The Lighting Controller

Hi

Been using SX v7 for a couple of months, and yesterday it wouldn't launch. Either double clicking a desktop shortcut, the .exe file directly or from Start-->All Programs produces the same result, a Windows error message 'TheLightingController.exe has stopped working. Windows is checking for a solution to the problem''

The programme doesn't open, there's no splash screen or anything else, just the error message as per above which eventually closes. Nothing has been added to or changed in ShowXpress between it working normally and not working at all. The only way I can get it to launch is to create a new User Profile in WIndows, when it will then launch. However, when I try and open the lightshow that contains all of my patching/scenes etc etc, the software instantly crashes and can't be launched again from the new user profile - or any User Profile. Creating another new User Profile lets me open the programme again, but it crashes as soon as I try and open the lightshow I need - and so it goes on

Windows is fully up to date, as are all drivers (graphics/audio etc) and at the moment the software is totally unusable. Nothing was changed or any new fixtures added between the software working normally and not working at all

Your earliest reply and solution would be very much appreciated

It looks like, for an unknown reason, your lightshow is corrupted.
Please post a zip of your lightshow ; we will check it.

Hi

Zip of lightshow file attached

A file is effectively corrupted.
Please replace the file "live.ini" in the folder "../Trecco/Live/", par the attached one. This will fix your problem.

In our side, we will try to understand where could come this problem from, and we will certainly add some more protections in the code, to prevent against such problem.

Hi

Unfortunately the updated .ini file hasn't solved the problem. Overwriting the corrupted .ini file in a new User Profile allows us to launch ShowXpress again and all fixtures/scenes etc are working as expected - however, logging in to the actual User Account in Windows that we need to run the software from, and again overwriting the .ini file with your updated one results in the same error message as per my post above and the software won't launch.

We can't use a new User Profile to run the software (although it does run OK in a new profile) as I'm sure you will understand that the actual User Account we need to run it from has many more applications/settings/shortcuts etc etc other than SX that we need to access

Please post a zip of your lightshow of the actual User Account ; we will check it.

The zip file I uploaded was from the user account that SX still won't launch in. Overwriting the .ini file in that directory with your edited file still doesn't allow the software to launch, however it does if we overwrite the .ini file in a different user account.

If it makes it easier for you to troubleshoot the issue, I've uploaded the entire ShowExpress directory from the user account that still won't launch the software. You should be receiving an email with the link to download the zip file as it's too large to add as an attachment here or directly to an email

The lightshow from your zip file, which is an "external" lightshow because it is not stored in the usual lightshow folder, is ok.

We think there is some misunderstanding with your accounts and their respective lightshow (sometimes external and sometimes not), in your software settings.

Hi

So is there a requirement that all lightshows are stored in the default location on the C:\ drive ? If there is then I wasn't aware of that, and in our environment that wouldn't be practical as all data from all programs is stored on a dedicated separate internal hard drive (E:\), which is where the lightshows that are exported from ShowXpress are stored.

Not sure I understand

We think there is some misunderstanding with your accounts and their respective lightshow (sometimes external and sometimes not), in your software settings.

If the lightshow file is not corrupted, how do we get SX to open using that lightshow, are at the very least to be able to launch SX and use File-->Open to open the lightshow we need to use ? We can't change any software settings in SX as we can't currently open it

To open and external lightshow (not stored in the lightshow default folder): menu "File" > "Open lightshow" > "External lightshow" > button "..."