Compiler freezes sometimes

[charliecoutas]

Les, does the semicolon character have any significance in Positron?

I have a source which, for no apparent reason, freezes for about 34 seconds during Compile. "PreProcessing File", at 10%, then after 34 secs it completes compilation but there are no results; no ASM or anything.

I always use a semicolon for a comment (I know about quote) because I have done so for the last 50 years! If I replace the semicolons with quotes it doesn't happen!   Vsn 4.0.6.2

No urgency.

Best
Charlie

[top204]

There may be something in your code that the preprocessor does not like, so it will be going through lots of iterations to find out what to do with something it has found, so it will look like a freeze.

A semicolon is recognised by the preprocessor as a comment, along with the quote, so that should not be it.

In your code listing, look for a preprocessor meta-macro ($define), using another meta-macro that is changing the original one, because this will give problems with all pre-processors. I've made that type of mistake a few times, and the preprocessor has locked me out for a while, until it times out.

Regards
Les

[charliecoutas]

Thanks Les. I don't use any pre-processor stuff. The fault comes and goes, I can compile the source, no trouble. Then the next compile (no changes made) hangs. My previous laptop did this also. Very odd but I can live with it.

Best
Charlie

[John Lawton]

You may have some odd characters in your file that are tripping up the compiler/parser. Try cleaning up the file or try an earlier version if you have one to see if the problem goes away.

John

[top204]

Check your anti-virus, 'virus', that you have on your machine.

Anti-virus programs are, usually, actually worse than a virus or trojan, and they block programs all the time and scan them, and sometimes destroy them, or make a program crash with lagging. So when a program is compiled, it is usually different to the last time, and the anti-virus will trap the files and scan them, and send details of the files to a third party!!!

I had this happen all of the time, and it got so annoying, I now compile on a virtual machine that has nothing on it, so it is fast. Then I check files on another virtual machine with two virus checkers that can do no annoying on my main machine.

Regards
Les

[charliecoutas]

Thanks Les, John.  I only have the Win10 virus checker but this has been happening for years, on and off. I'll check but nearly all my sources have done it at some time or other. No worries.

If I alter the text, add a couple of blank lines, the problem goes away for quite a while.

Charlie

[flosigud]

I had a problem like this until I stopped using Avast and switched to Windows Defender. It works flawlessly and is silent.

[charliecoutas]

Thanks.

[Fanie]

Since yesterday I got this message when I try to run Positron Studio, attached. Before this it worked fine.
I re-installed but the problem persist.

I'm using the previous IDE currently.

[charliecoutas]

At the end of the freeze, I think there is a message which follows "PreProcessing File". But it is only displayed for a few milliseconds. I have tried slo-mowing it with my phone but without success. I have checked my source file and there is nothing odd (apart from my coding).

Charlie

[Stephen Moss]

I have tried slo-mowing it with my phone but without success.

If you are using Windows then perhaps the record function of the snipping tool will capture it better, as it probably capture each frame whereas you phone may not.
As with image clips select New, define the capture area with your mouse, then click the start button that appears and manually scroll through the recoding to try and find a good image of it. 

[charliecoutas]

Many thanks Stephen, I didn't know about that. Of course, it hasn't happened for a while now! But I'll be ready when it does.

Charlie

[PicNoob]

Probably unrelated but for posterity if you're using windows 11 I'd locate ProtonIDE outside of the main windows folder. For some reason windows 11 applies extra security to anything within the windows folder including caches file changes which can lead to oddities.

[charliecoutas]

PicNoob: No, it is not in there but thanks for the suggestion. I am on Win10 and have no intention of going Win11.

Stephen: I can't find a Snip Tool with a "Record" button, I downloaded the "latest" from MS but still no button.

Charlie

[Stephen Moss]

PicNoob: No, it is not in there but thanks for the suggestion. I am on Win10 and have no intention of going Win11.

Stephen: I can't find a Snip Tool with a "Record" button, I downloaded the "latest" from MS but still no button.

Charlie

Maybe the record option is not available in the Windows 10 version of the snipping tool and there is a separate screen recorder app in Windows 10.
If you open the snipping tool in does the Menu bar the New button, then a camera icon for taking still images, then a video camera icon for recording video?

If so, select the video camera icon, then click on the New button.
When you use the mouse to draw the video capture area a new little menu bar thing should appear at the centre of the screen top of the screen showing a Start button, to the right of that is an elapsed time indictor, then a Microphone and a Monitor icon. Click the Start button to start recording video.

[charliecoutas]

Thanks Stephen. Snip, select New, no camera icon. Drag out the area, still no camera icon. I must be on the 18th century version of Win10. The problem has gone away, for now.

Charlie

[Stephen Moss]

If you have the Windows key on your keyboard try Windows Key + Shift + R, if there is a screen recorder of any kind on your PC that should open it up.

[charliecoutas]

Cheers! It is Windows Key/ALT/R

Charlie

[charliecoutas]

It worked!! I recorded the screen with me shifting the cursor around. But now Win/ALT/R either does nothing or it opens Skype! Win/Shift/R does nothing. I'm giving up on this, life is too short. Thanks for the help.

Charlie