TC7.5, AceHelper and Vista

[DrShark]

AceHelper (I tested versions 0.3.3 and latest 0.3.5) doesn't work as expected in tc 7.5pb1.
After entering to \\\AceHelper\Processes\ it begins intensive TC window refreshing, and after ~1 second TC doesn't react to keyboard hotkeys.
If to wait some time, TC will show Access violation:
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/640x536q90/134/tc75acehelperaccessviol.jpg
I cannot reproduce this AceHelper behaviour on WinXP or Windows 7 beta.

[ghisler(Author)]

I will try it, thanks. Can you inform the plugin author too, please?

[ND]

I do not have this problem on WinXP Pro SP3, not even the window refresh issue. And not with TC 7.04a either.

But I remember in the past I had the intensive window refreshing issue. No crash though. The one difference is that now I have admin access, and was on a restricted user account in the past.

[syntech]

I'm also having refresh issues with AceHelper on Windows Server 2008 64bit. Especially if I have load on the Dual Core CPU (70% load). I have changed the Update Time of AceHelper from 200 to 2000, but still way too many refreshs. But on the other hand, TC doesn't crash.

This happens with 7.04 and with 7.5 b1.

edit: even with 30% CPU load it's not getting better. It happens when I start a certain program, that does lots of calculations (CPU load) and opens/closes many files. It does not happen if this certain program is not in use. Maybe the refresh value of 2000 is not working correclty? (I assume, 2000 means 2 seconds delay between refreshs)

[syntech]

But I remember in the past I had the intensive window refreshing issue. No crash though. The one difference is that now I have admin access, and was on a restricted user account in the past.

Because of this statement I tried to start TC as Administrator, and - voila! - the refresh problem is gone?!

[DrShark]

"Run as Administrator" doesn't help here on Windows Vista 32bit. And I cannot reproduce bug in 7.04a on same PC. Strange...

[sidefx88]

oh, thanks a lot!

"Run as Administrator" worked for me!

I use:

Windows Vista 32bits SP1 (Spanish)
Total Commander 7.50 PB1
AceHelper 0.3.5

I just notify to the plugin author, just in case. This is strange...


EDIT: sorry, I confuse TC 7.50 PB1 with TC 7.04.
Under TC 7.50 PB1, AceHelper works weird!

[DrShark]

TC 7.5 pb2 works much more stable with AceHelper and looks like I located a problem.
TC begins refreshing panel (and update columns data) if process audiodg.exe placed in visible part of panel. If to put cursor on it, TC begins more intensive refreshig and doesn't react to hotkeys.
Here is a video: http://rapidshare.de/files/46972016/Camstudio_acehelper.rar.html
Looks like a plugin bug but still interesting to read Ghisler 's comment.

[ghisler(Author)]

I tried to reduce flickering a bit in PB2 by not erasing the background (internal handling of WM_ERASEBKGND). So the refreshing is still there, it just doesn't flicker that much any more...

Btw, this doesn't seem to be a bug in the plugin, it's just permanently sending cm_rereadsource to TC to refresh the list when a change occurs. The question is now why it happens much more frequently than in older TC versions...

Btw, you can reduce the flickering even more. Add this:
wincmd.ini
[Configuration]
ClearListBackground=0

[DrShark]

Please look at the video.
Something wrong because of that audiodg.exe on Vista. Plugin displays 0b RAM for it, but Vista's taskmgr displays ~8 mb for it.

[ghisler(Author)]

This audiodl.exe was probably started with higher privileges. So when AceHelper tries to get its data, it can't because of missing privileges (0 byte), but Vista task manager can. So when you start TC with full admin rights, the plugin can access the data. In conclusion, the plugin has to be updated to support Vista.

[DrShark]

I started TC with Admin and even System privileges (using elevate powertoys) - doesn't help. Plugin still displays 0b ram for audiodg.exe. I sent a bugreport to plugin's author and hope he'll fix it.

[Postkutscher]

I`v found an interesting informarion about this audiodg.exe
http://blogs.msdn.com/larryosterman/archive/2007/01/31/what-is-audiodg-exe.aspx
Keywords are

The second reason for using a separate process for the audio engine is DRM. The DRM system in Vista requires that the audio samples be processed in a protected process, and (for a number of technical reasons that are too obscure to go into) it's not possible for a svchost hosted service to run in a protected process.

[ghisler(Author)]

I see - so the plugin cannot access it because it's a protected process, and it's causing a permanent refresh because it's probably returning an error...

[DrShark]

Workaround to prevent a permanent refresh: when in \\\AceHelper\Processes\, activate opposite panel (using Tab key or mouse). Then you can return to \\\AceHelper\Processes\ panel. Plugin will not cause a permanent refresh until forced panel refresh (F2, Ctrl+R etc)...