Bug: BC3 freezes on file comparision

[MortenMacFly]

Dear Scooter Team,
after updating to the latest version (3.1.4) I experience a strange issue:
When I do a lengthy compare operation (e.g. a huge directory with a lot of files) BC kind of freezes suddenly. Meaning: The comparison button in the toolbar still flashes, but no action is taken. In addition I cannot stop the comparison process neither can close BC3 and have to kill it via the task manager (there is really no other way). It seems so as if this happens if I access some of the files that are being compared in the background. But I cannot avoid it sometimes.
In addition I used a tool that tracks file access. BC3 really stops opening files for comparison if this "freeze" happens. Any idea what's going on? BTW: I never had this issue before 3.1.4.
With regards, Morten.

BTW: Windows XP Pro, SP3.

[Aaron]

Hello,

How large of a compare are you running, and is it a Content Comparison (binary, crc, rules?)? If you let the compare sit (the button is still blinking) does it finish the compare? Does it take as long, or longer, than normal?

[MortenMacFly]

How large of a compare are you running,

About 2000 files in several folders.

Content Comparison (binary, crc, rules?)?

Yes, comparing the content rule based.

If you let the compare sit (the button is still blinking) does it finish the compare?

No. I even left it over night - no luck.
Notice: If I do nothing it always (!) works and finishes after ~3-5 mins. So it must be related to accessing the (some) files in the meantime.

Does it take as long, or longer, than normal?

Way longer than normal (as you see).

BTW: The rule based comparison made me remember that I also updated some file formats. But these where Java and Microsoft related - none of these file types are in the folder.

Is there any way to log which files are being compared so that I can tell which file is the last one compared successfully and which is the one that makes BC stuck (probably)?

In addition: Maybe it is also related to the fact that I usually start visual comparisons while the comparison in general is running (meaning to open different files side-by-side). If I don't do that it seems to work... but I am not sure as this effect is not reproducible.

Anyone else having the same issue, or is it probably me only...?!

[RunnerBiker]

Hello,

How large of a compare are you running...

I have had this experience a couple of times too, while comparing about 500 MP3 files in two folders. While the comparison was going on, I continued to HEX View some of the files manually. I was not HEX viewing the file that BC3 locked up on.

and is it a Content Comparison (binary, crc, rules?)?

It was a rules comparison.

If you let the compare sit (the button is still blinking) does it finish the compare?

I let it sit several hours and it did not finish. It was "stuck" on one file and it never made any additional progress.

I looked in the log file, but nothing was logged.

I attempted to cancel the comparison, but that failed too. The status button continued to blink, but it never cancelled even after waiting several more hours.

BC3 seemed to continue working interactively even though that task was frozen. I even repeated the 500 file comparison job and that proceeded successfully in about 2 minutes.

Then I was not able to exit BC3. I had to use the Task Manager to KILL the process.

[Aaron]

Hello,

Are you able to reproduce this with the latest version of BC3? Can you reproduce the behavior if you Select All, and perform a Compare Contents (which has a progress bar and may give a bit more info if it gets stuck in a particular place).

[Aaron]

Hello,

Are you able to reproduce this with the latest version of BC3? Can you reproduce the behavior if you Select All, and perform a Compare Contents (which has a progress bar and may give a bit more info if it gets stuck in a particular place).

Also, please email us at [email protected] with a link to this post. We can get you an older version you can retest with in a Portable install mode (have both BC3 installs active simultaneously).

[RunnerBiker]

I have not been able to recreate this, although it has happened at least twice on previous versions. I'm currently running BC3 3.1.6 (Build 10721).

After killing BC3 with the Windows Task Manager, I can reinitiate the exact same comparison operation and it proceeds without problems. Other random interactions must be involved.

I frequently have BC3 running for several days without reloading since I use it frequently to work on my MP3 collection, and I seldom reboot my computer. I suspect more frequent reboots would prevent these lockups. Just a few factors cause me to reboot.

Power failure. I have a UPS, but it is limited to about 15 minutes, so I shutdown when the power fails.

Software updates require a reboot.

The O/S starts acting squirrley.

[MortenMacFly]

...no more issues here, too. I am using 3.1.6 meanwhile. Seems you have fixed that! Thanks a lot!!! :-)