[Yishai]

Hi
So I seem to have a problem printing from only two applications, both lighting design database programs. Softplot 7 and Lightwright 4.

What happens is when I try to print more often than not the application will close unexpectedly. I have sent a bug report to LightWright and they think that My Windows xp may be experiencing memory corruption issues. How do I check for this? They suggested running system diagnostics, any ideas?

Also could the print spooler be corrupt? How do I reinstall it? I have already reinstalled the printer drivers and the application in question.

Thanks in advance
Jesse

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So I just found out that both programs I am having problems with are written in Visual Basics. So if that helps anyone to make a guess at what my problem may be
Jesse

[Yishai]

So I just found out that both programs I am having problems with are written in Visual Basics. So if that helps anyone to make a guess at what my problem may be
Jesse

[Ztruker]

Hi Yishai, welcome to G2G.

Have these programs ever been able to print? Are they support under XP or are they older Win9X software?

[Yishai]

They are both supported for xp. And they both sometimes print. It is sporadic, sometimes they have no issues for a bit and then sometimes it is a nightmare. If i keep at it I can usually get them to print although it takes many tries.

[Yishai]

It has been suggested by one of the software tech support people that it could be a problem with
comdlg32.dll
how do I find out if I have a current version of this DLL and does this seem like a possibility?

[The Skeptic]

1: To check and repair all windows system files: Click Start > Run. type sfc /scannow and let the process run to the end. At the end the dialog box just disappears. You may need xp installation cd of the same version running on your computer.

2: If you have no other problems with the computer then I doubt if there is a memory problem. If you want to test it, however, download Microsoft Memory Diagnostic tool. Create a bootable CD and boot the computer. Let it run for an hour, at least. Even better, let it run throughout the night.

3: When you print other documents, do you have any problem (office documents etc.)

4: Could you tell us the make and model of the printer? Is it shared by other users?

[Yishai]

Thanks I will try both of those suggestions.

The physical printer is Epson cx4800. And no it is not used by anyone else, although I will check to see if I have it checked as a shared printer. I also use Adobe PDF Printer, came with my CS2 suite.

And no so far the only programs to have any issues with printing are the two mentioned, both of which were written with Visual Basics. Not sure if that could be something to check into or not

I have the restore disk that I got when I bought the computer, I assume that that can be used as a xp installation disk?

Thanks

Edited by Yishai, 28 January 2008 - 10:51 AM.

[The Skeptic]

Try to run SFC /scannow without any disk. If the dll cache in XP is not corrupted, the process will run through. If it is corrupted then I doubt if it will work with the restore disk. If it doesn't, try to borrow a xp cd of a similar version installed on your computer (home edition, professional, sp1, sp2 etc) and run the process.

I suspect that the problem is with the two specific applications and not with the computer or XP. it looks, by your answer to Ztruker's question, that the print option never worked well with these two applications, but has no problem with others.

If practical, try to run another printer on your computer. The applications may have incompatability problem with the printer's driver.

[Yishai]

So I ran the sfc /scannow with my installation disk, well actually the "recovery disk" it ran through accessing files from the cd now and then and completed. So I gather this is a good sign.
But alas still have problems printing. Although currently one of the problem programs is printing fine to my physical printer but is only having problems with my PDF writers. any how here are some error logs to see if anyone has any insight

AppName: lw4.exe AppVer: 4.18.0.0 ModName: ntdll.dll
ModVer: 5.1.2600.2180 Offset: 0001888f

Popup box: Function Address 0x7c91888f caused a protection fault.
(exception code 0xc0000005) Some or all property page(s) may not be displayed

AppName: lw4.exe AppVer: 4.18.0.0 ModName: ntdll.dll
ModVer: 5.1.2600.2180 Offset: 00011e58

I have not run the memory diagnostic but am going to do that soon.
Thanks for your time.
Jesse

[Ztruker]

Yishai, on my SP2+all updates system, comdlg32.dll is:

08/04/2004 05:00 AM 276,992 comdlg32.dll

What about uninstalling then reinstalling Adobe, see if that clears up the PDF part at least?

[Yishai]

Well besides mine being 4:00am instead of 5am, seems to be the same

version: 6.00.2900.2180 (xpsp_sp2_rtm.040803-2158)

And I tried another pdf writer as The program Developer of one of the problem application told me that there is sometimes issues with Adobe. And I regularly update CS2. With no problems elsewhere.

So I am really thinking that it is not a problem with the software as it is two completely different programs, and I don't think it is a printer driver issue as they all work fine with everything else. I think there is some compatability issue with windows accessing the printers from within these programs. Would that be the Printer Spooler?

Jesse

[The Skeptic]

Hi Yishai, welcome to G2G.

Have these programs ever been able to print? Are they support under XP or are they older Win9X software?

I see that at least one of the programs is compatible with win 98SE all the way to XP. Did you ever run them on a version older then xP? Were they printing well?

[Yishai]

Well I seem to have the problem figured out. It turns out that Visual Basics which both the programs were written in not only has problems with Adobe PdF Writer, but has a bug where by attempting to change printers hangs the application.

So the work around for me has been to use another PDF writer make it my default printer and always print to PDF for these two programs. This is fine as I always want a PDF version regardless of wether I am printing to my physical printer as well.

So thanks for the help and suggestions, I always learn more about the inner workings of windows when I have a problem, so after the frustration is done that is a good thing.

Jesse

[Ztruker]

Good to hear you got it figured out. What PDF writer did you choose? I use one called PDFCreator which I like because it's Open Software and the project is on SourceForge.net.

[Yishai]

I downloaded CutePDF because is was the first PDF writer I ever used, way back when the mountains were still just hills.
Jesse