Travel Maps version 5.0.0.500 crashes

andrew-foxon wrote on 12/23/2023, 9:28 AM

I've raised the following issue with Technical Support but am posting here in case anyone else is experiencing the same problem.

Yesterday I opened Travel Maps to start a new animated map and was prompted to download the latest update (to version 5.0.0.500). I downloaded and installed the update.

Over the past 12 to 18 months I've produced over a hundred animated maps. For each one I import a JPEG image that I created of an overhead view of a London Underground train to use as an avatar on each of the maps. With the previous version of Travel Maps this has never been a problem and has created no issues whatsoever.

However, since updating to version 5.0.0.500, as soon as I import the small JPEG image to use as the avatar the program freezes for a few seconds and then crashes (i.e. it closes and returns me to my desktop). No error message is created. I've also tried importing a PNG version of the same image. When I try importing the PNG it crashes immediately; no 4 or 5 second freeze prior to crashing. For information, the JPEG image is 9.2KB in size and the PNG is 12.9KB in size, so quite small files. I am running windows 11 and have 16GB of RAM and a GT430 graphics card.

As I say, I've created over a hundred maps using this image with the previous version of Travel Maps and had no issues at all. The PC is the same, the version of Windows is the same and the graphics card is the same. The only thing that has changed is the updated software. So, I think it's fairly obvious that there's an issue within the updated software.

I still have the previous version installed on another PC and subsequently tested it with this JPEG image. It imported without any issue and I was able to produce a completed animated map. Strangely, if I load this completed map into version 5.0.0.500 on the PC that I'm having the issue with, the animation plays without any issues, including the JPEG avatar of the underground train. This would suggest that the issue is with the latest version's editor (as opposed to the playback). For completeness I've tested version 5.0.0.500 on my laptop. It crashes on the laptop too so the issue isn't hardware specific.

I'd be interested to know if anyone else is seeing the same issue or if they have found a solution.

If I get a solution from Technical Support I'll update this post.

Comments

browj2 wrote on 12/23/2023, 11:03 AM

@andrew-foxon

Hi,

Using 5.0.0.500.

I just tried with a couple of images, a png with transparent background of 6.579MB, and a jpeg of 1.163MB, imported as the Avatar, and they both work fine. They play back on the route. I added points, no problem.

I'm on Windows 10, so maybe there is a problem with the program and W11.

John CB

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johnebaker wrote on 12/23/2023, 1:33 PM

@andrew-foxon

Hi

I have tried several images jpg and png with TM 5.0.0.500 and have no issue, I am on Windows 11.

. . . . The PC is the same, the version of Windows is the same and the graphics card is the same. . . .

What are the PC and laptop system specifications?

See this topic for what is required and please quote processor and graphics card make/model in full, and also what monitor/screen resolution(s) you are working with if this is a laptop.

. . . . GT430 graphics card . . .

Are the graphics card drivers drivers up to date?

For Windows 10/11 the latest are version 474.64 and for Windows 7/8 version 474.66.

In Windows driver notation these will be xx.0.14.7464 and xx.0.14.7466 where xx = a 2 digit number, possibly 29,30 or 31.

John EB
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andrew-foxon wrote on 12/26/2023, 4:49 AM

Hi

Here are the specifications of the various computers I've tried version 5.0.0.500 on - first the two computers are the ones on which it crashes and the third computer is the one that still works (as it's using version 5.0.0.485). I'm deliberately not allowing this third computer to update until (or in hope) that the issue can be resolved.

1) Desktop PC (Travel Maps version 5.0.0.500 - Crashes on this PC)

Operating System -Windows 11 21H2 Build 22000.2538 - 64 bit
Graphics - Nvidia GeForce GT430 - Driver 23.21.13.9135 ( I note that the previous post suggests the latest driver is 474.64, but according to Nvidia's site this update is not compatible with the GT430 and I have the latest driver that is compatible with the GT430)
RAM - 16GB
Processor - Intel i5 2500K

2) Laptop (Travel Maps version 5.0.0.500 - Crashes on this laptop)

Operating System - Windows 11 22H2 Build 2261.2861 - 64 bit
Graphics Nvidia GeForce RTX3050 Laptop GPU - Driver 31.0.15.4633
RAM - 32GB
Processor - AMD Ryzen 5 5600H

3) Desktop PC (Travel Maps version 5.0.0.485 - Does not crash)

Operating System - Windows 10 22H2 Build 19045.3803 - 64 bit
Graphics Nvidia GeForce GT710 - Driver 30.0.14.7464
RAM - 16GB
Processor - i5 10600K

Although the two i5 processors are 'K' they aren't overclocked. I know that Desktop 1 (with the i5 2500K chip) is over 12 years old and isn't validated for windows 11 - I 'force loaded' it. It's been running Windows 11 for over a year without any issues with any of it's installed software (and it has a lot!). I've edited many videos (using Adobe Premiere CS6) and created DVDs (Adobe Encore CS6) and do a lot of photo editing (Affinity Photo and Photoshop CS6/Lightroom Classic) so it's been fairly well 'stressed'. But it has worked flawlessly. And it has worked flawlessly with the previous version of Travel Maps (5.0.0.485).

As a general observation, and to reiterate my original post, Travel Maps has worked without issue when PC (1) and the laptop were running version 5.0.0.485. As you will see from the specs, they share nothing in common with regards to the hardware, windows build and drivers. Indeed, even the chipsets are different - one is Intel and the other AMD. If the cause is something other than the update then it's a mighty big co-incidence that two very different computer builds (and separated by about 10 years in terms of age) should both crash the program. The only common factor that I can see is the Travel Maps update to version 5.0.0.500. To emphasise this, I have deliberately declined the update on the third PC so that it remains at version 5.0.0.485, and this works flawlessly with the same JPEG/PNG image I'm using as the avatar that crashes the other two computers.

As an aside, is there any way I can roll back the version of Travel Maps from version '500' to '485' so that I can continue to produce maps using the imported avatar on the first two computers (the 'working' computer is my daughter's so I don't often have access to it)?

Andrew

 

andrew-foxon wrote on 12/28/2023, 4:04 AM

Hi there

Red face on my part. I belatedly thought to try importing a different JPEG and PNG into the new version of Travel Maps and it loads and works without issue. So the problem seems to be with the JPEG/PNG file I was using. I didn't think to try this initially because I'd used the JPEG image in over 100 maps prior to the update without any issues. So I Still don't know why it worked with version 485 but not 500. But I guess that's the weird and wonderful world of computing 😉.

I've let Magix Support know that the issue is resolved.

Apologies if I've wasted anyone's time when the fault was at my end!

This thread can be closed

Andrew

emmrecs wrote on 12/28/2023, 4:54 AM

@andrew-foxon

Thanks for the update (and don't worry about the Red face, we've all done very similar things!) It's good to hear the issue is now resolved, even if the reason for the problem with the original .jpg and .png files is somewhat strange!

I won't close this thread at the moment; your experience may well help others who encounter similar difficulties.

Jeff
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andrew-foxon wrote on 12/28/2023, 11:18 AM

I have an update. And, I think, I have the answer to the riddle.

The image I was importing as the avatar was saved in a folder that was several folders down the file tree. After much trail and error I found that if the file is imported from a folder further up the file tree, it doesn't crash the program.

For example, the file that crashed the program was in the following path:

E:\Lenovo Data Files\London Underground Pub tour\Animated Maps\Circle Line 1\Underground Train.jpg

As you can see, quite a convoluted path. I began to wonder whether being so deeply buried was the cause of the issue.

I then copied and pasted the jpg file into the folder called London Underground Pub (i.e. the second sub folder) tour so that the path was:

E:\Lenovo Data Files\London Underground Pub tour\Underground Train.jpg

This time, when I imported the jpg file as the avatar the program didn't crash. I then tested the image saved to the 'Animated Maps' folder, i.e. one folder up from it's original location. Again, no crash.

So, the problem was either the number of subfolders (3 was ok but 4 subfolders wasn't), or the number of characters in the path to the file was the issue. To test this I set up some simply named folders to create 4 subfolders so that the path was E:\one\two\three\four\Underground Train.jpg. And hey presto, no crash.

So my conclusion is that it's the number of characters in the path to the image that causes the issue. It's not the jpg image file itself causing the problem.

Hope this makes sense.

Andrew

johnebaker wrote on 12/28/2023, 2:49 PM

Hi Andrew

The folder path looks fine to me, it has less than the maximum number of characters allowed (256 by default) and has no disallowed characters.

Is the E: drive an internal drive or USB external drive?

If an external drive there is a possibilty that Windows Power Management will turn off the USB ports, particularly on the laptop, after a period of inactivity and/or the drives themselves will power down, and they may not wake up fast enough or at all.

John EB

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andrew-foxon wrote on 12/29/2023, 3:30 AM

Hi John

The E drive is a second internal drive. As it happens I have a copy of the 'Lenovo Data Files' folder and all of its sub folders on an external drive and this exhibits the same behaviour.

Any jpg file I import from the 'Circle Line 1' folder (i,e. the original jpg file and any new jpg files I save to the folder) from either the E drive or the external drive crashes the program. If I copy these jpg files into the folder above (the 'Animated Maps' folder) they don't crash the program.

But here's an even stranger thing. There are 7 sub folders in the 'Animated Maps' folder:

Bakerl00 1
Bakerl00 2
Central Line 1
Central Line 2
Circle Line 1
Metropolitan
Music

I copied the Underground Train.jpg file into each of these folders. And here's the really bizzare behaviour. If I import the jpg file from any of the sub folders beginning with the letter 'C', the program crashes. Importing the jpg file from the sub folders beginning with the letter 'B' or 'M doesn't crash the program. But then I noticed one thing the sub folders beginning with the letter 'C' had in common. They contained the word 'Line'. I deleted the word 'Line' from the name of the three sub folders and tried importing the jpg file again. To my astonishment, the program didn't crash.

By way of experimentation, I set up three folders on the desktop, Central Line 1, Central Line 2 and Circle Line 1 and copied and pasted the jpg file in to each one. The program crashed if I imported it into Travel Maps. I then deleted the word 'Line' from each of the folders, imported the jpg file, and the program didn't crash. I also pasted the jpg file directly onto the desktop and this didn't crash the program either.

I find it hard to believe, but it seems the word 'Line' in the folder name upsets Travel Maps. And it doesn't seem to matter where in the folder tree the folder exists. At least that's the behaviour on my setup.

I'll stop digging and I think I should leave this thread alone now. Al least I know how to stop Travel Maps from crashing on my particular setup. Travel Maps is a fantastic program and I'm relieved that I've found that I can still use it to create my animated maps.

Andrew

johnebaker wrote on 12/29/2023, 9:09 AM

@andrew-foxon

Hi

. . . . it seems the word 'Line' in the folder name upsets Travel Maps . . . .

It is the spaces in Circle Line 1 that are causing the issue. I too can crash Travel maps with the full path you have given.

Replacing any of the spaces in Circle Line 1 with an underscore or hyphen there is no crash.

With further testing the program will crash if the image containing folder, ie the last folder, or only folder, in the filepath, has spaces in its name, eg a folder path such as this

E:\Folder name with spaces\image.jpg

Or

E:\Folder name with spaces\another folder name with spaces\image.jpg

will cause TM to crash

However

E:\Folder name with spaces\another_folder_name_ with_hyphens_instead_of_spaces\image.jpg

Will not crash TM.

HTH

John EB

Last changed by johnebaker on 12/29/2023, 9:28 AM, changed a total of 4 times.

VPX 16, Movie Studio 2025, and earlier versions 2015 and 2016, Music Maker Premium 2024.

PC - running Windows 11 23H2 Professional on Intel i7-8700K 3.2 GHz, 16GB RAM, RTX 2060 6GB 192-bit GDDR6, 1 x 1Tb Sabrent NVME SSD (OS and programs), 2 x 4TB (Data) internal HDD + 1TB internal SSD (Work disc), + 6 ext backup HDDs.

Laptop - Lenovo Legion 5i Phantom - running Windows 11 23H2 on Intel Core i7-10750H, 16GB DDR4-SDRAM, 512GB SSD, 43.9 cm screen Full HD 1920 x 1080, Intel UHD 630 iGPU and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 (6GB GDDR6)

Sony FDR-AX53e Video camera, DJI Osmo Action 3 and Sony HDR-AS30V Sports cams.