ExamDiff ghost process

[MSpagni]

Sometimes I find that an ExamDiff process is still running and steals CPU time even long after I closed the ExamDiff window.

The first time I noted it was about a month ago when I tried to install a new beta.
The installer complained that ExamDiff was still running. To discover it was right I had to look in the task manager.

That happened some other times since then.

Even today, just a few minutes ago, having the computer apparently slow, I looked at the task manager and I found an ExamDiff process in the background.

Sorry but at the moment I can not give any hint on how to reliably reproduce the problem.
As soon as I discover more I'll write.

[psguru]

Please do. If you manage to find a reproducible scenario, please let us know.

[MSpagni]

Got it!

The simplest way to reproduce it:

Compare a file in drive C: with a (different) file in drive G: (network drive).
Modify (edit) the file in G: at wish.
Save the file modified and recompare... ExamDiff CPU = 99%
Close ExamDiff and the ghost is created...

If you do the same but with the second file in a USB memory drive you get:

examdiff.exe - Application error
The instruction at "0x7846f281" made a reference to memory at "0x00000010". That memory can not be written.

[psguru]

I couldn't reproduce the problem in either of these scenarios. Could you export your options and post them here?

[MSpagni]

Here is it.

I forgot to specify: I edit the files with EDpro internal editor.

[psguru]

Thanks. This is now fixed in build 4.5.1.22.

[MSpagni]

Already fixed? Wow!

I was fearing it was one of those very specific configuration bugs so hard to find on another machine.

Very good.
Thank you.

[TomLIRR]

The ghost problem described in this thread may have been fixed in ExamDiff Pro but seems to occur in the freeware version 1.8.0.3.

Not only does it produce the ghost but it will leave multiple instances of itself running which I can only see or close through the Task Manager.

Is there a later version where it's been corrected that I've missed or is there any plan to fix it.

Thanks.

[psguru]

The problem in ExamDiff Pro had to do with file change notifications. ExamDiff uses a different mechanism, and we are not aware of "not exiting" issues in ExamDiff. Can you describe the steps that lead to this problem? Do you get the same issue if you disable file change notifications under Options | Misc?

[TomLIRR]

Disabling file change notifications did solve the problem. In case you are interested the "ghost" was created under a specific scenario. The problem only occurs with the "show identical message" option turned on if OK is hit rather than cancel. If I hit cancel or the files are not identical files no ghost remains.

For gratuitous advice, I'd recommend rather than OK and Cancel as choices, OK should end the process and the other button should be Show files.

Thanks for your help.

[psguru]

The problem only occurs with the "show identical message" option turned on if OK is hit rather than cancel. If I hit cancel or the files are not identical files no ghost remains.

Nope, I couldn't reproduce the problem following your steps.

For gratuitous advice, I'd recommend rather than OK and Cancel as choices, OK should end the process and the other button should be Show files.

I think it makes sense. We'll change this in the next version.