Freezing application

[AlastairP]

I have a VFP9 application running on a windows 8.1 tablet.
I have an issue that when the wifi connection drops out of range, the application freezes up instantly and i get the windows message asking if I would like to wait or close the program. After about 10-15 seconds once the wifi adapter has settled down the program resumes.
I tried setting the priority in task manager to high, even tried realtime, but with no difference.
Is there any to prevent this? I know the it is low powered cpu and that is probably all there is too it, but I want to stop the program getting greyed out and windows prompting to close the program.

Edit: I have run the program with the task manager running and on idle it uses 0%. When the wifi looses connection the process in the task manager "Stops Responding"
Also if the program is running and the tablet has not been used for a while and the user needs to log back in again, the program has trouble resuming.



Alastair

 

[Koen Piller]

Hi,

windows 8.1 -> update/install WIN10

Koen

 

[AlastairP]

Seems a bit drastic to upgrade the OS. Unless this is a known issue with 8.1 that can't be fixed?

 

[Koen Piller]

Alastair,
What is drastic to upgrade to an OS which is already in use 29.7.2015?? Have you never ever had any thoughts about security with that old fashioned OS?
Do you have better and more inside information about the necessity not to upgrade?
What is holding you back?
Regards,
Koen

 

[Mike Lewis]

I'm with Alastair on this one. Updating an OS is not a trivial exercise, especially in a commercial environment. If it absolutely has to be done to deal with a serious bug, that's fair enough. But it shouldn't be the first resort. Better to try and find out why the app is freezing and to correct that problem.

Mike

__________________________________
Mike Lewis (Edinburgh, Scotland)

Visual FoxPro articles, tips and downloads

 

[AlastairP]

Hi Koen,
Well these are 32 bit 32gb tablets with 1gb of ram running 1333 cpu. I am concerned about battery life and performance.
The upgrade to windows 10 is not so straight forward as each tablet will require its own specific usb as additional storage during the update.
Then each usb must be kept and is specific to each tablet, if needed for later updates.
Its a quantity issue too, there are a lot of tablets running with 8.1 and the update process would be a large exercise.
I would rather avoid an update if there is a fix.
Do you specifically know of compatibility issues with VFP9 and Win8.1 that prompts you to suggest this upgrade?

 

[AlastairP]

Ok,
So I will go down the path of creating a basic sample VFP program and run that on the tablet and see if the issue is reproduced. See if it is App specific or VFP issue

 

[AlastairP]

Right,
A sample top level single form application with a cursor and a grid did not reproduce the problem.

So, I will build up this sample application with code and classes from the other app until I reproduce the issue.


Alastair

 

[Mike Lewis]

Sounds like the ideal approach, Alastair.

Mike

__________________________________
Mike Lewis (Edinburgh, Scotland)

Visual FoxPro articles, tips and downloads

 

[Olaf Doschke]

On the OS upgrade: I doubt you need a USB drive for every tablet, when you have sufficient licenses you could install from the same ISO they different keys are a matter of activation not needing a DVD each. Talk to your local MS store about volume licensing, I bet you can get the necessary Windows licenses for a better price than you think, this can even start at 3-5 licenses, if I remember, can be simpler and better than OEM bundles you need to buy with new hardware.

What speaks against that is you already found out the problem is not generic to Win 8.1 but seems application specific and I assume it's your application code and you can isolate the problem and then solve it.

I just also maintain a software I didn't write which does fail on its SQL Server connection after waking up from sleep (not only from hibernation). You're not alone with this problem, I don't remember exactly, but I think VFP9 SP2 made that better already.

Bye, Olaf.

Olaf Doschke Software Engineering

https://www.doschke.name

 

[Koen Piller]

Alastair,
Sorry if my reply sounded like 'the wise guy'.
Your problem of updating/installing from 8.1 to 10 with all these tablets. Sorry I cant help and I cant either give you a good advise. That is not my expertise. Generally speaking I am always wondering why people with 'old' OS() and or VFP-versions do not upgrade. I am one of those guys who instantly upgrade believing the programmers had good ideas to construct a new version. True MS has showed some very very bad examples lately in this respect.
Now about your problem: an application which behaves unwanted when the wifi connection is disrupted. Are you able to perform a test in which you disconnect your wifi connection? Set the debugger on before doing that and try to find which line is causing the freezing. Also this is happening 'all of a sudden', it did not occur before? Than try to remember what you had changed since you faced that sudden freezing.
Regards,
Koen