Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!iuvax!rutgers!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!ucbvax!SFAUSTIN.BITNET!Z4648252 From: Z4648252@SFAUSTIN.BITNET (Z4648252) Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st Subject: A little detective work... Message-ID: <890824.01342113.020170@SFA.CP6> Date: 24 Aug 89 07:34:22 GMT Organization: The Internet Lines: 55 Hello everyone, I thought that I would share an experience which I think would be of benefit. Tonight, for several hours, I helped to troubleshoot a constantly crashing ST system which was running the new Double Click software, specifically, a new and great program called Squish. The STer attended the WOA show at Dallas and bought the disk expecting much. Instead he experienced problems. This bothered me because I've been singing the praises of DoubleClick lately, especially on the local BBSes. Squish is one of the most incredible programs that I have encountered and am so appreciative of the extra disk space that it has given me on my hard drive. Ok, the problem.... Squished files were causing strange text arrangements on Flash. Also, TopDown no longer was giving dependable results, resulting in frequent cold booting >>>>TOWARD THE END OF THE BOOTUP SEQUENCE<<<<. Also, TopDown no longer would work in float mode. Sheesh, what a mess! I looked at his system and as far as I could tell, everything appeared to be in order. Desquishing files sometimes helped matters (strange VT 52 display, cold boots, etc.) and other times it wouldn't--even on the same files. Deactivating files in the /AUTO/ folder *sometimes* helped matters, *sometimes* not. Good grief. Let's see, and this net has been talking about MMU's lately, right? Ok, isolation time... One /AUTO/ squished file after another was activated. Again, the same problem. Erratic bombs, craters, and hair pulling. Ok, are your accessories squished? Yes, he replies. Oh, Lordy... Funny thing is, all of mine are too and I have no problem!!! In fact, *EVERYTHING* in my system is SQUISHED and I have had no problems at all!!! Ok, here we go. Isolate each accessory. Activate them one per bootup. And there it is.... the WordPerfect Accessory. It and it alone is the culprit. Yeah, but I also use WordPerfect!!! Why don't I have the problem????? Yep, the system acts real odd with the WordPErfect accessory and Topdown and Squished files. But again, my system didn't have any problems. Finally, the matter was solved. I decided that we would pull all the accessories and install them in from scratch, thus changing their order of execution (??????????). Well, guess what? That solved his problem. All possible files are now squished, TopDown works perfectly, and there are no more VT 52 funny things going on. It just goes to show that breathing fire and flames at a company before adequately trouble shooting can result in denial of the potential that that company has to offer. Now I don't know anything about accessory execution or whatever, but, at any rate, the problem is solved. Double Click needs to be complimented and congratulated for a well- thought utility as Squish. If any problems occur, please check the rest of the system out. As more and more /AUTO/ aids are made available and with the frequency of new free/share/ware accessories and with the hit and miss of execution orders, it amazes me how all of this seems to work. Moral of the story? Don't condemn before you do some detective work. By the way, I don't work for or distribute DoubleClick software, but am just a very happy and satisfied customer of their products! Larry Rymal in East Texas