Problems with fscript 1.20

[Armando]

With all my plugins updated to fscript 1.20, I get these problems:

1- farr seems to send strings to the clipboard and strings are immediately pasted to the presently focused apps (e.g. the "search" alias does that, BUT note that the actual search is also performed --> browser opens, shows results, etc.)

2- some plugins just stopped working. (Like the Google Translate one : the farr window flashes briefly and I can see that the internet explorer blank page is displayed in farr's result area)

All my plugins + farr should be up to date... Hopefully.

For now, I went back to v 1.9... Everything seems to be working now.

[ewemoa]

Would you mind sharing the specific list of plugins you have installed?

Perhaps one of us might consider trying to reproduce the situation you are encountering.

[Armando]

Would you mind sharing the specific plugins you have installed?

Perhaps one of us might consider trying to reproduce the situation you are encountering.

Not at all. I have them all... Almost.

Here they are :

Clock (v1.0.0.1)
Timer (V1.01.13)
Data Generator (v1.0.0.4)
Delicious (V1.0.18)
Externalsearch (v1.0.0.0)
FARR AltTab (v1.2)
FARR Environment Variables (v1.1)

Everything Plugin (v0.1)  [DEACTIVATED]

FarrFox (V1. 09.01)
GoogleSuggest Plugin (v1.0.0.1)
FarrMostRecentlyUsed (V1.0.1)
FarrMultiMonitor (V1. 1.0)
FarrUninstall (V1.03)
FarrWindowsSearch (FARR 2 Plugin) (v0.1.0)
TinyEverything (v0.9.5)
FCalc (V1.10.01)
FARR Subscript (V1.10)
GooglePlus (V1.1)
hamNotes (V1.0.0.7)
Network Connections Plugin (v0.0.0.3)
PrinterList Plugin (v0.0.0.6)
ProcessKill Plugin (v0.0.0.5)
SendMessage (V1. 0.0.0)
Service Control Plugin (v0.0.0.3)

??l (v??|) - ??|  [This one is actually TodoTxt, but for some reasons, this is how it appears in the plugin manager]



The fscript.dll version that created problems was the last one (1.20), I believe.

[ewemoa]

Thanks for the list.

Setting up a similar environment may take some time here, but FWIW:

I have found:

• Network Connections Plugin 0.0.0.4, but no 0.0.0.3
• ProcessKill Plugin 0.0.0.7, but no 0.0.0.5
• Timer 2.0 (an FSubScript plugin via CZBPack), but no 1.01.13

IIUC, TodoTXT was an FScript Python plugin -- if you don't have python installed or if the plugin can't find an appropriate installation of Python on your system, I doubt it will work (which might explain the odd display of characters).  Is it correct that you don't use this one?  What happens if you disable it and restart FARR?  Do you still observe the symptoms from before?

The following I haven't fetched yet -- don't see them in DcUpdater (forum search time, perhaps):

• Clock (v1.0.0.1)
• Delicious (V1.0.18)
• Everything Plugin (v0.1)  [DEACTIVATED]
• FarrWindowsSearch (FARR 2 Plugin) (v0.1.0)
• GoogleSuggest Plugin (v1.0.0.1)
• TinyEverything (v0.9.5)

[Armando]

Thanks ewemoa for taking all that time to double check the plugins versions, etc.

I won't be able to look at that problem again today.

However :

1- I see that the DCupdater doesn't seem to work quite well here... Maybe am I not using it properly or... Does it need to be updated ! 

2- Yes, it is correct : I don't use the todoTxt plugin. I should probably get rid of those I don't use. Spring cleaning. That said, I'm pretty sure my python installation is functional, but maybe is it a bit old, etc. I was planning to learn the language but never had the time to do it...  Got caught in other "languages" like java, vb, etc.

More tomorrow...

[ewemoa]

2- Yes, it is correct : I don't use the todoTxt plugin. I should probably get rid of those I don't use. Spring cleaning. That said, I'm pretty sure my python installation is functional, but maybe is it a bit old, etc.

If it works for you, perhaps you could do the spring cleaning and then see if you still get the problems you mentioned.  It might simplify trying to determine possible causes of the issues you encounter.

With respect to Python -- IIUC, TodoTXT may need one of ActiveState's Pythons installed due to the way FScript works.  As an example, I have a portable Python installed and my current understanding is that TodoTXT won't work with it.  Also, I vaguely recall czb mentioning something about not supporting that one any longer.

2- some plugins just stopped working. (Like the Google Translate one : the farr window flashes briefly and I can see that the internet explorer blank page is displayed in farr's result area)

I didn't see this in the listing.  Is it installed and if so which version might it be?  What I have at hand appears to be 2.0.

[Armando]

If it works for you, perhaps you could do the spring cleaning and then see if you still get the problems you mentioned.  It might simplify trying to determine possible causes of the issues you encounter.

Sounds like a sound plan.

With respect to Python -- IIUC, TodoTXT may need one of ActiveState's Pythons installed due to the way FScript works.  As an example, I have a portable Python installed and my current understanding is that TodoTXT won't work with it.  Also, I vaguely recall czb mentioning something about not supporting that one any longer.

I might check that out, thanks.

Honestly though, if it's going to be "complicated", I'll just erase the todoTXT plugin. I don't use it and am not planning to use much more anytime soon.

2- some plugins just stopped working. (Like the Google Translate one : the farr window flashes briefly and I can see that the internet explorer blank page is displayed in farr's result area)

I didn't see this in the listing.  Is it installed and if so which version might it be?  What I have at hand appears to be 2.0.

You are perfectly right. I noticed that a bunch of plugins I regularly use don't appear in the plugins list.

These all belong to the CZB_pack (containing a bunch of plugins),the "fsubscript style" plugins...

I always thought that using a secondary "interface" to manage plugins was a fairly unintuitive way of doing things (there should probably be a note in the farr plugin manager informing the user about the syntax allowing to see the list -- fssc)... But anyways.

So I also use :

Character Table - 1.05 Mon Feb 23 2009
Definr.com - 1.0 Mon Feb 23 2009
Dicts.info Thesaurus - 1.0 Mon Feb 23 2009
Google Calculator - 1.0 Mon Feb 23 2009
Google Dictionary - 2.0 Tue Feb 24 2009
Google Translate - 2.0 Tue Feb 24 2009
JScalc - 2.1 Sat Mar 7 2009
Ninjawords.com - 1.0 Tue Feb 24 2009
Timer - 2.0 Fri Feb 27 2009

There were some other ones, but I deactivated them, a while ago.

One thing that puzzles me, is why does DC updater doesn't tell me that those outdated plugins should be updated ?

[ewemoa]

Honestly though, if it's going to be "complicated", I'll just erase the todoTXT plugin. I don't use it and am not planning to use much more anytime soon.

This might be a good first thing to try

I noticed that a bunch of plugins I regularly use don't appear in the plugins list.

Thanks for the update -- if you get around to doing the spring cleaning, may be you wouldn't mind posting an updated list of plugins you've got installed (assuming you still experience the problems you mentioned).

For reference, so far I haven't manage to reproduce the issues reported -- but in my case, some plugins failed to load.  BTW, I learned this by looking at the troubleshooting log via FARR's options window.

I always thought that using a secondary "interface" to manage plugins was a fairly unintuitive way of doing things (there should probably be a note in the farr plugin manager informing the user about the syntax allowing to see the list -- fssc)...

The folks who worked on FSubScript (I confess I was partly involved) felt so too, but AFAIR, the reason it's the way it is has to do with technical issues.

One thing that puzzles me, is why does DC updater doesn't tell me that those outdated plugins should be updated ?

I don't have a good answer for you on this one.

[Armando]

Just to recap. I had installed and running :

Activated plugins:

Clock (v1.0.0.1)
Timer (V1.01.13)
Data Generator (v1.0.0.4)
Delicious (V1.0.18)
Externalsearch (v1.0.0.0)
FARR AltTab (v1.2)
FARR Environment Variables (v1.1)
FarrFox (V1. 09.01)
GoogleSuggest Plugin (v1.0.0.1)
FarrMostRecentlyUsed (V1.0.1)
FarrMultiMonitor (V1. 1.0)
FarrUninstall (V1.03)
FarrWindowsSearch (FARR 2 Plugin) (v0.1.0)
TinyEverything (v0.9.5)
FCalc (V1.10.01)
FARR Subscript (V1.10)
GooglePlus (V1.1)
hamNotes (V1.0.0.7)
Network Connections Plugin (v0.0.0.3)
PrinterList Plugin (v0.0.0.6)
ProcessKill Plugin (v0.0.0.5)
SendMessage (V1. 0.0.0)
Service Control Plugin (v0.0.0.3)
??l (v??|) - ??|  [This one is actually TodoTxt, but for some reasons, this is how it appears in the plugin manager]


Fscript plugins :

Character Table - 1.05 Mon Feb 23 2009
Definr.com - 1.0 Mon Feb 23 2009
Dicts.info Thesaurus - 1.0 Mon Feb 23 2009
Google Calculator - 1.0 Mon Feb 23 2009
Google Dictionary - 2.0 Tue Feb 24 2009
Google Translate - 2.0 Tue Feb 24 2009
JScalc - 2.1 Sat Mar 7 2009
Ninjawords.com - 1.0 Tue Feb 24 2009
Timer - 2.0 Fri Feb 27 2009



Deactivated standard plugins :

Everything Plugin (v0.1)  [DEACTIVATED]

Deactivated but installed fscript plugins :

- Online Czech2X Dictionary - Folder: Online_Czech2X_Dictionary
- Table Data Search - Folder: Table_Data_Search
- tratu.baamboo.com - Folder: tratu_baamboo
- fftab - Folder: FFTab  activate 



Notice that I had 2 timers :
Timer (V1.01.13)
Timer - 2.0 Fri Feb 27 2009



NOW :


Activated and installed :

Clock (v1.0.0.1)
Timer (V1.01.13)
Data Generator (v1.0.0.4)
Externalsearch (v1.0.0.0)
FARR AltTab (v1.2)
FarrMultiMonitor (V1. 1.0)
FarrWindowsSearch (FARR 2 Plugin) (v0.1.0)
TinyEverything (v0.9.5)
FCalc (V1.10.01)
FARR Subscript (V1.10)
hamNotes (V1.0.0.7)
Network Connections Plugin (v0.0.0.3)
SendMessage (V1. 0.0.0)
Service Control Plugin (v0.0.0.3)


Activated fscript plugins (SAME AS  BEFORE):

Character Table - 1.05 Mon Feb 23 2009
Definr.com - 1.0 Mon Feb 23 2009
Dicts.info Thesaurus - 1.0 Mon Feb 23 2009
Google Calculator - 1.0 Mon Feb 23 2009
Google Dictionary - 2.0 Tue Feb 24 2009
Google Translate - 2.0 Tue Feb 24 2009
JScalc - 2.1 Sat Mar 7 2009
Ninjawords.com - 1.0 Tue Feb 24 2009
Timer - 2.0 Fri Feb 27 2009




Uninstalled (folder deleted)


FARR Environment Variables (v1.1)
GoogleSuggest Plugin (v1.0.0.1)
FarrMostRecentlyUsed (V1.0.1)
??l (v??|) - ??|  [This one is actually TodoTxt, but for some reasons, this is how it appears in the plugin manager]




Deactivated plugins



Delicious (V1.0.18)
FarrFox (V1. 09.01)
FarrUninstall (V1.03)
GooglePlus (V1.1)
PrinterList Plugin (v0.0.0.6)
ProcessKill Plugin (v0.0.0.5)
**Everything Plugin (v0.1) (Was already deactivated)


Deactivated but installed fscript plugins :

- Online Czech2X Dictionary - Folder: Online_Czech2X_Dictionary
- Table Data Search - Folder: Table_Data_Search
- tratu.baamboo.com - Folder: tratu_baamboo
- fftab - Folder: FFTab  activate 



I don't know what we can do with that info, but here it is.

[Armando]

I forgot to say the most important thing :

fscript.dll 1.20 doesn't work better. All fscript plugins make my farr window flash briefly and vanish.

I came back to 1.9, and most plugins work. Some don't, like the timer. So I went back to a previous versions which I had deactivated, etc.


[EDIT : I haven't any farr crash in the last 2 weeks though...]

[ewemoa]

Thanks for the report.

In my testing recently based on a subset of reported plugins, I found that Clock and Timer (the one in CZB pack) didn't seem to get along.  I'm currently trying things out with FScript 1.20 -- I hope we can get that working.

IIUC, the older Timer is no longer maintained -- so it's kind of a "ticking bomb" or a "timer waiting to expire".  Perhaps we can try to get things working so it is not necessary

Would you mind moving the older Timer (not the CZB pack one) and Clock somewhere else (with FARR not running, move the Timer and Clock folders from directly under the Plugins directory somewhere outside of the Plugins directory) and seeing if things improve at all?  (If the Timer and Clock folders (or copies) are kept without deletion, I believe it should be possible to restore them.)

Also, in the FARR options window, there should be a Troubleshooting Log section.  If it's enabled, we might get some hints as to some plugins that FARR is encountering difficulties with.

What do you think?

[Armando]

I'll start with your last question

What do you think?

I think I'll just try everything you suggested and report back.

But... If I may ask... What are the advantages of using 1.20 instead of 1.9 ?

In my testing recently based on a subset of reported plugins, I found that Clock and Timer (the one in CZB pack) didn't seem to get along.  I'm currently trying things out with FScript 1.20 -- I hope we can get that working.

I'll disable the clock and see...

IIUC, the older Timer is no longer maintained -- so it's kind of a "ticking bomb" or a "timer waiting to expire".  Perhaps we can try to get things working so it is not necessary

Would you mind moving the older Timer (not the CZB pack one) and Clock somewhere else (with FARR not running, move the Timer and Clock folders from directly under the Plugins directory somewhere outside of the Plugins directory) and seeing if things improve at all?  (If the Timer and Clock folders (or copies) are kept without deletion, I believe it should be possible to restore them.)

I'd be surprised if the old timer conflicted with the new one as it was deactivated. But who knows. I'll try.

Also, in the FARR options window, there should be a Troubleshooting Log section.  If it's enabled, we might get some hints as to some plugins that FARR is encountering difficulties with.

I'll enable that.


I don't think I'll be able to diagnose farr tonight, maybe in a few days -- as that involves replacing fscript everywhere again, moving files around etc. and it always takes longer than expected (I'm getting better at chronological guesstimates, but I'm not there yet...)

[Armando]

BTW : how do you configure aliases (shortcut keys) for these fscript plugins ?
(Since you can't use the normal plugin interface.)

[ewemoa]

But... If I may ask... What are the advantages of using 1.20 instead of 1.9 ?

My rough understanding is like this -- in the case of FScript, development is along a single line, the older stuff is generally less paid attention to / maintained.  I believe that most of the time, things get fixed and features get added, but that's usually taking place at or near the latest version for FScript.  If this understanding is off or in error in some way, may be ecardec (author of FScript) can clarify

I'd be surprised if the old timer conflicted with the new one as it was deactivated. But who knows. I'll try.

I didn't test this because I didn't find the older one.

Taking a step back for a moment, I think it might make sense to give some consideration to testing with less plugins first and gradually adding more back.  I think it is not too unusual for less pieces in the picture being simpler to understand and consider.  Alternatively, repeated bisection might be another approach (i.e. disable half of the plugins -- check for symptoms, if they still exist, choose half of the remaining half to disable -- check for symptoms, repeat until nothing is left or symptoms disappear with some plugins remaining).

Good luck with time-related things in the mean time:)

[ewemoa]

BTW : how do you configure aliases (shortcut keys) for these fscript plugins ?
(Since you can't use the normal plugin interface.)

The short version: I don't and I don't know how in a convenient way.

The longer version: I think it may be technically possible for FScript plugins to provide the ability to configure aliases, but specific FScript plugins may not.  In fact, not many (if any) may currently be
written this way.

Do you have specific ones you'd like to configure?  Depending on the case, it may not be too hard to make a change (this would be via editing an appropriate fscript.js file -- in the case of an FSubscript plugin (e.g. any CZB pack one) the file name may be different and the types of modifications may also differ).  A downside of this approach include that after updates, editing would likely have to happen again.  If you have a specific one in mind, may be we could take a look to see what might be involved.

[mouser]

dont forget you can also always write an alias yourself whose result is simply to modify what you type to format it the way the fscript plugin expects.

so if you have a plugin (or another alias) that normally triggers on "pleasepingawebsite (.*)" but you want to save yourself some typing, you could always create your own custom alias that matches "p (.*)" whose result is: "dosearch pleasepingawebsite $$1"

[Armando]

Yes, of course ! thanks mouser. Simple fix. 

[ewemoa]

Nice!  Thanks for the tip