VPE on Citrix system

[zensoftbelgium]

Hello,

We have an application, written in Progress v9, that runs on a Citrix server.

We have longtime used VPE v3.50 Enhanced Edition without any problems. Since a few weeks we use VPE v3.60 Professional Edition with a 100 user Server License.

Since, our Progress application often crashes while sending print jobs.

Do you know of similar problems with Citrix systems? Is this VPE version Citrix-certified?

Strange thing is that our code did not change in these print programs. Only thing that's changed is the used dll.

Can somebody help us out, please!

[IDEAL Software Support]

VPE is not Citrix-certified. But this problem should not occur.

What does "crash" mean? Do you get a GPF? If so, please provide the data shown for the GPF. If it is not a GPF: what is happening? Please give an exact error description.

Regards
Thorsten Radde
IDEAL Software GmbH

[Dirk Baltinowitz]

We have problems on a Citrix-Server too - perhaps it is the same cause?!

The problem is that our application sporadically freezes inside a call of VPE.Opendoc(). The Process then uses 100% CPU-time.

The environment:

- Visual FoxPro 8-Application
- VPE-OCX 3.6 R4, 100 User Server-license
- Citrix Metaframe/XP on W2K SP3-Server

[IDEAL Software Support]

In VpeOpenDoc() there is no critical code. The only thing which might cause a problem is that VPE tries to query information about the default printer. If this is a network printer which is offline / not available, this causes long delays. This can not be avoided, because the code which causes the delay is inside the Windows operating system.

Please let us know, if your problems are related to unavailable network printers.

Regards
Thorsten Radde
IDEAL Software GmbH

[Dirk Baltinowitz]

Today, i embedded the old Version 3.5 of VPE into my application and tested it intensively.

The problem did _NOT_ occur !!!!

Then, i switched back to VPE 3.6 and after starting 3 instances of my application, it locked up again inside a call of OpenDoc() !

--

Mr. Radde, you wrote that there is no critical code inside OpenDoc() - but there must be something that causes this problem!

A few weeks ago, we spoke about the problem as i called you in your office. There, you told me that VPE 3.6 makes a License-Check when OpenDoc() - is called. I guess there is a problem with the Interprocess-Communication when VPE "counts" how often it is used on the same machine, because the problem mostly occurs when 2 or more Instances of my application are running.

I also do not think that the a function-call for querying information about the default-printer ist the cause for the problem, because my application completetely "locks up" - it never returns from OpenDoc()!

Further, i tested the following with FoxPro-Code:

- Query Default-Printer
- Redirect printing to that Default-Printer
- Print something
- Eject Page
- Instanciate VPE-Control
- call VPE.opendoc()

When the problem occurs, the Foxpro-Code did well and printed a page - the call of VPE.OpenDoc() a few lines later again locked up the application!

[IDEAL Software Support]

>>
I also do not think that the a function-call for querying information about the default-printer ist the cause for the problem, because my application completetely "locks up" - it never returns from OpenDoc()!
<<

In this case we need to debug the problem. Please send a short e-mail to our support e-mail address that you want a debug-version of VPE.

We will then send you a DLL which will create a debug logfile.

Regards
Thorsten Radde
IDEAL Software GmbH

[zensoftbelgium]

Mister Baltinowitz,

Did this debug version help you to find the cause of this problem?

Today, i embedded the old Version 3.5 of VPE into my application and tested it intensively.

The problem did _NOT_ occur !!!!

Then, i switched back to VPE 3.6 and after starting 3 instances of my application, it locked up again inside a call of OpenDoc() !

--

Mr. Radde, you wrote that there is no critical code inside OpenDoc() - but there must be something that causes this problem!

A few weeks ago, we spoke about the problem as i called you in your office. There, you told me that VPE 3.6 makes a License-Check when OpenDoc() - is called. I guess there is a problem with the Interprocess-Communication when VPE "counts" how often it is used on the same machine, because the problem mostly occurs when 2 or more Instances of my application are running.

I also do not think that the a function-call for querying information about the default-printer ist the cause for the problem, because my application completetely "locks up" - it never returns from OpenDoc()!

Further, i tested the following with FoxPro-Code:

- Query Default-Printer
- Redirect printing to that Default-Printer
- Print something
- Eject Page
- Instanciate VPE-Control
- call VPE.opendoc()

When the problem occurs, the Foxpro-Code did well and printed a page - the call of VPE.OpenDoc() a few lines later again locked up the application!

[IDEAL Software Support]

We are currently examining the problem and will post new information as it is available.

Regards
Thorsten Radde
IDEAL Software GmbH

[zensoftbelgium]

Can we get this debug version too? I've sent an e-mail to the support e-mail address.

Thanks

[zensoftbelgium]

Is there more news on this problem?

[IDEAL Software Support]

It seems to be a bug in Windows / Citrix. We did contact Microsoft Support and currently they and us are working on a solution. We will post new information as it is available, but this can still take some time.

Regards
Thorsten Radde
IDEAL Software GmbH

[IDEAL Software Support]

Update: After much investigation, the problem seems to be somewhere in the environment of Citrix / Win2k and can not be solved on this side.

Microsoft is still investigating the problem, but in the meantime we implemented a workaround which makes some different API calls and it has been reported to work successfully.

If anyone is in need of this workaround, please send an e-mail to our support e-mail address, and we will send the updated DLL.

Regards
Thorsten Radde
IDEAL Software GmbH