Frequent crashing on using shortlist and grid view

[MacSa Profile]

Hi,
I´m using SPE mostly for replacing backgrounds in some of my photos.

Honestly I find that currently the software does not really work stable enough in that area to allow a stable workflow.

SPE crashes on my system frequently when having added about 10 effects to the shortlist and then trying to get to see the shortlist (after I have marked the background area).

Also when switching from effect grid view to effect single view a couple of times, usually in about 2 out of 10 cases SPE crashes.

Those crashes are especially annoying, as I usually loose my marked background: When I marked the background and then confirm it, SPE moves to effect browsing but won´t let me save as a session until I have selected an effect ... which very often causes the crash

My environment: SPE 1.18.6, Win 7 64 Bit, 6GB Ram. Pictures are 16 Bit TIFF files from RAWs.

I like the improvements in user interface - but what are the plans to stabilize the program?

Thanks - MacSass

[admin]

Hi MacSa,

We have found a problem in the selection tool that can cause instability, which has been fixed and will be in the next version we release. We always want to hear about crashes from users so we can try and fix them. Are there any reproducible steps you can tell me that get it to crash? I've tried loading a picture, selecting the background, then adding 10 or more effects to the shortlist and viewing them, but that works for me. It might depend on the effect, or even the picture.

Tony

[MacSa Profile]

Hi Admin,

sounds good hoping for the next release then.

Here is an easy way for me to reproduce it:

- Start SPE, select "Replace Background sample" (guy with jacket on a bridge). Select "Area" -> Background, make selection and confirm to start browsing effects
- From the grid view select "Nightscape border" to get a big picture with the effect
- On left side select button "grid view" to get back to grid view
- SPE crashes when alternating from single effect view to grid view and back, if you do it 2 - 3 times

The number of alterations from "singe effect view" to "grid view" and back, before the crash actually happens, varies from effect to effect, e.g. with "Blur" I needed to do it about 5 times before it crashed, while with more complex effects it crashed after 2 alterations.

Hope that helps to fix it -

MacSass

[admin]

Hi MacSass,

Thanks so much for those steps, it's really useful to have such clear steps to reproduce the problem. I've tried many times on my PC but it doesn't occur for me, so we're going to try it out on other computers to see if we can reproduce it. It is still possible that the next release will fix it also.

Tony

[MacSa Profile]

Hi Admin,
thanks for the feedback - intersting it does not happen on your installation.

Maybe any of the other users can try the steps above to see it is happening elsewhere or only for my installation?

Regards - MacSass

[admin]

Hi MacSa,

We've tried this on several PCs and have so far been unable to reproduce the crash. Instead I'm sending you a beta version you can try via private message to see if the problem is fixed.

Tony

[MacSa Profile]

Hi Tony,

thanks for the support. I downloaded and installed the private beta and in fact I was not able to reproduce the crash anymore.

For testing I went back to 11.18.6 ... and unfortunately the crash was not reproduceable anymore as well. I could change from grid to single effect view as often as I wanted with no crash.

Sometimes I hate software

So I guess what ever caused that - it might have been related to my install of 11.18.6. Next time I make sure I do a re-install before I post some potential bug.

Nothing to worry about for you for the next release, I guess - thanks for your support -

MacSass