absolute are hanging on something else...
Just install it over top of your previous version!! No muss, no fuss.
Before you do, though, you may want to try and see if you can recreate the error by stopping and starting AbsoluteTelnet (3.50 or similar) very quickly. If you can, then try doing the same thing with 3.77 to see if the problem is gone.
Brian
I started to install 3.77, but the process failed. It had gone only a short way until it aborted with the error message that the source file is corrupt.
[size=1][ February 16, 2005, 07:54 PM: Message edited by: Paul O. Bartlett ][/size]
What is the size of the file you downloaded?
Brian
