RockSim 8 free form fins

[Rocket Al]

By any chance, has anybody had any problems with RockSim 8 designing rockets using the free form fin sets? I've even downloaded the upgrade to 8.0.0.5, and it still hasn't fixed the problem. The problem comes in when I go to use the tool, and attempt to grab a point on the default fin planform. The mouse pointer turns into the little "pointy finger", but the point doesn't move, and nothing works to unstick it (can't cancel, can't close the window) the program essentially freezes. I have to hit alt-ctrl-del, which unfreezes it, moves the point that I was trying to move to the point where I last stopped moving it, but then I have to cancel out the windows task manager so I don't lose what it is that I couldn't finish. Tim and his programmer were on top of this about a week ago, and I heeded their advise not to uninstall and reinstall the program. But now, I haven't heard anything for about a week or so, and I'm trying to do some work, and have to rely on RockSim 7. I'm running Windows XP Home edition, SP 2. has anybody else noticed whether they have the same problem?

Thanks for your time.

Alan

 

[11bravo]

Alan-
No, sorry, I don't have the same problems and I too am running V8, but mine says Version: 8.0.0f5(Prod) and XP Home, SP2 and I have not been able to replicate the problem.
I did have problems with the free form editor BEFORE I updated to this version, maybe 8.0.05 is a tad older.
My problems were not what you describe though.
Mine would just sort of put the points roughly where I wanted them.
Not that it'll help, but you may look in the Preferences pane in the Plan Points page, I have all those little check boxes "unchecked" as they seemed to cause things to be hinky and I seem to get along (better?) without them.

Having been a computer tech in a past life, I'll ask some questions that I don't want you to get offended at:
I'm betting it is a memory issue at some level, so that being said:
1 How much RAM do you have? Enough?
2 Are any memory intensive programs running at the same time? Windows Media Player and other such are memory HOGS.
3 When you got into Task Manager, did you check the Processes and Performance panes? Not that anyone outside of MS R&D have any idea what all those things REALLY are, but often you don't need to know, you just see something using a lot of memory.
4 Except for the incredable (unreasonable/unnecessary) headache built into RS to activate it, why not uninstall and reinstall? From a computer tech stand point, that makes just a tad less sense than telling you that you have a hosed product disk and you need to buy another. Maybe just do another install into the same directory. There IS a reason that even Windows will let you do another install to fix something that is corrupt. Sorry, but that bit of advise just makes no sense to me.
5 Crap, there was a #5.....
crap, crap, crap...OH!
5 Does this happen all the time, as in EACH time or periodically? Frequency? Notice any patterns as far as anything else running at the same time, even if not something considered memory intensive?
I'm sure you've been through these things, just reminding you in case not.
Good luck,

Greg

 

[Rocket Al]

Greg,

Not offended at all. Took all that into consideration. Not a memory problem (or shouldn't be, at least) I do animation and composite at film resolution on this computer regularly, and that doesn't slow it down. As a matter of fact, a few months back I would work RockSim 7 while waiting for After Effects to finish rendering a file at the same time, so I don't think that's an issue.
I habitually, when not on the 'net, even disable alll my protection, and pretty much everything else running in the BG, just to make sure that I'm not wasting resources. When I have rockSim running, I rarely exceed 6 or 7 % CPU usage.

I've not heard back from Tim or Paul for a while. I'll probably go ahead and uninstall/reinstall, contrary to their suggestion, just to see if that works. Actually, I may try to see if it will work on my other computer first, as it's running XP SP2 as well.

thanks for your input.

Al

 

[11bravo]

Al-
May not be a memory issue (or is it problem? ) and seems you've put quite a bit of thunking into it.
But I still bet it is memory related; a hang, wherein something is supposed to give up memory addresses that it is no longer using, but for some reason doesn't.
Could be from some bit of spyware, fargin', rotten, bastiches seem to be able to still get some past even really good protection.
However, I'm now betting there is something that has gotten corrupted.
If so that's when the reinstall will work wonders.
If you are better at creating restore points than I am you could try that.
Never done it.
Out of curosity, does this still happen if you restart (shut down and wait a minute before starting back up, not just "restart machine") the machine and ONLY run RS?

Greg

 

[Rocket Al]

Well, since that last post, did do a complete uninstall, unregistered, cleaned the registry of any traces of the progrm, reinstalled.... no dice. Updated to 8.0.0.5f....still no dice. Am going to do the full battery of Ad-Aware, Spybot, etc etc to see if there is something there creating the problem. All thhe other fins (simple, tube and ring) all work fine. I can even add points in the comple fin graph to my heart's contenet. But as soon as I try to select a point to move, it all screeches to a halt.

Ah well.....gonna go post about some new stuff I saw at Wal-Mart today...

Al

 

[11bravo]

Well, in that case....
Me thinks you got yourself a gremlin.
Only thing to get rid of them is fire.
Lots and lots of fire.
Just do it outside so the Mrs. doesn't get too upset.
And whatever you do, resist all temptation to put the fire out with water!!!


Good luck,

Greg

 

[Nerull]

Originally posted by 11Bravo
Only thing to get rid of them is fire.
Lots and lots of fire.

Direct exaust from an O5100 static test into the computer?

 

[11bravo]

Be a good start.

Greg

 

[Rocket Al]

Since the really big 'puter in the basement has no internet hookup, I think I'll try loading t down there to see if it works on that one. hafta call to do the registration, so that will have to wait for business hours. I'm really gonna be verklempt if it doesn't work on that one. Actually I may be even more confused if it does work.


Al