Cues (fades) stop working after some amount of time

[remco_k]

Trying to find some more info about this problem.

I have a strange problem in FreeStyler, when running Cues, fades in sequences suddenly just stop running after several hours.
They appear to run on screen (seeing the sequence/step counters increment) but the DMX data is not send out.
Steps with 'snap' DMX values are still running okay, fades dont. Stopping and starting the associated cues doesn't solve it.
Not one "fade" step in a sequence works anymore. Never. Until FreeStyler is restarted.

Since a few months I have contact with Raph (the Developer) about this issue, but we just cant get our hands on this, as he can't reproduce the problem I have on my laptop.
I'm still trying to get this issue reproduced on other machines, no success either. (same setup, same sequences...)
So it must have something to do with something on my laptop, but what...
Tried various things offcourse, among others disabled sleep functionality and energy saving capabilities.
I did'nt start this topic for ideas what could cause this on my laptop.
But I did start this topic because I want to know if more users having the same kind of problem. Trying to get a reproducable situation.

Testing is easy: setup a new location, add one moving fixture who you love. Make 2 scenes: 1 who controls for example pan and tilt with "fade" functionality. And the second scene changes the colors with "snap".
Run those 2 scenes at the same time in the Cues screen and then leave your computer alone. In my case, withing 2,5 hours the fades stop working.

[LJ_krede.dk]

Question

I have run the two cues for 1½ hour with the "virtual Interface" without any problems

do you have to have your fixture connected using usb interface?

[remco_k]

It takes about 2,5 hours everytime, then the problem occurs.
I'm thinking about video tapeing/screen video grabbing the moment to get hold of the exact time whenever this occurs. Maybe something is to be seen on the screen also.

The interface type doesn't matter. I Have it with the Velleman K8062/VM116, as well with the Enttec USB DMX pro and virtual interface. It is something internal in FS, because manual controlling of the same fixture(s) still responds okay and sequence steps made with 'snap' are also send out correctly. Just 'fade' steps don't work at all anymore.
Some other things that I've ruled out already;
It occurs with and without magic 3d easy view enabled. NTP timesync also doesn't influence this behavior.
WLAN and LAN connections doesn't influence this behavior. (Had them connected, unconnected and disabled in windows)
Sleep and standby functionality can be on or off, same problems.
Screensaver: I hate those.

Funny thing is I only have it on my laptop.... Going to verify that one more time to make sure thats still the case. (since this problem is arousing (good english word?) me from day one since I started using FreeStyler).
CPU load is below 10% so my laptop is powerfull enough, although its an sweet old thing. (HP/Compaq nx6110 with 1GB mem)

In fact I'm trying to find 3 things:
1. A reproducable situation for Raph. If that can be achieved, he can find the source of the problem much easier. And therefore you could call this: a way to find the solution.
2. A way to work around the problem.
3. A way to 'restore' the problem without starting FS.

[remco_k]

Little update:

Funny thing is I only have it on my laptop....

Here I was wrong. I have it on all computers I have access to. (in total 4 machines, completely different from eachother)
Its just so easy to get this problem; add 4 par64, make 2 sequences, 1 with 2 steps with fades, the 2nd one with 2 steps with snap. Just let Par1 crossfade to Par2 and Par3 hard switch to Par4. Or something similar. It does not really matter as long as there is running a sequence with fade.
Start those sequences both in the Cues and then just wait..... and wait...... and wait......and wait......and wait......
Until 2.5 hour (or longer) is passed. And then, suddenly, the fades are frozen (DMX values don't change anymore). The snaps are stil going on.
I have this problem even on a virtual machine inside VMWare on a Linux server, clean windows install.

Until today Raph (the developer) did'nt manage to get his hands on this problem. So I've granted him remote access to the virtual machine having this problem. Now he has something to work with. He has seen the problem for the first time with his own eyes and thinks he is on to something. I'm glad, because I have been struggling with this a long time.
Hopefully its a problem that can be solved.

I doubt that besides me no one else have this problem. Maybe it stays undetected most of the time because fades are less often used and maybe because it just happens after several hours. Also everything in the Cues seem to work just fine.
The lights just stop doing what they should be doing, because the DMX output stops for the faded sequence steps.

[lightingtech88]

remco_k,

I just wanted to inform you, I have the same problem as well.

Let's say I'm running 4 dimmers with 16 pars. I run 1 cue, that has multiple fading scenes within it. I run the cue for a little while and everything is running smoothly. After about 2.5 hours, the lights freeze. Freestyler and the cue are still running normally (the scenes in the cue are still changing) but it just stops sending dmx output.

I just wanted to let you know you're not the only one experiencing the problem.
And if you can convince Raph to fix the problem, that'd be great!

[remco_k]

Well, Raph is on it allright!
Glad more people experience the problem. Raph also pointed out when this problem does and does not seem to occur. I'm testing that at the moment.

It does occur when in the FreeStyler setup->Preferences->"Cue multiselect always enabled" is enabled.
It does not occur when in the FreeStyler setup->Preferences->"Cue multiselect always enabled" is disabled. (But still more cues can be started at the same time using a keyboard shortcut "Multiselect". Set that to CTRL (or something you like) and you still can start multiple cues at the same time. But this time, the system keeps on going! (Don't forget to restart FreeStyler after disabling this option, otherwise the fades will still lock up)

So there seems to be a workaround for now. Maybe a solution is coming up later. But for that, Raph needs to sort things out. He has a test system en has all the neccesary info on this.
This also tells why not all people have this problem, since not all people are using multiselected cues.

[LJ_krede.dk]

hey,,, just to be sure and getting out of trouble when i'm using freesyler live today

does the submaster work with servereal cues/sequences on going if the multiselect is turned off?

dont want to restart freestyler in middle of the show,, dosent look great

[remco_k]

I don't know that.
What I do know in the meantime is that the above workaround doesn't work for me. The fades still lock up after some amount of time.

[LJ_krede.dk]

i ran into troulbe yesterday when i did some lighteffects for a band. i dont know if lts related to the problem remco_k are talking about?


1) i made some sequences with 4 Par64 fading them up and down in specific order.
2) i put the sequences (about 10) in a cue and added it to the submaster (one of my favourite features in FS)
3) I selected one of the sequences and pressed run in the submaster windows.. it worked as it should
4) I pressed the button (on my BCF) for tap sync three times. worked as it should.. the lights was changing in the same tempo i pressed on the button.


the problem:
5) when i want to stop the tap sync i right clicked on the master speed bar in the cue window. ---> all running sequences stopped.. i couldnt get them running again, had to restart freestyler.

NOTE: the running sequences at that moment was with fading, not snap... tried to run a sequence with snap but didnt seem to work
the problem orccured before 2,5 hour

i cant remember if the multiselect was checked in options... i would have to check next week.

i will try to reproduce the issue (on a other computer)

I have experienced this problem before and reported it to raph who fixed it..

[LJ_krede.dk]

i will try to reproduce the issue (on a other computer)

same problem happened, even with sequences with snap. the multiselect was not enabled

[remco_k]

Hi,

Thats a known problem. Its fixed in the next version.

Furthermore Raph is getting somewhere with the locked fades. It seems he has found what is the problem. Now al we need is the solution. And that last step is the hardest.