Final Writer no longer working?

[trydowave]

Hi. This program was working. Now its decided to stop.

When starting Final Writer, the screen flickers fast, the whole system crashes, reboots and then I get this Guru in red:
error 8000 0003 task: 08209bc8 (this one has changed)

and this guru in orange:
error: 0100 0003 task:080119d8 (sometimes this one doesn't come up?)

Haven't done anything recently except mess around with my screen modes.
I think I read somewhere that there's a bug in Final Writer that doesn't like screen resizes? Is this true?

Thanks
Tony

A1200
3.1 roms
ACA 1232 128mb
Indivision AGA MK2cr
OS3.9 WB Classic
SCSI CDRom

[emufan]

Try to rename "Finalwriter:FWFiles/FW.Prefs" - i think this is global preferences file for Finalwriter.
renamed or deleted, finalwriter will ask for screen-mode again, if you start it.
tested here FinalWriter97.

[trydowave]

I'm afraid this didn't work.
Tried to rename the file from FW.Prefs. to FW.Pref. System froze after running the program.
Changed the file name back to normal and then backed up FW.Prefs to another drawer.
Deleted FW.Prefs completely from FWFiles drawer.
System crashed when running final writer. This time it rebooted and gave me the gurus.

[emufan]

hmm, was just a try
start your amiga without startup-sequence . change into the finalwriter folder and execute in the shell: assign env: ram:
start finalwriter and see what happens - one requester for "PRINTERS:" will pop-up, just cancel it. tested it with FW97 here.

[trydowave]

i only get amigados when i load without startup. I have no amidock and I don't know how to open the shell without it.
Any chance you can lead me through this process step by step.

Thanks
Tony

[emufan]

sure

( Shell icon you can find on your system-partition in the "System" folder )

when you start or reboot the amiga, hold both mouse-buttons, you get the early startup-screen.
one button there is "without startup-sequence" - push this and you will see a amigados window.
if your fw-directory is on , lets say "DH0:FinalWriter" - type:

cd DH0:FinalWriter
assign env: ram:
finalwriter

this should start FW and present you with the screen-option of fw or just start FW into it's userinterface - hopefully
if this does start FW w/o crash, then some software you have installed, is the source of the crash - this will be tricky to find out.

btw: did you installed the BoingBags for OS 3.9? which did you already installed?

[trydowave]

Hi. FinalWriter is in a folder called Workbench. This is DH0. Inside DH0 is another folder called Programs. Inside that is FinalWriter (drawer) inside that is FinalWriter the program itself.

Would it therefore look like this:
cd DH0:Programs:FinalWriter:FinalWriter
Ive tried different ones incl the way you told me to do it. None of them worked.

I don't remember installing anything and i used Finalwriter really recently. I used it to open my start up sequence information to export it to a html document in order to show someone on amibay. That's all. Very strange.
What about reinstalling FinalWriter. Do you think that would work?

Thanks
Tony

Both Boingbags have been updated. I don't think you can install OS3.9 without them.

[emufan]

almost - try:

cd DH0:Programs/FinalWriter
assign env: ram:
finalwriter

Both Boingbags have been updated. I don't think you can install OS3.9 without them.

the BB1 and BB2 were the two offical updates for OS3.9 - later the community made BB3 and BB4.
BB3 is stable, but BB4 is work in progress - so thing may not work as expected - but it does update a lot.
just trivia - if you have BB1 and BB2 things should work.

which version of FinalWriter do you have installed?

[trydowave]

Ok. It worked this time when I selected options:
open new screen
colours 8

The program also when I choose the option to run same as workbench.

Not sure about what version it it? It was part of either OS3.9 or WBclassic. Is there a file within the drawer to check?

thanks
Tony

[emufan]

it does work, if you start "without startup-sequence" ?
version information, after you start FW, i first menu: Project ---> about

if you have different version - you can try FinalWriter97.
you can install this next to your version - when installer ask for location - choose: "DH0:" only - it will create a folder called finalwriter.

[trydowave]

Mine says: Final Writer - Release 5 - creted Jun 7 1996.

btw. is 97 the top one on your list?

[emufan]

Originally Posted by trydowave

Mine says: Final Writer - Release 5 - creted Jun 7 1996.

btw. is 97 the top one on your list?

yes , first link, it contains 9 floppy-images. just install - maybe it does work better with your config.
but install to location "DH0:" only, not "DH0:Programs" - so it does not overwrite your FW5 version

[trydowave]

ok. Did all that. Took frigging ages slowly transferring those adfs from my xp laptop to the ol A500.
Installed it onto the A1200 but it still doesn't work. It crashes exactly the same way as release 5 does?

I'll try and make a video of the crash and put it up on youtube later.

[emufan]

hmm, so both version work - if you start your amiga "without startup-sequence" - right?

what you can try:
1) open a shell (dh0:system/shell)
2) type:
rename dh0:WBStartup dh0:WBStartup-OFF
3) reboot amiga and test again, both versions

wbstartup hold some tools , which gets loaded , if the workbench starts.

if this does not work, reverse the changes:
1) in the shell, type:
rename dh0:WBStartup-OFF dh0:WBStartup
2) reboot again

next you can attache your s:startup-sequence and s:user-startup.
maybe we find a tool which may cause the trouble.

if you make the video - you can start snoopdos - this does list things, a program is looking for, when it gets started.
maybe it is already on your amiga, came with ClassicWB ?!
move/arrange its window - then start FW, so we can see what FW does until it crashs

[trydowave]

Video of my A1200 crashing: [ Show youtube player ]

This crash was quick. Sometimes it lingers a bit. But that graphical glitch is always the same. Looks to me like some kind resolution problem.


I will try the shell stuff tomorrow when I have time.
In the meantime attached are my start up sequence and user start up. I hope they tell you something (below)

Question. I have snoopdos. But if it crashes how can it save the report? Is it saved in a specific folder for instance?

Thanks
Tony

start up sequence

c/ACATune -maprom * >nil:
; Added by ADAPCMCFL-Installer
FailAT 11
C:CardPatch

C:CardReset TICKS 50
C:CardPatch

;ClassicWB Startup-Sequence
;--------------------------
;OS39

;Start OS3.9 Checks
;IF EXISTS C:SquirrelSCSI
; C:SquirrelSCSI
;EndIF
;Set SCSIUpdate 1
;IF EXISTS C:IDEFix
; C:IDEFix
; Set SCSIUpdate 0
;EndIF
;IF EXISTS SYS:Expansion/XSurfIDE
; Set SCSIUpdate 0
;EndIF
;IF EXISTS SYS:Prefs/Env-Archive/NOSCSIUPDATE
; Set SCSIUpdate 0
;EndIf
;IF $SCSIUpdate EQ 1
; C:SetPatch QUIET

;CD32 Startup added by Squirrel SCSI Installation
IF EXISTS S:CD32-Startup
C:Assign T: RAM:
Execute S:CD32-Startup
EndIF
;End CD32 Startup

;ELSE
C:SetPatch SKIPROMUPDATES "scsi.device" QUIET
;EndIF
;Unset SCSIUpdate
;End OS3.9 Checks

C:GetMouseInput LOCAL

IF $MouseInput EQ 1
Unset MouseInput
C:Assign >NIL: ENV: RAM:
C:Assign >NIL: T: RAM:
C:Execute S:Maxmem-Sequence
EndCLI >NIL:
EndIF

IF $MouseInput EQ 2
Unset MouseInput
C:Execute S:Bootmenu-Sequence
EndCLI >NIL:
EndIF

Unset Mo useInput

IF EXISTS C:StackAttack
C:StackAttack
EndIF

C:Version >NIL:
FailAt 21

IF EXISTS SYS:WBstartupD
C:Rename >NIL: SYS:WBStartup SYS:WBStartupM
C:Rename >NIL: SYS:WBStartupD SYS:WBStartup
EndIF

Resident >NIL: C:IconX PURE
Resident >NIL: C:WBRun PURE
Resident >NIL: C:Assign PURE
Resident >NIL: C:Execute PURE
Resident >NIL: C:SetEnv PURE REPLACE

IF EXISTS L:env-handler
C:MakeDir RAM:T RAM:Clipboards
L:env-handler
ELSE
C:MakeDir RAM:T RAM:Clipboards RAM:ENV RAM:ENV/Sys
C:Copy >NIL: ENVAR C: RAM:ENV ALL NOREQ
Assign >NIL: ENV: RAM:ENV
EndIF

IF EXISTS C:PatchRAM
C:PatchRAM
EndIF

IF EXISTS C:TagLiFE
C:TagLiFE
EndIF

Assign >NIL: T: RAM:T
Assign >NIL: CLIPS: RAM:Clipboards
Assign >NIL: REXX: S:
Assign >NIL: PRINTERS: DEVS:Printers
Assign >NIL: KEYMAPS: DEVS:Keymaps
Assign >NIL: LOCALE: SYS:Locale
Assign >NIL: LIBS: SYS:Classes ADD
Assign >NIL: HELP: LOCALE:Help DEFER

IF EXISTS C:BlazeWCP
C:BlazeWCP
EndIF

IF EXISTS SYS:System/FBlit/FBlit
SYS:System/FBlit/FBlit
SYS:System/FBlit/FT ext
EndIF

BindDrivers
C:Mount >NIL: DEVSOSDrivers/~(#?.info)

C:LoadMonDrvs

SetEnv Language "english"
SetEnv Workbench $Workbench
SetEnv Kickstart $Kickstart
UnSet Workbench
UnSet Kickstart

IF EXISTS C:CyberBugFix
C:CyberBugFix
EndIF

IF EXISTS C:IconBeFast
C:IconBeFast 0
EndIF

C:AddDataTypes REFRESH QUIET
IF EXISTS SYS:System/VPrefs/VisualPrefs
Run > NIL: SYS:System/VPrefs/VisualPrefs
EndIF
C:IPrefs
SYS:System/FPalette/FPPrefs
C:ConClip

Path >NIL: RAM: C: SYS:Utilities SYS:Rexxc SYS:System S: SYS:Prefs SYS:W



user start up.


;ClassicWB User-Startup
;----------------------
;OS39

IF EXISTS C:AntiClick
C:AntiClick
EndIF

Execute S:Assign-Startup

Assign >NIL: LAUNCH: SYS:System/BMenu/Files
Assign >NIL: VMEM: SYS:T
Assign >NIL: AWEB_APL: SYS:Internet/AWeb_APL

C:Copy >NIL: S:Ram.info RAMisk.info
Run >NIL C:RamSnap

;BEGIN MUI
IF EXISTS SYS:System/MUI
Assign >NIL: MUI: SYS:System/MUI
IF EXISTS MUI:Libs
Assign >NIL: ADD LIBS: MUI:Libs
EndIF
IF EXISTS MUI:Locale
Assign >NIL: ADD LOCALE: MUI:Locale
EndIF
C:Version >NIL: exec.library 39
IF NOT WARN
IF EXISTS MUIocs
IF EXISTS HELP:dummy
EndIF
Assign >NIL: ADD HELP: MUIocs
EndIF
EndIF
EndIF
;END MUI

C:xfdPatch >NIL:

Run >NIL: C:XpkMasterPrefs

IF EXISTS C:BorderBlank
C:BorderBlank
EndIF
;BEGIN SquirrelSCSI
SquirrelSCSI >NIL: MOUNT
;END SquirrelSCSI
;BEGIN SCSIMounter
Path "SYS:SquirrelSCSI/SCSIMounter" ADD
;END SCSIMounter
;BEGIN Miami
assign Miami: "Workbench:"
;END Miami
;BEGIN AmiTCP/IP
Assign AmiTCP: "Workbench:Genesis"
path AmiTCP:bin add
Assign APIPE: Exists > NIL:
IF Warn
Mount APIPE: from AmiTCP:devs/APipe-Mountlist
EndIf
;END AmiTCP/IP
;BEGIN WirelessManager
Run <>NIL: C:WirelessManager prism2.device
;END WirelessManager
;BEGIN AmiSSL
Assign AmiSSL: "S

[emufan]

the crash comes really fast
snoopdos slows down the startup-process , and would give additional some text we can look at.

some parts of startup-sequence and user-startup are missing it seems - you could just transfer both files and attache them here, instead of copy/paste

two things which manipulate the graphics library functions:

IF EXISTS C:BlazeWCP
C:BlazeWCP
EndIF

IF EXISTS SYS:System/FBlit/FBlit
SYS:System/FBlit/FBlit
SYS:System/FBlit/FT ext
EndIF

disable / rename only one thing at a time - if FW still crashs, revert changes and try the next one.

again in a shell you can disable:
1) rename C:BlazeWCP C:BlazeWCP-off
2) reboot and test FW

revert if it does not help:
1) rename C:BlazeWCP-off C:BlazeWCP
2) reboot again

same with fblit:
1) rename SYS:System/FBlit/FBlit SYS:System/FBlit/FBlit-off
2) reboot and test

reverse changes:
1) rename SYS:System/FBlit/FBlit-off SYS:System/FBlit/FBlit
2) reboot

the WBStartup folder seems to get used by ClassicWB, so you can try to disable the folder, as described above:

1)in the shell type:
rename dh0:WBStartup dh0:WBStartup-OFF
2) reboot amiga and test again, both versions

revert changes, if it does not help:
1) in the shell, type:
rename dh0:WBStartup-OFF dh0:WBStartup
2) reboot again

some programs i've never seen before, PatchRAM and TagLIFE.
C:LoadMonDrvs and C:CyberBugFix - no clue, but graphic and monitor-driver related i think.

[trydowave]

Before I start messing with shell could I accomplish the same thing by putting or taking away comments ';' in order to turn them on or off?

Or do I have to go the shell route?

Thanks
Tony

[prowler]

Yes, of course you can tinker with both your startup sequence and user startup files by using the Editor to add and remove semicolons to switch comand lines on and off, but you would be well advised to make backups of each file before you start messing with them in case everything goes horribly wrong.

[trydowave]

back ups of the start up and user files themselves right? Does anything else have to be backed up?

Ill make a complete image back up of my cf before proceeding as well just to be safe.

[emufan]

backups are always a good idea.
the changes i described above, are a bit easier, than comments in the startup-sequence, since you have to comment-out several lines:

before:
IF EXISTS C:BlazeWCP
C:BlazeWCP
EndIF

after:
;IF EXISTS C:BlazeWCP
; C:BlazeWCP
;EndIF

so it's easier to just rename "C:BlazeWCP", so the "IF" command fails and skips the lines till "ENDIF"

------------------------------------------------
edit:
after:
IF EXISTS C:BlazeWCP
; C:BlazeWCP
EndIF

this should do the trick too, just one line - everything between IF and ENDIF
------------------------------


well, if you backup startup-sequence and user-startup, it is a good way too - if you want to manipulate the two files:

1) in shell
2) copy s:startup-sequence s:startup-sequence-BACKUP
3) copy s:user-startup s:user-startup-BACKUP

so you can later simply copy the BACKUP files over the manipulated ones and all is in default state:

1) in shell
2) copy s:startup-sequence-BACKUP s:startup-sequence
3) copy s:user-startup-BACKUP s:user-startup

so you have the original files in place and keep a copy