Error on pf startup

[hdradio]

Bernd,
I describe what happened here:

I was running pf on OnAir PC. On that pc MLS is running too.
I closed pf (not MLS).
Then I started pf on an other networked pc.

The Following error appeared:

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23/04/2014 19:29:13 [v3.0.13.16]:********** Error/Exception Information **********
Error Message: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
Error Type: System.NullReferenceException
Error Source: ProppFrexx ONAIR.Void a()
********** System Stack Trace **********
   at ProppFrexx.Player.b.k.a()
   at System.Windows.Forms.Control.InvokeMarshaledCallbackDo(ThreadMethodEntry tme)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Control.InvokeMarshaledCallbackHelper(Object obj)
   at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.RunInternal(ExecutionContext executionContext, ContextCallback callback, Object state, Boolean preserveSyncCtx)
   at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.Run(ExecutionContext executionContext, ContextCallback callback, Object state, Boolean preserveSyncCtx)
   at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.Run(ExecutionContext executionContext, ContextCallback callback, Object state)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Control.InvokeMarshaledCallback(ThreadMethodEntry tme)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Control.InvokeMarshaledCallbacks()
********** End **********

It couldn't load any libraries, so I enabled Debugging.
I run Scheduler.
The debug log shows:

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23/04/2014 19:35:04: Debug Log started.
23/04/2014 19:35:05: ProgramScheduler: Calendar 'S:\proppfrexx\Scheduler\ProppFrexx ONAIR.calendar' read-in (last modified: 23/04/2014 19:31:00)
23/04/2014 19:35:08: ProgramScheduler: Scheduler started
23/04/2014 19:35:10: ProgramScheduler: Program:Daily 1700 (d1700), Start:23/04/2014 17:00:00, End:23/04/2014 21:00:00, Started:True
23/04/2014 19:35:19: Script-Line 5 skipped: Lib not found or having no tracks (Ελληνικά)
23/04/2014 19:35:19: Cancelled Script-Line 6 (LineTries=0, Tries=0/360): 3 Random : Ελληνικά (Filter=~[RatingValue] >= 80 And [Genre] = 'Ποπ μπαλάντα' And [Year] >= '1995', Options=None)
23/04/2014 19:35:19: Cancelled Script-Line 6 (LineTries exceeded): 3 Random : Ελληνικά (Filter=~[RatingValue] >= 80 And [Genre] = 'Ποπ μπαλάντα' And [Year] >= '1995', Options=None)
23/04/2014 19:35:19: GetNextTracks processed, 0 script result entries returned.
23/04/2014 19:35:19: CheckForNextTrackToSchedule1 error: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
   at ProppFrexx.be.a(DateTime A_0, DateTime A_1, Byte A_2, g3 A_3)
23/04/2014 19:35:19: Processing Script-Line 7 (Retries=360): 2 Random : Ελληνικά (Filter=~[RatingValue] >= 80 And [Genre] = 'Λαϊκό έντεχνο μπαλάντα' And [Year] >= '1990', Options=None)
23/04/2014 19:35:19: CheckForNextTrackToSchedule1 error: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
   at ProppFrexx.be.a(DateTime A_0, DateTime A_1, Byte A_2, g3 A_3)

I then noticed that MLS had stopped by itself on OnAir pc. I had to double click the man icon on MLS to start it again.
Then pf (on a networked pc) started normally.

Now i try to run pf on OnAir pc.
It loads the main GUI, the bottom left dot is red showing loading and nothing more.
When I go to settings I see that no library or script is loaded.

(I had described this problem here too: viewtopic.php?f=4&t=1045#p4070
But I told you that when I run pf the next day, it started normally !!)
Also when I updated to 3.0.13.16, I had the same problem at the first start.
I had to click reload for scripts and libraries for pf to start running.
After that, at every restart, pf worked ok.

Now I have the same problem.

ps. If you want to have a (tv) look, I am available now.

[radio42]

The first error happened because the Advertising-Library could not be loaded.
Sound like the same issue we already discovered, that you are using a 'wrong' config folder due to the switching of windows user.
However, this time it might be slightly different, see below!

The 2nd error looks like the same issue, when media libraries can not be loaded, it sounds like then can not be referenced...

The 3rd error (the MLS stopped) can only happen in case of a network error!

And THIS actually was already the idea we had last time when we did the teamViewer session.
And this might ALSO explain the previous 2 errors!
E.g. the config might be okay - but your network access is broken and as such prohibits loading any libs/script/calendars etc.!

Unfortunately the MLS currently doesn't log such network error and also doesn't automatically try to restart itself.
I have just changed this (will be included in the next version). As such you needed to manually restart it.
However, from your given errors logs this is pretty much obvious and perfectly explains the scenario as you described it.

That would also explain, why (the next time you tried it) all runs perfectly well again.
if your network is back again, all would run fine.
So I guess you should check your network, why it suddenly breaks.
And I will add some extra check to prevent any 'stops' in case of network connection errors.

[hdradio]

Bernd
As I told you, pf that does not start, is on the same pc that the MLS is running.
And this pc has no network problems. I am sure for this. Because I have a watchdog running testing my other network devices. And also it sends data to an icecast server that does not report any data loss.
This pc runs my current radio automation since years without any network issue.

[radio42]

Above you wrote something different: "I was running pf on OnAir PC. On that pc MLS is running too. I closed pf (not MLS). Then I started pf on an other networked pc."
However, you where using UNC-paths in all your configs and they definitely need a running network to be resolved by the OS!

How are you sure, that you have no network issues?
There is absolutely no other chance for the MLS to stop it's server! You mentioned, the MLS was still running, but its Listener services stopped working by itself...and that can only happen, if the network is broken.
As you said above, you started another PC in the network...maybe this one is causing the network error, e.g. by a conflicting IP address or port...I don't know.
I can only tell, what the above error logs tell me...
Note, that the MLS works on a configured TCP/IP socket port - it must not be the whole network being broken, but just a conflict on that Port...

There is no difference in code when you start PF a first or a second time...so there must be an external source for the issues you are facing.
Since when you started PF a 2nd time all is fine again...

[hdradio]

Bernd
Yes I tried running pf on a second pc where I found the error I mentioned.
But then i wrote :
"Now i try to run pf on OnAir pc."

However, you where using UNC-paths in all your configs and they definitely need a running network to be resolved by the OS!

I am not using UNC paths for my config.
My pf run command is :
"C:\Program Files (x86)\radio42\ProppFrexx ONAIR\3.0\ProppFrexx ONAIR.exe" -usbReg -config "G:\proppfrexx\Config\OnAir"
where G: is a local and not a mapped drive.

There is absolutely no other chance for the MLS to stop it's server! You mentioned, the MLS was still running, but its Listener services stopped working by itself...and that can only happen, if the network is broken.

I don't know why. But I am absolutely sure there is not any break on network.

The question is why :
When I update pf to a newer version and when I SOMETIMES (like today) restart pf, it doesn't start and keeps showing "loading" without loading any scripts or libraries.
Then if I manually reload scripts and libraries starts playing normally.

If there is a network problem then why when I click reload it reloads everything ?

[radio42]

There are almost unlimited possibilities and I also don't know it. Drivers, hardware, OS calls, conflicts with other PCs, tons of possibilities why something can break.
I can just see from the error codes, that an error in the AdvertLibrary loading happended, meaning the advert folder was not accessible and that the MLS got a network exception.

Even if your config folder is pointing to a local folder it's entries might not be.
I.e. you are using remote libs to a MLS, and that uses a TCP/IP connection.
You started another PC, which if Inrecall correctly is a Win8.1 OS, so that one can not run stable since years, as Win8.1 doesn't exist that long.

Network errors might come and go, that's why a reload might work well after some time.

Anyhow, I am just guessing, as I can not tell you the exact root cause.
And I am afraid it will be hard to determine, as the errors are also not relly reproducible. They appear on your system as random as the disappear immediately.

So I can just add additional logs, like for the MLS network issue, as explained.

Btw, are you using the same config folder from multiple instances? Eg could it be that they overwrite each other?

[hdradio]

On OnAir pc 2 users (1 admin and 1 user) share the same config folder. (I almost never run pf with admin user).
The other pc has it's own config folder.

I also added -debug to start command but instead of breaking registration !!!, debug log doesn't show some useful info.

[hdradio]

I can not find any helpful info on Overlay log.
The Error.log is empty.

When I added -debug to my command (it had already -usbReg too) then running pf show me a message that I am running an uregistered version.
When I deleted -debug, it run normally.

[radio42]

Can you please post your full command-line; you probably to add a 'space' inbetween the two command-line options...and as such invalidated the existing -usbReg option.
I just tried it here and had no such issues.

[hdradio]

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"C:\Program Files (x86)\radio42\ProppFrexx ONAIR\3.0\ProppFrexx ONAIR.exe" -usbReg -debug -config "G:\proppfrexx\Config\OnAir"

I also tried (with the same result)

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"C:\Program Files (x86)\radio42\ProppFrexx ONAIR\3.0\ProppFrexx ONAIR.exe" -usbReg -config "G:\proppfrexx\Config\OnAir" -debug