LiveCode Forums.

I had initially installed ver 8.1 of LC on a windows 7 sp2 OS.

Everything worked fine until the dictionary stopped loading. Now if one attempts to load the dictionary in ANY ver of LC the OS states "not responding" and eventually one needs to shut down LC in order to proceed with using the program albeit without the dictionary being available.

Since the dictionary won't load regardless of the LC version, I had requested that the LC development team provide a utility so that I can COMPLETELY temporarily remove all LC footprints from my system so that I can come up fresh. At that time I am sure the dictionary problem will be resolved.

This is pretty common practice for an app to provide such a utility. if anything, the developers would need something like this for themselves whenever they are testing different LC versions etc.

As an alternative, a text file with manual instructions for removing all folders, cache areas, registry entries to the extent ALL LC footprints are removed from the computer would be much appreciated.

I had provided a post before for this same lingering issue specifying that I have already used the best uninstall programs that exist that go deep into the registry and search through every conceivable cubby hole without success. Always a part of LC remains on the system since the dictionary does not reload. This should not be happening. All apps need to respect and allow for a complete uninstall when requested.

In addition I have already tried out various recommendations by fellow forum folks like removing the preferences, remove the plugin folder and deleting the document cache folder etc. All these suggestions were implemented without any luck. So "Fourthworld" recommended that I post this new thread for resolution.

Thanks in advance to all providing guidance in this regard.

Good idea to move this to a new thread.

A couple of questions.

1. Does the stack for the dictionary launch and the contents not get filled or does the dictionary stack not launch at all?

2. have you downloaded a version in the 6 series try 6.7.3 http://downloads.livecode.com/livecode/

If the 6 version works then the problem may be with something blocking the launch of the CEF browser which was used from version 7 onward.

FWIW I ran a search in the bug DB for any entry containing the word "Dictionary" where the OS name includes "Windows":
http://quality.livecode.com/buglist.cgi ... =substring

It may be helpful to review those results and see if one of them matches what you're seeing. If you find a match feel free to add a note that this affects you, and please include the Windows version number along with the version numbers of the LiveCode builds you've tested. If you don't find a match please consider opening a fresh report with that information.

Richard, what was interesting about many of the issue reports were the number in which Windows 7 featured.

LC is compatible with Windows Remove Programs and will completely remove itself without the use of any other tools. It's rarely necessary though because every version is self-contained. However, removal does not delete your preferences file because it's shared among versions, and most developers have multiple versions installed at once (I have five). Any custom extensions or plugins you've installed also remain.

One of the most common reasons for missing IDE components is a problem with the preferences file. Quit LC and delete the file here:

C:\Users\**username**\AppData\Roaming\RunRev\
Preferences

Restart LC and see if that works. LC will create a new prefs file if it can't find the old one.

If you still can't open the dictionary let us know, there are other steps you can take.

AndyP wrote:Richard, what was interesting about many of the issue reports were the number in which Windows 7 featured.

Good observation, Andy.

It would be so much more cost-effective if LiveCode could limit support to OSes still being supported by their vendors. But nearly half of all Windows users are still running Win 7, which stopped getting even critical security updates more than a year ago. As long as so many choose that level of risk we have little choice but to deploy apps for them, and so LC has little choice but to support our need to do so.

Hi

What antivirus or other protection system do you use.

I have had experience personally on comodo
Where the firewall or sandbox system made certain things not work
(Not LC btw) and norton on customer sites do umpteen things.

I took off antivirus off my Mac for the same reason and don't have it on my
Windows PARALLELS or my laptop except Microsoft esentials.

The best antivirus is the grey stuff between the ears
I suggest the number of times I've had to pull
People's balls out of the fire.

Lagi

Ps
Test them on another machine or better yet install virtual box
And slowly add some of the programs you have until you find the culprit

For Andy;

The dictionary never loads. The related window just says "not responding" up to the point LC quits meaning I have to make sure I don't try to inadvertently bring up the dictionary else I would be forced to quit out of the LC IDE.
Everything else in the IDE works perfectly.

You stated "if ver 6 works etc". I don't think its necessary to go back that much since originally as previously stated it already worked in my first installation of ver 8.1. It just stopped loading on its own even though:
[1] LC never crashed [2] My PC never crashed [3] No virus activity of any kind, four extreme virus checkers used throughout [4] I browse in a super protected sandbox (sandboxie lifetime app) that nobody has penetrated in over 5 years.
[5] All other programs installed around the same time frame of LC work perfectly.


For Jacque;
From my perspective if any app leaves any folder behind, any shortcut, any cache area, any type of preferences/files, any registry entries, any .ini file, plugins, configuration files etc they have NOT removed all footprints of themselves from the OS.

I will have to say without any exaggeration that at least 80% of the time where there was a module/app/window not acting/loading normal it ONLY got remedied when I was finally able to get the app utility or detailed manual instructions that COMPLETELY and UTTERLY removed ALL footprints from the OS then did a subsequent FRESH install.

Like my prior posts on this matter stipulated, I have already removed the preferences, document cache folder, plugins etc and still the dictionary would not load after a re-install in ANY ver of LC. Even after all these removals, I always keep on finding more footprints scattered here and there. This is the real problem.


For Lagi;
[1] I use panda anti virus suite plus four other heavy duty specialized virus checkers and do daily updates.
[2] I browse in a super protected sandbox (sandboxie lifetime app) that nobody and I mean nobody has penetrated in over 5 years.
[3] My router is off and can only be activated for online use only if: [A] I am the user Software authentication successfully takes place [C]Right h/w configuration is detected [D] Detects and automatically blocks me off from all social media activities.

Thanks to all for your valuable time and feedback.

There's your problem right there.
All those protection systems leave crap everywhere

To be blunt
Your gonna need to reinstall!


Lagi

User data is not normally removed by uninstallers, such as the one Windows provides. That would include documents, preferences, and in LiveCode's case other forms of documents such as user-managed Plugins folders. I believe there's a tech note describing this in MSDN.

As for the issue being discussed here with the Dictionary, if it doesn't load a bug report should be filed.

I can't reproduce this so I'm unable to file the report myself.

V9 is nearing RC, at which point fixes will be limited to recently-introduced regressions. Today is the best day for submitting this bug report.

It would be a shame if v9 went to RC without a fix that you need.

Like my prior posts on this matter stipulated, I have already removed the preferences, document cache folder, plugins etc and still the dictionary would not load after a re-install in ANY ver of LC. Even after all these removals, I always keep on finding more footprints scattered here and there. This is the problem

.

These are your personal documents which vary from one user to another. They should not be uninstalled. LC does create a preference file if one doesn't exist.

I'd suggest finding a machine that isn't as heavily fortified, just as a test, and installing LC temporarily. If it runs okay there then you will know where the problem lies.

t's necessary to try v6 (and l understand your reluctance to do so) as from v7 the dictionary is browser based and l suspect this is where the problem lies. If v6 works then you have a block on loading the dictionary data in the browser

Hi,

there is a rough dictionary for LCScript here

http://forums.livecode.com/viewtopic.ph ... 72#p151272

Kind regards
Bernd

Thanks to all the feedback so far . Really appreciate the recommendations.
Attachment to be used for this post was too large so please reference file via this link:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8fjB ... E54dS1EQm8

As one possible solution that I feel will work based on experience dealing with this type of problem, I had suggested that a utility to completely remove the app for a true fresh re-install would have a high probability to bringing the dictionary back to working order. Some folks stated that the control panel uninstall was sufficient since they felt LC does a good job in removing its footprints.

To provide tangible evidence showing that LC perhaps does not do as good a job as many think, please follow the call-outs in the link. These results are based on a fresh installation of windows 7 with some basic word for windows files on a completely separate and isolated PC. A fresh first time install of LC ver 9 with a single uninstall using the control panel.

To clearly illustrate how much footprint LC leaves on a user’s system after uninstalling LC ver 9 using the control panel uninstaller please look at the word attachment(link). Recommend zooming 200% to see details.
[1] Multitude of folders left behind related to the users/admin paths – pg 1
[2] Thirty pages with at least one registry entry related to LC left in – pgs 2-31
[2.1] Deeply hidden ones even the industrial strength uninstallers can easily miss – see pages 10, 11, 12, 13, 25, 26, 27
[2.2] Some strange ones tied to word documents only because they happen to be titled with LC as part of the file name but in reality LC functionality is not affected in any way by these registry entries so why the need for the entries? Pgs 14 and 28.
Checked with five other IDE’s I regularly use and other brand name programming apps none have word entries related to the name of their app in the registry. Makes sense since the IDE functionality is not affected in any way with the unrelated word docs…..so one wonders the necessity?

NOTE: This does not even count how many more entries I will find if I had also searched for “rev”, “live”, “code” etc. besides only searching for “livecode”.

Some other apps give one the option within the uninstaller to leave preferences, user config info etc. behind so that the user can retain their personal information and configuration for use upon re-installation. This is all good and great when things are working fine...

But once particular modules stop working or start having problems, one can see from prior forum comments that the experienced LC folks typically recommend to delete these personal preferences and configs since they may have become corrupted and to please start over etc. Unfortunately if you do start over but have left footprints behind, the probability of a complete fresh from start install diminishes quite rapidly.

A point of fact when I have worked with my software teams on many projects it became quite obvious by going over their code per peer review that in many cases, when the re-installation encounters past footprints, certain part of the install are not re-activated, and there is the reality of the painful “got-cha”.

Some of these same uninstallers obviously put much thought to the process because they leave an additional option to COMPLETELY remove EVERYTHING related to the app so if the user is having issues with parts of the apps that can’t be resolved by normal means, they could uninstall and re-install completely fresh as if the app had been installed to the users environment for the FIRST time.

In my actual work experience collaborated with maintained detailed metrics to back its claim, more than 80% of these types of problems were fixed by this simple procedure in a quarter year period.

I think at this point by the presented evidence, it should become obvious to most that LC does not do as good a job as many may have thought otherwise of removing its footprints from the users environment when uninstalled through normal means and because of the difficulty in manually removing such a large footprint, it would be a good ideas for the LC developers to provide a utility to COMPLETELY remove its footprints upon request.

Thanks.

Can we keep this to the the topic subject please.
We are trying to help you out re your dictionary problems.
Issues with uninstalling etc should be started in a new thread.

Did you try a v 6 version as previously suggested?