MSCAD 2005 ignores commands

cbunker · Post by **cbunker** » Wed Jul 19, 2006 7:37 am

We've run into this situation multiple times now on two different PCs - once on the first PC, and 5 or 6 times on a second PC. Both are running fully patched versions of Windows XP Pro, with SP1.3 applied to MSCAD.

At any given time, MSCAD will start to ignore commands, whether typed or chosen from a menu or toolbar. If it's one that we've chosen from a menu or toolbar, we'll see the command listed in the command window, but there's no response from MSCAD - not even an error message; we just get returned to the ":" prompt. The only way to fix it is to use the Task Manager to kill MSCAD, and then restart. Since the QSAVE command is ignored along with everything else, we can't even save the drawing that we're working on, and so lose our work since the last autosave. I haven't seen any other window/dialog box appear, or haven't been able to find one in behind another window that may be somehow stealing the focus and causing this problem.

We cannot reproduce this problem to test it. Has anyone else seen this, and have a fix for it?

Thanks,
Chris

Post by **Brian Sloman** » Wed Jul 19, 2006 9:07 am

Have you noticed any sort of pattern, ie if it happens after a certain command, or when working with a particular part of the program? MSCAD creates a log file showing which commands have been run, that we can use to see if something is not completing properly. If this happens again, please email the file C:\Program Files\MicroSurvey\MSCAD2005\ms_cb.txt to either myself or Glen, as it may shed some light on what is happening. This file is overwritten when MSCAD is started, so please make a copy of it or send it to one of us right away when this happens before re-starting the program.

cbunker · Post by **cbunker** » Wed Jul 19, 2006 9:55 am

No, we haven't noticed any kind of pattern - it's happening in different drawing files, and with different commands preceding this behaviour. If it happens again we'll copy that file and send it off to you or Glen.

Thanks,
Chris

Glen Cameron · Post by **Glen Cameron** » Wed Jul 19, 2006 12:36 pm

I have seen this a few times (or something similar at least).

In the cases I have witnessed, it had to do with the Dynamic Zoom or Dynamic Pan (often used while in COGO). It seems that if you use the commands from the toolbar, they do not always stop or exit correctly. Sometimes, using the wheel on the mouse to do a simple zoom in or out, or a pan, will sometimes get it to straighten out.

I have also seen it the other way round - where the mouse wheel was used to zoom in or out, or to pan, and get stuck, and picking the dynamic pan or dynamic zoom button will straighten it out again.

Maybe try these options if it happens again, and see if it helps.

Cheers,

rwhatman · Post by **rwhatman** » Wed Jul 19, 2006 12:59 pm

I have seen this problem and I know what is doing it.

The Problem is AutoSAVE. If you doing anything while AutoSave is saving. It will look as though you are in a Lockup and your not.

The first Clue to look at your cursor if it changes then the program
is saving. Just do a Quick save and you will see the cursor change.

On Large drawings AutoSAVE is very slow to save.

Doing what Glen does not fix the problem and does not hurt ether, if
force commands while it is saving you can lock it up for sure.

That's what I think. Since I figured this out I have not locked up once.

Richard Sands · Post by **Richard Sands** » Thu Jul 20, 2006 1:12 am

I have this happen and not sure it is just related to the Auto save. I wondered for ages whether the scroll mouse ( I use logitech laser and a Microsoft cordless on my Laptop) causes some disruption. I have never found a way to free my ignored commands other than shut down and restart. Time has no bearing on the outcome for me.
I also get times when if I use the mouse to select a layer to freeze nothing happens - the screen gives a blip and no change. Also unfreezing from the drop down list doesnt work at times. Only work around is to use I'Explorer to freeze/ thaw layers.
There's some odd things that happen (or dont) at most inapropriate time.
I notice a save may take a few seconds but a backup happens immediately - that seems odd to me.
regards Richard

rwhatman · Post by **rwhatman** » Thu Jul 20, 2006 6:20 am

Brian Sloman wrote:Have you noticed any sort of pattern, ie if it happens after a certain command, or when working with a particular part of the program? MSCAD creates a log file showing which commands have been run, that we can use to see if something is not completing properly. If this happens again, please email the file C:\Program Files\MicroSurvey\MSCAD2005\ms_cb.txt to either myself or Glen, as it may shed some light on what is happening. This file is overwritten when MSCAD is started, so please make a copy of it or send it to one of us right away when this happens before re-starting the program.

Hi Brian
Here is the Pattern load a large say over 1 mg.
Set AutoSAVE say for 5 min.
Draw a lot of polylines in that 5 min.

Here is what will happen you will type a command and nothing will happen.
It does not show up.
At this point you are waiting and waiting.
Now you see AutoSave if you are lucky.

AutoSAve only records to MS_cb.txt after it is done saving so that file
will never show the problem.

There may be nothing wrong with AutoSAVE, my only point I want to make is that it does not report on the command line till its done.

This the only thing I think that needs changing.

You push Qsave as example and it reports on the command first before saving. This is the way all programs should work.

Have a great day

ianw2 · Post by **ianw2** » Thu Jul 20, 2006 10:42 am

I've seen the problem occasionally (actually, rarely would be more appropriate). I’ve noticed that it only seems to happen after I abort a command mid-sequence by hitting the ESC button. It doesn’t happen all the time, but I suspect that it is a combination of auto-save AND ESC.

Once it happens, all I can do is save everything, shut down and start over.

It used to happen considerably more frequently with FelixCAD. IntelitCAD seems to have calmed this phenomenon down considerably.

tbunker · Post by **tbunker** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 9:52 am

Hi all,

I just experienced the problem as explained by Chris' postings. I walked away from the computer to do something for 5 minutes only to return to a non-responding session of MSCAD. I can click on buttons and the command lists as though it is running but quickly returns to the : - as per Chris' post. I am forwarding the file to Glen as suggested by Brian.

---> hey...Glen is correct in that it seems to be a problem with the panning. The program was not responding as it was stuck in the pan command, eventhough it was not listed in the command window. I tried the pan buttons on the tool bar with no luck then tried the wheel on the mouse. Voila...back to active commands. This has happened to me three times this week but now know the work around.

Regards,

Tim Bunker
Tim Bunker, H.B.Comm
T.A.Bunker Surveying Ltd.
Tel: 705-687-5883, Fax: 705-687-6377
P.O. Box 1180, 150 John St. N., Gravenhurst, ON P1P 1V4
(Associated with)
Landinfo Technologies Inc.
www.LandinfoTech.ca

MicroSurvey Software Inc.

MSCAD 2005 ignores commands

MSCAD 2005 ignores commands

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