Taskmgr shows multiple Alpha5.exe running

[Michael Humby]

Hi All,

I've started this thread hoping for some input to establish what causes multiple occurrencies of Alpha5.exe when running Taskmg or by using crl_alt_del. It seems to happen in all versions since V4.5. It can cause problems when backing up or rebuilding indexes if another .exe is still running.

Ideally, I would like to use xbasic to check and close down automatically unused .exe's

It is not a problem in development or on our own PCs, we can accept this.

I recently connected remotely to a clients PC and there were 3 occurrencies running in taskmgr but only the one actually in use. I had another client with an ageing laptop showing 7 or 8 occurrencies in taskmgr but only the one showing on the desktop.

Hope others can throw some light on this.

Michael

[DaveM]

Re: Taskmgr shows multiple Alpha5.exe running

Michael,

I have had this on occasion with runtime. It was where alpha was started more than once and the 2nd, 3rd and so forth had been shut down some way on start up. Also, while developing and alpha shut down because I messed something up. When I restarted alpha, the other(sometimes more than one) instance of the exe was still there. That only seems to be a problem in developement.

I never had it happen otherwise.

Not sure what others have seen and it will be interesting to see what they say.

.

[martinwcole]

Re: Taskmgr shows multiple Alpha5.exe running

Michael, here is a script that I use to prevent runtime users from opening more than one instance of Alpha. Note: it will only work (for me) if I have a form (like 'master_menu') that opens and NEVER closes, and this script is on the 'onactivate' event for the form: otherwise, crashes will sometimes leave a5 open.

lastuse=toseconds(time())
'Date Created: 29-Nov-2009 07:06:12 AM
'Last Updated: 29-Nov-2009 07:35:10 AM
'Created By  : martin cole
'Updated By  : martin cole
on error goto errors
dim temp as c
if a5_is_runtime() .and. a5.Get_Master_Path() > "" 'ignore if T/S
 dim list as C
 dim recs as N
 dim opens as N
 dim win_name as C
 list = upper(Sys_id_enum() )
 recs = occurs(crlf() , list) + 1
 dim progs[recs] as C
 win_name = a5.window_title
 n = len(alltrim(win_name))
' msgbox("","" + win_name)
 opens = 0
 progs.initialize(list)
 for i = 1 to recs
     if left(alltrim(progs[i]), n) = win_name
         opens = opens + 1
     end if
 next
 if (opens > 1) then
  parentform.code.canexit=""
  ui_msg_box("Error", "The program is already open. Check the Taskbar", UI_STOP_SYMBOL)
  a5.close()
  end 
 end if
end if 
end 
errors:
err_msg = error_text_get(error_code_get())
line = error_line_number_get()
script = error_script_get()
ui_msg_box("Error", err_msg+" Error occurred at line "+alltrim(str(line,4,0))+ " in script: "+script)
end

[Michael Humby]

Re: Taskmgr shows multiple Alpha5.exe running

Martin,

I am not too worried if a client opens the runtime more than once, the problem I would like to overcome is when they do only have a single runtime open ctr_alt_del processes shows more that one instance of Alpha5.exe as running even though it was closed using A5.close(). In this scenario there is nothing showing on the taskbar.

A customer could have opened the program, then closed, then re-opened and there would be nothing showing on the taskbar but the closure does not always remove the Alpha5.exe from Windows Taskmanager's running processes.

Michael

[martinwcole]

Re: Taskmgr shows multiple Alpha5.exe running

hmmmmmm

I have had this happen - very seldom though - but it has been when the program (but not A5) crashed/closed from a problem of some sort.

[Michael Humby]

Re: Taskmgr shows multiple Alpha5.exe running

I'm pretty sure that there is something amiss in my app since it has been converted from an old V4.5 into V10. I can always trap the fact that another .exe is showing because my rebuild indexes will warn that another table is open but even if the user closes and re-opens the second instance will still be showing as a running process. The only way out is crtl_alt_del and 'End Process' not an ideal solution.

I was hoping that this recent V10 build fix that closes tables after running operations would cure the problem but I have experienced it again with this new build.

If I can trace the cause then I can maybe fix it but one of those unpredictable events. I've tried A5_ForceCloseTables() but this does work.

Just hoping someone else may have found an answer.

Michael

[martinwcole]

Re: Taskmgr shows multiple Alpha5.exe running

I'm not sure how you do this, but if there was a way to get a count of a5 exe's running, you could start by putting tracers in all the logical places where you think it might be occuring, and if greater than 1 write to a table the form/button/etc where it occurred

[Michael Humby]

Re: Taskmgr shows multiple Alpha5.exe running

I've tried A5_ForceCloseTables() but this does work.

Should read this does NOT work.

Michael