EPIM doesn't close properly

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wdrich
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EPIM doesn't close properly

Post by wdrich »

My father, for whom I provide technical support, has been using the free version of Essential PIM for years (on my recommendation). He recently got a new computer with Windows 7 Home Edition. I installed EPIM 4.23 (free). Now, when he closes EPIM, the process continues to run and he is unable to re-open EPIM unless he either kills the process using task manager or reboots. Options is not set to minimize on close. I know I could have him allow multiple copies of EPIM to run, but that seems a less than ideal solution. For the time being, I've advised him either to minimize rather than close EPIM or, failing that, to kill the process if he needs to re-open it in the same session, but these are also less than ideal solutions. I would be grateful for any help you can give me.
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Re: EPIM doesn't close properly

Post by PeCe »

I am afraid this is a problem in the FREE version and I hope it is solved when the next (minor) release comes out.
While testing the FREE version I had the same problem, 4.23 free portable on a Win7 computer, that after closing the program the process continued running.
As you describe I also had to kill the process with the task manager.

This problem does not exist in the PRO version. Hopefully this is corrected in the next release so that the FREE version also closes the process.
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Re: EPIM doesn't close properly

Post by wdrich »

Thank you for the reply. Do you (or does anyone else) know what the last version of free EPIM was that didn't have this problem? And are older versions available for downloading?

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Re: EPIM doesn't close properly

Post by PeCe »

I know that sometimes people have had problems that EPIM took longer than normal to close, but I have not had this problem before. Just checked the previous free version, 4.22 portable, and that closes normally. But I do not know where you can download this.

There is a site where you can download previous versions, but the "newest" version there is 4.02
The URL from that site is: http://www.essentialpim.com/ky/index.php

As always the program will be released when ready to release and that can be tomorrow, but can take another week, but an updated version, 4.24, is soon to be released. So its up to you to wait for 4.24 or to downgrade to 4.02 if you want make things easier for you father.
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Re: EPIM doesn't close properly

Post by jsc »

4.53 portable Free still does not close properly. I launched several times from Quicklaunch bar of winxpprosp3. Used task manager to kill the process after a couple of minutes and tried again. Sometimes it quits, and sometimes it doesn't. Even after a reboot, and launching epim from quick launch, then quitting, epim still showing in the task list the first time I tried it.
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Re: EPIM doesn't close properly

Post by jsc »

Hate to say this, but 4.53 Portable Free, dated 1/20/2012 4:31pm is still hanging in memory on my WinXPRo32sp3 system.

I just used this version to create a new database, Then imported my csv file of contacts. No other information is in the database, and it has only been touched by this version of 4.53.

I was double-clicking the file from the list in Total Commander 8.00b17 to open the file, then quit and watched Task Manager. EssentialPIM was listed in the process list. It did not show in the programs list.

I quit Total Commander, deleted the EPIM process in Task Manager, opened an instance of Windows Explorer, and double-clicked the database file in Explorer. Then I quit EPIM, and the same thing, it hung as a process in Task Manager.

Doesn't seem to matter if I double-click the database or the exe. Doesn't matter if it's from TC, Windows Explorer, or the run command in the Start Menu. It's hanging every time now. So something is keeping it in memory.

I have Sysinternals Process Explorer and might be able to send a log file if you think that will help.
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Re: EPIM doesn't close properly

Post by jsc »

Started Sysinternals Process Explorer 15.12 from Start>Run command after a fresh reboot.
Launched EssentialPIM Free Portable from Start>Run command
(Database was newly created with 4.53 dated 1/20/2012 from a previous session)

These EPIM threads show up while EPIM is running:

Thread EssentialPIM.exe(4080): 4032
Thread EssentialPIM.exe(4080): 3256
Thread EssentialPIM.exe(4080): 608
Thread EssentialPIM.exe(4080): 2404
Thread EssentialPIM.exe(4080): 460
Thread EssentialPIM.exe(4080): 3408

After quitting EPIM, quit then restart Process Explorer just to make sure that it isn't the problem.

These EPIM threads still remain in memory:

Thread EssentialPIM.exe(4080): 4032
Thread EssentialPIM.exe(4080): 608
Thread EssentialPIM.exe(4080): 460

And closing Process Explorer then restarting it, now there is an additional thread:

Thread EssentialPIM.exe(4080): 4032
Thread EssentialPIM.exe(4080): 2644 < where did this come from?
Thread EssentialPIM.exe(4080): 608
Thread EssentialPIM.exe(4080): 460

Hope this helps.
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Re: EPIM doesn't close properly

Post by Max »

Hello,

does this hanging in memory depend on the database? I.e in other words, if you create a new database, save it and then quit- will EPIM hang? I could not reproduce the problem with 4.53 Free, which leads me to believe that this is either OS or database dependant.
I tried it on Windows 7 32 bit, and you?
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Re: EPIM doesn't close properly

Post by jsc »

Max,

This was a brand new database, only touched with this 4.53 version of EPIM Free dated 1/20/2012, 4:31pm.

I rebooted and tried again. I got it to happen almost immediately.

I think I know what's going on. Close EPIM with Alt-F4 or the close box (X) and it hangs in memory! Close with the File>Exit and everything is okay. Tried each many times. Same result.

By habit, I close a lot of programs with Alt-F4. It's second nature to me.

Of course, I just tried this on my home computer - XPHomeSp3, and I can't make it do it on that machine...

Must be something on my laptop. Guess I'm lost, unless you want a Process Explore/Monitor log from my laptop. Tell me what you'd like me to look for.
Last edited by jsc on Thu Feb 02, 2012 4:08 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: EPIM doesn't close properly

Post by Max »

jsc wrote:Max,

This was a brand new database, only touched with this 4.53 version of EPIM Free dated 1/20/2012, 4:31pm.

I rebooted and tried again. I got it to happen almost immediately.

I think I know what's going on. Close EPIM with Alt-F4 or the close box (X) and it hangs in memory! Close with the File>Exit and everything is okay. Tried each many times. Same result.

By habit, I close a lot of programs with Alt-F4. It's second nature to me.

Of course, I just tried this on my home computer - XPHomeSp3, and I can't make it do it on that machine...

Must be something on my laptop. Guess I'm lost, unless you want a Process Explore/Monitor log from my laptop. Tell me what you'd like me to look for.
Hm...there is a feature "Minimize on Close" in EPIM, could you please check in Tools-> Options if it is not switched on by any chance.
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Re: EPIM doesn't close properly

Post by jsc »

Only thing checked is "Allow only 1 copy of EPIM".

As I wrote this reply, I started EPIM Free Portable to see how the option is set. I closed EPIM, and it's now hung in memory. I don't remember how I closed it. So I killed the process, started EPIM again, and quit with File>Exit. It worked and properly shut down. I started it again, hit [X], and it properly shut down. I started EPIM again and did Alt-F4, and it properly shut down.

Now I started EPIM, did a few alt-tabs to switch windows, then did an Alt-F4, and it hung in memory. I killed the process. I started EPIM did a few alt-tabs, then did File>Exit. It hung in memory.

I killed the process, started EPIM, did NOT switch windows, and then did File>Exit. It shut down properly.

I started EPIM again, did NOT switch windows, did Alt-F4, and now this time it hung in memory.

I just tried 5-6 times. It's random. Sometimes it hangs, sometimes it doesn't. If I were to try to start EPIM with the hung session in memory, I get the message saying I'm trying to start a second copy.

Again, I don't know what to tell you, other than it does hang sometimes.
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Re: EPIM doesn't close properly

Post by Max »

jsc, here go questions from our developer in attempts to debug it. I know, a lot of questions, but most probably you already know answers to some of them:
  • what module EPIM starts with?
    do you use Mail module with mail automatic check on EPIM launch? (if yes, try to disable it)
    do you use Backup? (if yes, try to disable it in Tools-> Options-> Backup)
    can you reproduce problem with a new database, or maybe even without opened database at all?
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Re: EPIM doesn't close properly

Post by jsc »

Will try - some of this is from memory, as I haven't touched it for a week (traveling on business and 12hr days!)

what module EPIM starts with?

* I started with only contacts and trash modules activated, but may have had the passords and notes modules activated trying some other features. Contacts is normal startup.

do you use Mail module with mail automatic check on EPIM launch? (if yes, try to disable it)

* I don't and have not used the mail module. Everything related to mail is turned off and has been through this problem period

do you use Backup? (if yes, try to disable it in Tools-> Options-> Backup)

* I don't and have not used backup. Backup is unchecked. Autosave is unchecked. Check for updates is unchecked. Everything on General tab is unchecked except for "allow only 1 copy of EPIM"

can you reproduce problem with a new database, or maybe even without opened database at all?

* I did reproduce it with a new database created only from 4.53 from 1/20/2012. I have not tried with no database. But just now, while responding to your questions, with EPIM starting in the contacts module, I would start EPIM from the Quick Launch icon, wait a few seconds, then File>Exit or [X] to close EPIM then check Task Manager. EPIM would close the 5-6 times I tried it. BUT one last time, I started EPIM as before, but alt-tabbed and mouse clicked to a couple of other windows (another IE8 window and Total Commander 8.00b17a and Task Manager, then went back to EPIM and File>Exited. This time EPIM hung in memory and is still there the 1-1/2 minutes typing the rest of this email.

I then killed the process in Task Manager, re-started EPIM from Quick Launch, waited a few seconds, then File>Exited. EPIM hung in memory again. I killed the process again. Then I restared EPIM, and immediately File>Exited. This time Epim closed, and did so several more times.

And now it is closing properly even after switching windows several times. It seems totally random. I can't tie it to a sequence of events.
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Re: EPIM doesn't close properly

Post by ronkral »

I'm experiencing the exact same problem. Sometimes EPIM shuts down normally, sometimes it hangs.
I've tried waiting it out, but it never goes away. I have to kill it using the Windows task manager.
I've been unable to come up with a sequence of events that cause the problem.

I'm running the network version on 3 machines.
The hang occurs on all three of the machines

I do not use the email module (yet).
I mainly go between CALENDAR, CONTACTS and TODO list
If I just start it up, and shut it down, it works OK
I -did- have BACKUP set, but have turned it off and the problem still occurs.

Really kind of a PIA since I have to manually kill it...
Happy to supply you with my database for you to play with if you'd like.
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Re: EPIM doesn't close properly

Post by rjmcglenn »

I am experiencing this issue as well. Win 7 SP1 (x64) ver. 10.2.1
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