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Why does Synfire Pro crash so often?

Profile picture for user mikeb55
mikeb55
Posted

I'm new to Synfire by a couple of weeks. It is truly one of the most intriguing and frustrating pieces of music software I've owned (after working with computer music programs since the late '80s.)

My question is: Why does Synfire Pro crash so regularly?

I'm sure its my ignorance and I am willing to be enlightened. Please!.
I know I'm being vague at this point, but I would appreciate some clues as to what I'm doing wrong.

I've made some progress saving a few files, but today, when I've started.

I've sent a couple of crash reports to Andre. Uninstalled and reinstalled a couple of times on my 2014 MacBook Pro.  I have printed the manual out and read most of it a couple of times now.

I've watched nearly all the videos out there - before and after buying it around Christmas this year.

Whats happening is this:
Synfire Pro today is crashing with a new project I am trying to save for the first time.
Each time I try to save - no matter what I do, it just disappears and I have to restart it.

 

The only file that hasn't crashed is when I meticulously copied setting up a  Global Rack.
Like in this video: 

But do I have to do this each time I start a new project? Surely not!

I just dont' understand what I'm doing wrong.

Thanks for any suggestions.

I can tell this is a powerul piece of software, but right now I can't get very far with it and I don't want to give up - esp. considering the price!

 

Thanks,

Mike

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mikeb55
Fr., 12.01.2018 - 21:09 Permalink

Thanks Andre,

Your suggestion has helped:

In the meanwhile, in order to be able to safely save your work, please do the following:

1) Go to Preferences >> User Interface

2) Disable "Native Dialogs"

Regards,

Mike

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andre
Fr., 12.01.2018 - 22:52 Permalink

These file dialog crashes on macOS really caught us off guard. No matter how hard we try, we can't reproduce them here on any of our Macs, on any recent version of macOS. Seems to happen on particular hardware only.

Consequently, we are currently rewriting that code in "super clean paranoia mode", in the hope it will make this issue go away on all Macs out there. We hope to get an update out very soon.

Profile picture for user RobertoD
RobertoD
So., 14.01.2018 - 18:45 Permalink

Thanks Andre.

mikeb55, Andre is well aware about the issue: you are not the only one afflicted by the systemic crashes of MacOS... ;-)

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andre
Do., 18.01.2018 - 21:51 Permalink

Synfire 1.8.5 is now ready for download.

Lacking any possibility to reproduce the crashes here, we hope a clean rewrite of the affected code will do it. Please give it a try and report back. Also for the Mac, several issues with fullscreen mode and window graphics have been fixed (along with several other bugs).

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RobertoD
Do., 18.01.2018 - 23:49 Permalink

From a first test made opening, saving, editing and re-saving a dozen of different type windows (arrangements, libraries, palettes etc) it seems stable Andre.

I noticed that you fixed also the crash when closing a full-screen window.

Will perform more tests on next hours/days.

Thank you!

Roberto

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RobertoD
Do., 18.01.2018 - 23:53 Permalink

It seems that you fixed also the annoying "black background" effect when opening certain windows, such as "Online Updates"

Profile picture for user mikeb55
mikeb55
Fr., 19.01.2018 - 08:31 Permalink

Glad to hear about the new update for Macs.

Can you help me to access the download for updates?

When I go into Synfire and to the via the main menu Help / Online Updates, updates are greyed out / inaccessible.  (See Screenshot)

Thanks for any advice on how to access the update as it doesn't appear available to me.

 

Mike

Attachments
install_update_greyed_out.png

Profile picture for user mikeb55
mikeb55
Fr., 19.01.2018 - 11:02 Permalink

Thanks for the new update link Andre.

Hi Andre,

With the new update should I now re-enable "Native Dialogs"?

( You advised me priro the update to disable it.)

Thanks,

Mike

Bild entfernt.

 

Profile picture for user RobertoD
RobertoD
Fr., 19.01.2018 - 11:21 Permalink

After updating I found the Native Dialogs already enabled.

Still no crashes here. In general, the application seems also a bit more responsive, but could well be a subjective impression.

Best,

roberto 

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andre
Sa., 20.01.2018 - 18:40 Permalink

I'm glad it seems to work. Big relief.

Perhaps this time you hit the target, Andre.

Looks like that

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RobertoD
So., 21.01.2018 - 17:00 Permalink

Correct Bild entfernt.

No crashes in 3 days, Andre: I think I will take Synfire off the danger list Bild entfernt.

Profile picture for user mikeb55
mikeb55
Mo., 22.01.2018 - 12:18 Permalink

Since I started this thread, I thought that it was only fair to Andre and your colleagues to say thanks for the work put in and your helpful and rapid responses.

I know it can't be easy maintaining such a complex piece of software. I had looked at Synfire enviously for a few years, and jumped at the offer of a user selling his Synfire Express license and without hesitancy upgraded that to a Pro license. I am already composing music that blows my mind.

So again, many thanks - my Synfire Pro copy has been stable with no crashes since this recent update. Many thanks Andre to you and your team.

Regards,

Mike

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andre
Di., 23.01.2018 - 11:01 Permalink

This was one of the hardest bugs yet, because we could not reproduce it and therefore had no idea what exactly to fix. It was pretty much guesswork and hacking in the dark. I'm glad a clean rewrite and some streamlining did the trick.

I am already composing music that blows my mind.

Love to hear that. That's what Synfire was made for.