Just safe boot once, then test to see if you can reproduce a hang. If it happens 3 of 5 times, it should be simple to see if you can reproduce it by repeatedly plugging in and then unplugging an external monitor while in safe mode. If you can compare the frequency after a safe boot vs. a normal boot that might be helpful.
Jon
Sonny Software
Bookends freeze after changing external displays on Macbook
Re: Bookends freeze after changing external displays on Macb
Just to let you know that I've been experiencing similar issues with Bookends stability also. In my case, I'm operating off a macbook air, and constantly switching between two Apple LED displays (one at work and one at home), sometimes with the air's screen as extra real estate and sometimes not. Still, so far it doesn't sound like very many users are experiencing this problem, so it might yet be something odd about our collective install.
I just tried to reproduce the problem (since I wasn't very observant of the conditions that caused it to freeze, unlike the other posters). I am working off my work LED display with the Air's lid closed. Fired up Word '08, opened my grant proposal, opened Bookends, rescanned my document and waited for everything to settle. Note that the LED display provides life support for the air, so there are multiple wires to unplug: I unplug the USB followed by the monitor (minidisplay port or whatever this iteration is called), followed by the power. I moved the air to a new spot on my desk and opened the lid. Bookends is FROZEN and is killed by force-quit (I am emailing you the crash report in case it is of any use, it is quite voluminous).
This is all well and good (depending on your point of view: as a scientist, I like things better if they are reproducible), and I was thinking that the Bookends autosave capability was responsible for the hang (maybe it doesn't like it when the system burps during a monitor swap). But... I was unable to make it crash again. It would not crash after repeating the above sequence more than once and then in different combinations. I tried a few different things. For example, I tried waiting for sleep to fully engage after closing the lid or unplugging the monitor from a closed Air (it takes about 10 seconds for the sleep light to start blinking), or, I tried NOT waiting and just waking the machine up immediately.... No crash.
By the way, I've never lost anything because of this issue and there have been no issues with either my documents or bookends libraries. Of course, I never mess with the system, monitors or otherwise, when Bookends is talking to Word.
Now, I've been working under a deadline this past few weeks, and I haven't allowed myself to pay close attention to the conditions surrounding the Bookends hang events. I just don't have the time to pay close attention to it: I just have to get things done. Still, it is my vague recollection (not much sleep lately... isn't grantsmanship fun?) that I have been experiencing about 2 hangs a day when Bookends has been active, but I'm not sure at all whether or not these events always followed a monitor swap, or just a wake from sleep. I'll pay closer attention after my deadline passes.
Good luck solving these issues. I am really liking the software and support that you (Jon) provide, and there is just no way that I would switch back to the horrors, and continuing expense, of endnote.
Cheers
Ed
I just tried to reproduce the problem (since I wasn't very observant of the conditions that caused it to freeze, unlike the other posters). I am working off my work LED display with the Air's lid closed. Fired up Word '08, opened my grant proposal, opened Bookends, rescanned my document and waited for everything to settle. Note that the LED display provides life support for the air, so there are multiple wires to unplug: I unplug the USB followed by the monitor (minidisplay port or whatever this iteration is called), followed by the power. I moved the air to a new spot on my desk and opened the lid. Bookends is FROZEN and is killed by force-quit (I am emailing you the crash report in case it is of any use, it is quite voluminous).
This is all well and good (depending on your point of view: as a scientist, I like things better if they are reproducible), and I was thinking that the Bookends autosave capability was responsible for the hang (maybe it doesn't like it when the system burps during a monitor swap). But... I was unable to make it crash again. It would not crash after repeating the above sequence more than once and then in different combinations. I tried a few different things. For example, I tried waiting for sleep to fully engage after closing the lid or unplugging the monitor from a closed Air (it takes about 10 seconds for the sleep light to start blinking), or, I tried NOT waiting and just waking the machine up immediately.... No crash.
By the way, I've never lost anything because of this issue and there have been no issues with either my documents or bookends libraries. Of course, I never mess with the system, monitors or otherwise, when Bookends is talking to Word.
Now, I've been working under a deadline this past few weeks, and I haven't allowed myself to pay close attention to the conditions surrounding the Bookends hang events. I just don't have the time to pay close attention to it: I just have to get things done. Still, it is my vague recollection (not much sleep lately... isn't grantsmanship fun?) that I have been experiencing about 2 hangs a day when Bookends has been active, but I'm not sure at all whether or not these events always followed a monitor swap, or just a wake from sleep. I'll pay closer attention after my deadline passes.
Good luck solving these issues. I am really liking the software and support that you (Jon) provide, and there is just no way that I would switch back to the horrors, and continuing expense, of endnote.
Cheers
Ed
Re: Bookends freeze after changing external displays on Macb
Thanks for the detailed report. If this happens again, please wait a while before force-quitting. Give it at least 10 minutes. I'm wondering if perhaps this an issue where something is actually being attempted (like reconnecting to a network) that may timeout. Just guessing, but it's worth the experiment.
Jon
Sonny Software
Jon
Sonny Software
Re: Bookends freeze after changing external displays on Macb
In my flavor of the issue, the application remains frozen even after 10+ hours. It is therefore unlikely that the issue is network-related.
Re: Bookends freeze after changing external displays on Macb
Not necessarily, it could just mean there is no timeout. Nonetheless, this is no longer forum issue (if it ever was), it's a tech support issue. Since it is rare and unreproducible, and may depend on a number of factors (like local processes running concurrently with Bookends) it will be very difficult to identify the problem. Also, although annoying, a force-quit seems to work without causing any further problems (and of course for those who are aware, quitting Bookends before changing monitors is a workaround). If you or anyone else who experiences this has any clues, please contact tech support (support@sonnysoftware.com).
Jon
Sonny Software
Jon
Sonny Software