FWI problems, Lock ups and two instances of WD starting, [RESOLVED]

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1

HI,
From early July 2009 to Jan 2010 I ran 10.37O Build 0. During this time WD ran faultlessly only ever being restarted for MS updates. Running for a month without a restart was no problem at all.

On 19 Jan 2010 I installed 10.37P Build 17 mainly to get the new Australian FWI routine.
I noticed that the FWI pointer in WD was not corresponding to the calculated values. Windy quickly produced an update which appeared to fix this.
However I soon discovered that the pointer still did not always indicate the correct segment for the calculated value. I reported this in the forum but it was while Windy was away and I guess it didn’t get seen.
I have today installed 10.37K Build 20 and the FWI pointer is indicating HIGH when the calculated value is 7.1
The high segment starts at 16 so this is not correct. Yesterday the value was 0.7 and the pointer was in the correct low/moderate sector. I appears to me that the published scale on the WD FWI page does not correctly correspond with the routine that sets the pointer position.
Other issues

  1. I first noticed this with 10.37P Build 17 but it is also happening with build 20. Restarting the computer causes TWO instances of WD to start. The one on top is behaving normally while the one underneath is just sitting there doing nothing. If I close the inactive instance the normal one appears to keep running OK with one possible exception:-
  2. In six months running 10.37P Build 0 I did not experience one single lock up. With both of the recent builds I have experienced lock ups where the clock has stopped, the menu bar is blank and the program is “not responding”. They are not frequent and seem to tend to happen soon after a restart. That is what happened after I installed 10.37K Build 20 today.
  3. I am also occasionally seeing the solar “step effect” as reported by alittleweird1 elsewhere in the forum.

All of these issues have appeared since moving from 10.37O to 10.37P.
There have been no hardware or software changes other than the WD upgrades.
w0mbat

2

I added back the start when windows starts
so if you set a short cut in the windows start up folder, then remove that, or similar

re the step effect on the solar, I was trying to remove that in the first place…and made a small change…but probably for the worse…but at least I know what to change back

I will check on the FWI …what should the ranges be?

re the lock up…a few people have reported a problem…and is most likely due to the main timer routine being too long in the code…and so I have split it out more…but might need to do that more…
just wanting to work with someone on that who is polite about the issue…I think you would be a good contender

update: try build 21 .zip update: I have split the main timer function out more
might help with the lock up problem

3

hi Windy,
Thanks for looking at these issues.

  1. Two WD’s starting.
    I was not aware that the “start when Windows starts” had ever been changed. This is the setting I have always used. I just double checked and I do not have an entry for WD in the Windows Start Up folder. I just have “Launch when Windows starts” ticked in the Setup menu.

  2. Solar
    Unfortunately for diagnosis, I only see the solar step effect occasionally, perhaps once or twice per week. So far it has always occurred on rising values and shows steps of 6 or 8 percent rather than the normal gradual change. It is most obvious at sunrise but just once it has happened during the day. I’m afraid others may be seeing more regular and obvious occurrences.
    I did not mean to imply that I know the correct scales/routines. Only that the pointer and the new Australian scale on the FWI page do not always correspond.

  3. Lockups

I can now confirm that I only see Lockups in the first hour or so after a restart. I experienced one yesterday after installing the update and I recall the same after the last update. Which is propably not much help for you. I will wait to hear again whether you would like me to install the update you mentioned.

Thanks for your help Windy,
w0mbat

4

use this program
http://www.weather-display.com/downloadfiles/startupman.zip
to check on the start programs
(you might have to run it a second time)

re the fwi pointer, its not clear what you refering to
can you post some screen shots?
re the lock ups, try the latest .zip update, build 21
if the problems started with build 16, I see from the history.txt that is when I added option to use theme selection for the advanced graphs
I wonder if that is related
do you have the advanced graphs set to upload?

5
  1. I have run the Startupman program and under the “All Programs” tab there are two ticked lines as follows:-

Delphi 3#Autostart C:\wdisplay\WeatherD.exe
Delphi 5#Autostart C:\wdisplay\WeatherD.exe

I assume this is the source of two copies starting. Should I delete one of these? Does it matter which one?
There is no reference to WD under any other tab.

  1. I am unsure how to get a screen shot of the FWI page. I will try to explain myself better.
    Currently the calculated value is 7.1. The arrow points to the second segment, ie High.
    BUT the range for High shown on the same page says “16 to 25 is high”. Therefore the pointer should be pointing to the first segment of the dial (low/moderate), not the second segment.
    I hope I have made myself clear this time.

  2. I only upload the most basic files necessary for WDL(clientraw.xxx). I do not upload any graphs let alone the advanced graphs.

4.I will install the zip update when I get your answer re double start up as I as I don’t want to confuse issues. Maybe my lockups are related to this or another issue as they only seem to happen soon after a restart.
Thanks Windy
w0mbat

6

Fire Danger Ratings for FWI values are

* Low: 0-14,
* Moderate: 14-35,
* High: 35-64,
* Very High: 64-122,
* Extreme: 122-232 and
* Catastrophic 232+

Have to look for the webpage, but pretty sure thes are the ones. I know they overlap, so I suggest to set the pointer to the hightes rating.

I believe I pointed this out in another post… FWI pointer not correct. Not sure what happened with that one.

H.

7

w0mbat,delete one of the registry entries

I believe I pointed this out in another post..... FWI pointer not correct. Not sure what happened with that one.

please note that its hard to keep up with forum posts

what happens is that every day my list of unread messages disappears on me

8

I have deleted one of the registry entries and restarted.
Now only one WD starts (thanks Windy) and ,so far, no lockup. (only running 30 minutes but usually would have happened by now)

FWI
Yesterdays value was 7.1 and todays is 8.8.
Both of these fall in the low/moderate range but the pointer is still indicating “High” (the second segment)
w0mbat

9

Sorry, should have noted in the last post that I am still on build 20, so have not installed the latest zip (21)
If my version of the lock up problem has gone, should I still move to Build 21???
w0mbat

10

to have the FWI range used for the pointer as posted on this thread use the latest .zip update, ready now

11

Have installed latest Build 21 zip update and FWI pointer now indicates low/moderate which correctly corresponds with the calculated value…Thanks again Windy. I will watch regularly to check it remains correct.
Three of four issues quickly resolved!
If/when I see the “solar step” effect again I will start a new topic and post a WD main page screen shot.
w0mbat

12

i have not looked at the code for the solar change I made yet

13

wombat, if you are using wdstartdelay
then use this update
http://www.weather-display.com/downloadfiles/wdstartdelay.zip

14

Sorry was not ment as a negative comment, I know you busy and have mails and messages flying everywhere. I had some additional info in that message that could help that is all.

H.

15

Windy, I do not use WDStartdelay. (not certain what its for but can guess)

All running fine this morning after changes made yesterday. Solar trace normal.
w0mbat