OI apps, and other 16-bit apps, can easily run out of resources when running under Windows 9x. That's not a problem with the various NT versions of Windows. But do you know if Windows ME is just as bad as 95 and 98?

If so, I want Windows ME on my new computer, and not 2000. Why? Because I want to catch possible resource problems before my clients get them. (I have many clients with Windows 9x.)

To be honest I'd rather have Windows 2000, of course.

- Oystein -

Oystein,

When you talk about resource problems, what sort of symptoms are you getting? I've been having problems for ages that I'm guessing are resource problems but I can't seem to do anything about it. (Win95/98 I'm not getting the windows "low system resources" message though)

The symptoms of my problem are things such as being not being able to open system files, or the system editor - open stored procedure list being blank after being logged into OI for a while etc. When I see these symtons I log out straight away. If I don't then OI crashes big time and I usually have to reboot. If I log out and straight back in everything is fine for a while.

Some days it won't do it at all, other days It could be as often as every 5 minutes. It seems related to the amount of processing that OI is doing. Ie: If I let it sit there for an hour it wouldn't do it, but if I ran some intensive processes then it could happen fairly quickly.

Our IT guys have tried a few different things but weren't able to help. They think its an OI problem, I tell them that I don't think that it is as it never used to do this on windows 3.1

I'd be interested to know if anyone else has experienced these symptoms, or even better, know how to fix it.

Paul,

Symptoms:

- When I do development the most common symptom is a different font in my own windows and in system windows (a larger font instead of the default one). And sometimes the menus in System Editor don't work.

- At runtime one symptom can be a Not enough memory message when I (my app) try to open yet another window. But things can also fail in other ways.

What I'm concerned about

… is not my own development work running smoothly but making apps that will run properly on my clients' computers. For my new app I will let the program check for available resources before it opens a new window. If there are not enough resources it will bring up a polite message instead of risking a crash. During development I will check how much resources my new windows use.

Windows 9x

… have limited resources for 16 bit apps. There are three kinds of 16-bit resources. It doesn't matter how much RAM you cram into your machine. Your OI app competes for those resources with other 16 bit apps and processes. E.g, when I run Eudora Pro (a mail program) my OI and OI apps are more prone to run out of resources. Also Win 9x itself has various 16-bit processes running.

Leaks

If you run out of resources quickly perhaps there is some program with some sort of resource leak. Try to monitor your resources. There is a program you can use in either the Windows or the Windows/System folder.

*[/b]

I can give you more details tomorrow, when I'm back at work. I need my notes.

- Oystein -

(PS. Most of what know about this I learned from Sprezzatura.)

Oystein,

One of my colleagues had previously suggested a resource leak.

Do you know how I can check for this?

Oystein

Windows ME seems to run out of GDI resources just as quickly as 98, if not more quickly. However it does seem be less prone a complete application crash if you do run out.

Bob Watson

Bob,

Sounds ideal for my purposes.

- Oystein -

Paul,

There are 3 kinds of 16-bit resources:

- user

- system

- GDI.

To monitor resources run Start | Programs | Accessories | System Tools | Resource Meter (or something like that). Or if you can't find it in the Start menu the program to run is C:\WINDOWS\RSRCMTR.EXE (simplest way: Start | Run - rsrcmtr).

If you want to monitor resources from an OI app, run GetFreeSystemResources. See this posting by Carl Pates.

I don't know if you need the following, but if you want to see what 16- and 32-bit processes you've got running on your computer run Start | Programs | Accessories | System Tools | System Info (or something like that). Or if you can't find it in the Start menu it's something like "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\MSINFO\MSINFO32.EXE" (fortunately you can do Start | Run - msinfo32). Expand the Program Environment node. Then click either 16-bit modules or 32-bit modules. (After that you'll wonder how you ever manage to run anything, because there are so many processes running.)

- Oystein -

Have you guys tried a program called "MemTurbo".

I got put on to it a while back and it stabilised my system (Win95)

Go to www.memturbo.com and have a look

Regards

Tony

By the way - we have not been able to get the system editor to behave properly in ME. We will be watching interested to see if you ahve more success…

Bob Watson

Bob,

I think it'll take a couple of months before I have my new computer. Must remember to enjoy life in the meantime.

Btw - is the problem just with the newer versions of OI?

- Oystein -

newer versions

Tony,

This is a standalone program, right? Wouldn't it be nice if one could have a utility (library functions) one could call from an OI app?

I became aware of memturbo last year, but never tried it. I think I came as far as downloading it to my back burner.

(That's the favourite word this week - back burner.)

- Oystein -

Sorry - can't say - only tried it with 3.73.

Sorry - can't say - only tried it with 3.73.

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