AC Hang Problem on XP Pro

[Wayne Andresen]

Archive Creator 1.1 hangs under Windows XP Professional every time during the processing phase when the program reaches the last image (image #1537) in a single folder. The total archive size is 3.02 GB. There are six CD's that make up this attempted archive, and I have it set to place the index on each disk (the index takes up about 50 MB.) The computer on which this happens is a 2000Mhz Dell with 512 meg of RAM. There is 15.3 GB of free space on the hard drive. I have also maximized the cache setting. The hang up has happened on the six occasions I have attempted to do this archive. If I break these same 1537 files into eight different folders, then it will successfully complete the processing and allow me to advance to the burn phase.

Do you have any ideas as to what I may be doing incorrectly?

Thank you.

[MichaelT]

Wayne,

Everything looks OK. There is no reason that I can think of that would cause this problem.

I must be honest with you that while we test many large archives (10,000+ files, 10-20 Cds), I do not test with that many files in a folder, simply because that is not how my files are arranged. So I honestly cannot tell you that we have tested this precise situation. But certianly I can and will.

So let us look into things and get back to you.

Just for my reference, what type of images are these 1537..

file type?
average size

or is it just a mix of all kinds of files. Should not make a difference, but just looking for as much info as I can get.

Thanks for your patience..

[Wayne Andresen]

Thanks for your quick response.

All of the images were jpegs sized between 700 to 3200 KB, with the average size around 2100 KB. They were photos taken with a Canon D30 in the raw format, converted, and touched up with Photoshop. Only the final jpegs were being archived in this case.

[MichaelT]

Wayne,

Something has come to mind...

but first...

I successfully archived over 2,000 files in 1 folder, just to check that we did not have any inherent bug based on number of files in a folder (did not think so).

But...I then remembered that after the last image is processed, we do a bunch of file management stuff that involves the deletion of some temp folders that are used in the image creation process. On some systems and based on things like Norton Protected Recycle Bin or other background Windows things, this process can take a long time. In my test it took 35 seconds (this was withy Norton turned on).

So I think that what you are calling a "hang" is just Windows chugging along doing the file deletion and management that occurs at that point in the process. We put an message on the status var at this point, but Windows has decided not to print our message until AFTER it is done with is cleanup. So we will fix that so at least you know what is going on.

So please try again, and this time wait for a few minutes to see if in fact the process comes back to life, or there is another problem. Also, if you have the Norton or other background "helpers" (that is a matter of opinion ;>) tuned on, you may want to turn them off.

If the hang is truely a hang, then I can send you a debug technique that will tell us more of what is going in isde at that time.

Thanks and please let me know..

[Wayne Andresen]

I have completed more testing per your ideas and have come to the conclusion that for some reason, when there is a high number of files in one folder, my computer becomes very sluggish:

As you suggested, I left AC run longer on the 1537 jpegs before terminating the program. I found that with more time, the program would complete the first phase. The initial processing of the images took 4.5 minutes, and then it took another 24.5 minutes to generate the HTML Index. I then burned only the HTML Index on the first disk and that took another 20 minutes. So it would work, but not in what I would consider an acceptable time frame.

To determine if this long run time was due to conflicts with programs that were loaded on the startup of the computer, I then went to msconfig and disabled all the programs in the startup folder and rebooted. This time, the preceding sequence took 5.8, 25, and 18 minutes respectively. Obviously, no change. In fact, the computer was responding similar to how I remembered Windows 98 to act before the computer would lock up.

I then split the same 1537 jpegs into 8 folders (number of files between 109 to 356) and ran AC again. This time, Archive Creator took 16 minutes to process the images, followed by slightly less than 2 minutes to generate the HTML Index, and only another 2 minutes to burn the index on the first disk. A significant improvement and probably normal times.

In summary, there appears to be something that fowls up the computer's memory when there are a large number of files to process in one folder, but when those same files are split across several folders, the computer is able to process them normally. I can get along just fine with several smaller folders and will proceed in the future with fewer files in more folders.

[MichaelT]

Wayne,

I appreciate your willingness to work with the smaller folders, but I would like to dig deeper and see whay this is happening. In my ests (about 2,000 images in one folder) all times were within normal realms.


Admitedly my files were lots of very small JPEGs not the 1.x MB files that you were using, but I don;t see what this should hurt, infact it might help the timigs as there were less files to deal with. if you are willing I would like tp pursue this with you to see what thses long times are cocurring as we do not see this here and I wilould like to see what in your system or procedure is causing the long times.

For a start could you download the Belarc Advisor, rutn the program and send me the resultant output HTML. This will tell me all about your system, and will be held in confidence.

The address to get this free program is here...

http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html

Please advise if we can work together on this. Thanks...

[Wayne Andresen]

I'd be happy to work further with you. I have downloaded Belarc and am ready to send the info from my compuer, but do not wish to post it on this board. How can I send it directly to you?

[MichaelT]

Thanks...

Please send to...

AC@pictureflow.com