out of memory error - please help

[trekster]

I am having nothing but trouble with scheduling in Vixen.  I tried Xlights and it locks up.  Tried the c version and then the b version.  I am probably not setting it up right.  I can't even get it to light up something in light test mode.  I have about 20 sequences.  About the same amount as I had for 2010.  I click on manage and it scrolls through my sequences and then throws an out of memory.   I have been able to get it to complete a couple of times.  If I add only several sequences I can save it and sometimes get it to play.  About half the time when I start the scheduler with the saved program it gives the same out of memory.  I keep trying and it will start and play.  Not much is different then last year.  I was using pixelnet and some smart strings and was having about the same problems.  I undid all the rgb stuff and I am running now only 512 channels with a new 512 channel profile (dmx now).  I still have errors.

PC is way better then my show pc I used last year.  I am using my main computer right now and it is a dual core 3800+ with 4 gig ram.  I am running win7 32 bit.  I have SSD hard drive with 80 gig free out of 120.  I also have other drives.  I don't think it is really a pc problem.  Could I have a bad sequence and when it gets to it, it errors?  My sequences are 25ms.  don't say change them to 50.  They run just fine with no errors at 10 ms on a single core processor and 2 gig of ram last year.

All sequences play just fine if I open them and click play.

I have been running the show with about 5 songs in the scheduler.  It takes a few tries but it will open and I can start it.

HELP

Ron

[DanHouston]

Just a guess that you are running up against an issue where you can't get enough contiguous memory. You mentioned this is a new computer.....is it a DELL or HP where there is lots of pre-loaded stuff running? If you'll want to get down to cleaner running machine.

With Vixen and Xlights both having issues I'd suspect something running on your PC.

You could try adding /3GB switch to your boot.ini (if not already there)....not totally convinced it will help but it's worth a try. Vixen does seem to consume quite a bit of additional memory when you go to manage your program

Which version of vixen are you running? If you want to zip up your sequences I'd be happy to try and load them on my machine to see if they load.

[trekster]

Vixen 2.1 and it is a home built pc.  I bought a ssd drive last month and reloaded win7 32 bit clean.  It has no blotware installed.

Ron

[DanHouston]

I did a little test, and this appears to be consuming lots of memory, so I don't think you are going to be able to do it with your configuration.

Vixen startup - 17MB memory
2 512 channel ~3 minute songs at 25ms -  46MB
3 512 channel ~3 minute songs at 25ms - 113MB
4 512 channel ~3 minute songs at 25ms - 152MB

I'm not sure why it is not a more linear growth pattern, but based on that sample you could need greater than 760MB of contiguous memory (if it became a more linear growth curve).

It also consumes significantly more memory if you have the sequences themselves open when you try to manage the schedule.

Same sequences with a 50ms event duration consumed less than half the memory (as expected).

That said, you said it was working....If you think it is a bad sequence that is causing it move 10 of them out and try to manage the program to divide and conquer. If you want to zip them up I'd be happy to try and open them on my PC to try and rule your machine out.

[rrowan]

Double check to see if any of the sequences are set to lower than 25ms. That might be the reason

just another shot in the dark (jasitd)

Rick R.

[trekster]

I did what you are supposed to do and did not last year and had no problems.  But many problems this year.  I flattened the sequences and they are all playing right now.  I was amazed at the size difference.  They went from about 50mb to 2-3 mb.  Vixen seems to be running much faster and smoother.

Thanks guys.
Ron

[DanHouston]

Glad to hear ya got it working!