Sonny Software

Overall, I'm pretty well satisfied with Bookends 8.1.2 (running under OS X 10.4.3), but I've had trouble with one much-needed function for as long as I've used the software: I can't successfully export my 4800-item database (11.2 MB, Bookends cache set to 20 MB) as a styled-text bibliography.

I've only tried this a few times, but each time, Bookends crashes unexpectedly part of the way through the export. I've tried this now with Repaired and Rebuilt versions of the database, and with several different Format filters, including filters in their original unedited state, as shipped with the program. In each case, always the same result, though the timing of the crash may vary: sometimes 1/3 of the way through, sometimes 2/3 of the way through, etc.

This is tremendously frustrating. Bookends shows no other evidence of a problem. Can anyone here suggest a strategy for pinning down the source of the problem?

The best strategy is to zip and send me the database. If I can reproduce it, I can see what the problem is.

Jon
Sonny Software

P.S. One rare cause -- if the styled text data for a field is corrupted, formatting with it can cause a crash. To check for this, you can make a COPY of the database and do a Global Change -> Restore Default Font Style. If the crash goes away, that was the problem. If it doesn't, it's something else.

Jon wrote:The best strategy is to zip and send me the database. If I can reproduce it, I can see what the problem is....

P.S. One rare cause -- if the styled text data for a field is corrupted, formatting with it can cause a crash. To check for this, you can make a COPY of the database and do a Global Change -> Restore Default Font Style. If the crash goes away, that was the problem. If it doesn't, it's something else.

Restoring Default Font Style did not correct the problem. (And I would, in any case, have considered that a last resort, as it would mean manually editing hundreds of references in the database so as to restore the styled text data.) I will send you a copy of the file shortly.

TH