FARR crash related to changing monitor sizes.

[AJolly]

Having a weird FARR crash issue, which seems to happen when I switch between physical monitors.  It changes the Windows section of the ini, and then any time I restart FARR it immediately crashes.  If I delete the Windows section, it starts back up fine.

Any advice? This is getting annoying, as I do switch between physical monitor configs quite frequently. I think it might have to do with the negative values?

Example: 
[Windows]
MainLeft=-3072
MainTop=34
MainWidth=2304
MainHeight=1654
OptionsLeft=8
OptionsTop=0
OptionsWidth=1022
OptionsHeight=718
AliasLeft=11
AliasTop=8
AliasWidth=851
AliasHeight=662
OptionsActivePage=9
OptionsTransparency=0
ToolbarWidth=121
PluginManagerWidth=917
PluginManagerHeight=718
HotkeyFormWidth=411
HotkeyFormHeight=342
CheckBoxUseCustomBackgroundResultColor=0
ColorBoxCustomBackground=-16777201
CheckBoxUseCustomBackgroundSearchColor=0
ColorBoxCustomSearchBackground=-16777201
ResultMode_Width_0=-1
ResultMode_Height_0=-1
ResultMode_Width_1=3072
ResultMode_Height_1=1654
ResultMode_Width_2=2304
ResultMode_Height_2=1654
ResultMode_Width_3=2304
ResultMode_Height_3=1277
ResultMode_Width_4=564
ResultMode_Height_4=320
ResultMode_Width_5=-1
ResultMode_Height_5=-1
ResultMode_Width_6=-1
ResultMode_Height_6=-1

[Nod5]

I don't get a crash if I set "MainLeft=-3072". Instead what happens next time the FindAndRunRobot process is started and FARR is opened it positions itself at the right edge of  the screen and the ini value gets automatically updated to "MainLeft=0".

I suggest you first make a backup of FindAndRunRobot.ini to another folder. Then experiment with values for MainLeft and other items and see if you can further narrow down the cause.

[AJolly]

That's the weird thing, I've now had this happen to me across two different computers, multiple times. At some point I'll notice that farr is no longer running, try and restart it and realize it's not starting.  Go delete that section in the ini, and it works just fine again. 

I've got some of the crash dumps if that helps.  I've been using farr for a decade now, but this is the first time I've been switching between monitors so frequently.

I guess I'll try putting back in that section next time it crashes, or let me try and figure out some sort of watchdog script so I get notified when farr crashes. 

[Nod5]

Ok so there might be two issues, though related, if I understand you correctly?
1. FARR crashes (the FARR process closes) when you switch between physical monitors.
2. After FARR has crashed (the process is closed) starting FARR again fails if the FindAndRunRobot.ini item "MainLeft" has a negative value, which FARR automatically adds after 1 happens.

With switching you mean something like pulling out the HDMI cable of one monitor and inserting that of another while the PC is on?

Some idea on things you could test to narrow down the issues further:

Does these things happen every time you switch physical monitors? Or only sometimes? If sometimes, does it depend on how the monitors are positioned (in Windows) or on which monitor is primare? Does it depend on which monitor FARR is showing on?

I can't be of help with examining crash reports, only mouser can do that I think.

[AJolly]

I think I've diagnosed the root of the problem:
Farr crashes on activation if the saved position of it's window is no longer valid.  This can happen without having negative numbers. 
1) Farr doesn't actually crash at runtime, it crashes when it's hotkey (alt space) is pressed.
2) Deleting the window position info in the ini lets farr run fine.

Example: Today I swapped monitors (I have 5 monitors connected to my pc, by flipping a power switch I move between using 3 at my desk vs 2 at my couch).  Tried launching farr, nothing happened.  In the ini, there were no negative position numbers.  Removed the MainLeft number, reran farr and it works fine. 

[Windows]
MainLeft=4608
MainTop=1173
MainWidth=2304
MainHeight=767
OptionsLeft=1
OptionsTop=109
OptionsWidth=1142
OptionsHeight=815
AliasLeft=1
AliasTop=108
AliasWidth=958
AliasHeight=662
OptionsActivePage=4
OptionsTransparency=0
ToolbarWidth=90
PluginManagerWidth=958
PluginManagerHeight=843
HotkeyFormWidth=629
HotkeyFormHeight=522
CheckBoxUseCustomBackgroundResultColor=0
ColorBoxCustomBackground=-16777201
CheckBoxUseCustomBackgroundSearchColor=0
ColorBoxCustomSearchBackground=-16777201
ResultMode_Width_0=-1
ResultMode_Height_0=-1
ResultMode_Width_1=1044
ResultMode_Height_1=658
ResultMode_Width_2=2304
ResultMode_Height_2=139
ResultMode_Width_3=2304
ResultMode_Height_3=767
ResultMode_Width_4=-1
ResultMode_Height_4=-1
ResultMode_Width_5=-1
ResultMode_Height_5=-1
ResultMode_Width_6=-1
ResultMode_Height_6=-1

[AJolly]

The crash module is user32.dll, which further implicates farr trying to create a window at an invalid position and not handling the error gracefully.

Faulting application name: FindAndRunRobot.exe, version: 2.239.3.0, time stamp: 0x00000000
Faulting module name: USER32.dll, version: 10.0.22621.2506, time stamp: 0x2f5549b5
Exception code: 0xc000041d
Fault offset: 0x00099825
Faulting process id: 0x0x14F90
Faulting application start time: 0x0x1DA18F1D08F60BB
Faulting application path: C:\ccdc\PortableApps\FindAndRunRobot\FindAndRunRobot.exe
Faulting module path: C:\WINDOWS\System32\USER32.dll
Report Id: 25457af3-6d67-4d34-9402-60c90a4f265d
Faulting package full name:
Faulting package-relative application ID:

AppName = FindAndRunRobot.exe
AppVersion = 2.239.3.0
AppTimeStamp = 00000000
ModuleName = USER32.dll
ModuleVersion = 10.0.22621.2506
ModuleTimeStamp = 2f5549b5
ExceptionCode = c000041d
FaultingOffset = 00099825
ProcessId = 0x14f90
ProcessCreationTime = 0x1da18f1d08f60bb
AppPath = C:\ccdc\PortableApps\FindAndRunRobot\FindAndRunRobot.exe
ModulePath = C:\WINDOWS\System32\USER32.dll
IntegratorReportId = 25457af3-6d67-4d34-9402-60c90a4f265d

[Nod5]

I still can't reproduce this issue. If I shut down the FARR process, edit the .ini file, set value MainLeft=4608, and start FARR again it shows up in the middle of the screen. I only have two screens connected. I wonder what else might differ with your PC and screen setup that triggers the issue?

[AJolly]

It's very likely the intersection between the ini and your specific screen resolution/ monitor count. 

I've worked around it by writing a batch script that triggers when Windows event log notices process crash, it'll check if farr is running and if not it'll remove that line from the INI and relaunch

[mouser]

I apologize for the frustration this must be causing and the creative workarounds you've been willing to create for it!
I will try to fix. 
This seems like a good clue: "1) Farr doesn't actually crash at runtime, it crashes when it's hotkey (alt space) is pressed."
FARR has some code that tries to fix up the window position if it is off screen -- something must be going wrong here.

Quick question first, have you tried changing some of the options that tell FARR whether you want it to automatically position itself on the monitor when it shows?

[AJolly]

I've had " When appearing center on monitor turned on", but I'll try disabling it and see if that makes any difference.
The good news is my watchdog script works pretty well.

I do wish far could use some sort of cash to speed up Results though I've been using it for almost 15 years so I don't want to move away, but there's a lot of other launchers these days that run things instantly.