Strange Startup behavior

DiapDealer · 04-18-2015, 08:46 AM

Since upgrading to 2.25 from 2.22 (Windows Vista 32-bit), I've been experiencing issues where calibre quite often gets hung up at the Splash Screen on "Initializing user interface". Killing the process and trying again usually makes it go OK. When launching from the desktop shortcut, this seems to happen a little less than 50% of the time. Now for some odd details:

If I start normally from the command-line, the hang up occasionally happens, but very rarely.
If I start using calibre-debug -g, it never hangs (at least I've not gotten it to happen yet, and I've tried ... a lot ).
If I start using the Windows dependency-walker tool and profile the startup process of calibre, I can't get it to hang (again ... yet. But not for lack of trying)
If I disable the splash screen in calibre's preferences, I can't get it to hang.

Now, I personally have no problem with leaving the splash-screen disabled and going about my business, but I admit this seemingly debug-proof (at least with my limited debug knowledge/tools) issue has piqued my curiosity.

Anybody know of anything else I can try to see where things might be going wrong?

kovidgoyal · 04-18-2015, 10:59 PM

When the usual debug tools fail, the best approach is to run from source and stick in a few print statements. Since your problem seems to be splash screen related, look in gui2/main.py around line 180. And gui2/ui.py around line 338

Add in some print statements to see where it is getting stuck. You will need to redirect the prints to a log file, since on windowd gui programs have no working stdout, like this

print ('whatever', file=open('/path/to/log/file.txt', 'ab'))

kovidgoyal · 04-18-2015, 11:51 PM

Oh and in case you did not know already, here is how to run calibre from source on windows: http://manual.calibre-ebook.com/deve...nt-environment

kovidgoyal · 04-19-2015, 12:33 AM

This commit will probably fix the issue, though I cant be sure since I cannot replicate it: https://github.com/kovidgoyal/calibr...bf683591a56876

DiapDealer · 04-19-2015, 07:14 AM

Oh, hey. Thanks!

I may see if I can pull the source before that commit and do some before and after testing. Or I may just wait until the next release to see if the problem goes away.

eschwartz · 04-19-2015, 09:07 PM

You willing to wait a whole week?

DiapDealer · 04-21-2015, 08:12 AM

For what it's worth, I'm still trying to get it to hang when running from 2.25 source and just can't get it to happen (of course).

Delete the CALIBRE_DEVELOP_FROM env variable and it usually hangs within two or three tries.

DiapDealer · 04-24-2015, 02:44 PM

Following up after installing v2.26.

Have not had the newest version hang yet. Had a marathon open close session right off the bat and gave up after about 30 times. I'd say the changes to address this issue have worked. Thanks!

kovidgoyal · 04-24-2015, 10:40 PM

Glad to hear it

04-18-2015, 08:46 AM	#1
DiapDealer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 28,502 Karma: 204127028 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD	Strange Startup behavior Since upgrading to 2.25 from 2.22 (Windows Vista 32-bit), I've been experiencing issues where calibre quite often gets hung up at the Splash Screen on "Initializing user interface". Killing the process and trying again usually makes it go OK. When launching from the desktop shortcut, this seems to happen a little less than 50% of the time. Now for some odd details: If I start normally from the command-line, the hang up occasionally happens, but very rarely. If I start using calibre-debug -g, it never hangs (at least I've not gotten it to happen yet, and I've tried ... a lot ). If I start using the Windows dependency-walker tool and profile the startup process of calibre, I can't get it to hang (again ... yet. But not for lack of trying) If I disable the splash screen in calibre's preferences, I can't get it to hang. Now, I personally have no problem with leaving the splash-screen disabled and going about my business, but I admit this seemingly debug-proof (at least with my limited debug knowledge/tools) issue has piqued my curiosity. Anybody know of anything else I can try to see where things might be going wrong? Last edited by DiapDealer; 04-18-2015 at 10:24 AM.

04-21-2015, 08:12 AM	#7
DiapDealer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 28,502 Karma: 204127028 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD	For what it's worth, I'm still trying to get it to hang when running from 2.25 source and just can't get it to happen (of course). Delete the CALIBRE_DEVELOP_FROM env variable and it usually hangs within two or three tries. Last edited by DiapDealer; 04-21-2015 at 08:15 AM.

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04-18-2015, 10:59 PM	#2
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 45,251 Karma: 27110894 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	When the usual debug tools fail, the best approach is to run from source and stick in a few print statements. Since your problem seems to be splash screen related, look in gui2/main.py around line 180. And gui2/ui.py around line 338 Add in some print statements to see where it is getting stuck. You will need to redirect the prints to a log file, since on windowd gui programs have no working stdout, like this print ('whatever', file=open('/path/to/log/file.txt', 'ab'))

04-18-2015, 11:51 PM	#3
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 45,251 Karma: 27110894 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	Oh and in case you did not know already, here is how to run calibre from source on windows: http://manual.calibre-ebook.com/deve...nt-environment

04-19-2015, 12:33 AM	#4
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 45,251 Karma: 27110894 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	This commit will probably fix the issue, though I cant be sure since I cannot replicate it: https://github.com/kovidgoyal/calibr...bf683591a56876

04-19-2015, 07:14 AM	#5
DiapDealer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 28,502 Karma: 204127028 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD	Oh, hey. Thanks! I may see if I can pull the source before that commit and do some before and after testing. Or I may just wait until the next release to see if the problem goes away.

04-19-2015, 09:07 PM	#6
eschwartz Ex-Helpdesk Junkie Posts: 19,421 Karma: 85400180 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)	You willing to wait a whole week?

04-24-2015, 02:44 PM	#8
DiapDealer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 28,502 Karma: 204127028 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD	Following up after installing v2.26. Have not had the newest version hang yet. Had a marathon open close session right off the bat and gave up after about 30 times. I'd say the changes to address this issue have worked. Thanks!

04-24-2015, 10:40 PM	#9
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 45,251 Karma: 27110894 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	Glad to hear it

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