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[skarsol]

I'm having a random disconnect issue with Gizmo->Chromecast and while trying to debug it I found out I can't read my JRiver log file anymore. It looks like after I reset the log file once, it becomes inaccessible. "View current log" opens a blank notepad and gives me the "Access is denied" window. Going to the path of the log file I get the same message trying to open it. Trying to change the permissions as an admin account is denied. Running Notepad as Administrator and trying to open the Log.txt manually gives permission error.

If you try to "Report Problem" when the program is opened, it generates a zip file as per normal. If you reset the log then do stuff that should have generated log messages and "Report Problem" it makes a zip with just the System Info.txt in it.

I first noticed this in 20.0.41 on my server. I duplicated this on my desktop with .41. I then tried with 20.0.27 and it behaved the same as 41. 20.0.21 works properly.

Edit: Both computers are Windows 7.

[skarsol]

Still an issue in .44.

[leezer3]

I can't reproduce this.

Are you sure you don't have multiple copies running or something else odd?

-Leezer-

[skarsol]

Further testing on a 3rd machine:
Start MC20.0.41 with logging disabled.
Enable logging.
View log: works.
Reset log.
View log: works.

Start MC20.0.41 with logging enabled from previous run.
View log: works.
Reset log.
View log: permission error.

Let me know if you still can't reproduce and I'll try to narrow it down further.

[leezer3]

Still can't reproduce, sorry.

I've discovered that MC crashes with a pure virtual function call error if you attempt to close it with the logging dialog open, so there's something funny...

-Leezer-

[skarsol]

Weird, I can reproduce it on 4 different machines (my Library Server which is a Win7 VM, Win7 Laptop, Win7 Home Desktop, Win7 Work Desktop). Not sure what's special about all of them (or what I'm doing with them) compared to you.

[Matt]

I've discovered that MC crashes with a pure virtual function call error if you attempt to close it with the logging dialog open, so there's something funny...

Next build:
Fixed: Closing the program with a dialog open by right-clicking the tray icon could lead to a crash.

[leezer3]

Just a thought-
Try closing the dialog, opening a different view and then try again.

This will ensure that MC has written something to the log; Maybe the error you're seeing is misleading, & it actually means a non-existant file?

-Leezer-

[skarsol]

I thought that before but I navigated to the actual file and tried to open it and got the same permission errors. Playing a couple sounds and navigating around doesn't change anything for me, still gives the permission error. The act of resetting the log actually generates log output normally, namely:

Media Center; Version: 20.0.44; Types: 2147483647
0000000: 716: General: Starting logging: Date: 12/2/2014 10:34 am
0000000: 716: General: Log Reset: Logging reset
0001311: 716: General: CMCResourceHelper::GetIsModalPopupShowing: Main window disabled
0001966: 716: General: CMCResourceHelper::GetIsModalPopupShowing: Main window disabled
0001966: 716: General: RunProgram: Start
0001966: 716: General: RunProgram: Filename: C:\Users\xxxxx\AppData\Roaming\J River\Media Center 20\Log.txt / Parameters:
0001966: 716: General: RunProgram: Performing ShellExecute...
0001982: 716: General: RunProgram: Running process...
0001982: 716: General: RunProgram: Finish (16 ms)

Watching the files when I hit "Reset log" the Previous Log.txt goes away and the Log.txt doesn't (size stays the same) and becomes inaccessible. Once I close MC, the Log.txt becomes accessible and it contains everything up to the point at which I hit "Reset log". Starting MC again creates Previous Log.txt and a new (accessible) Log.txt.

[skarsol]

Okay, you've got me stumped. I just did a fresh install of .47 into a XP box that has never had MC installed before, used all the defaults, still in 30 day trial, and was able to duplicate the behavior described above immediately while doing nothing else to the fresh install. Not sure what's different about any PC I touch compared to yours. I've duplicated it on 4 different ones now.

[Matt]

I never get the permission error when viewing the log.  But if you get it, who cares? 

View the logs manually by going to:
C:\Users\[Username]\AppData\Roaming\J River\Media Center 20

[skarsol]

Once MC locks the log file, it's done. Navigating to the log and trying to open it results in "Access Denied". It remains that way until MC is closed, then Notepad can open the file. MC is just using Notepad to open the file anyway when it's displayed, so I'm not sure why using Notepad to open the file manually would behave any differently.

[Matt]

Once MC locks the log file, it's done. Navigating to the log and trying to open it results in "Access Denied". It remains that way until MC is closed, then Notepad can open the file. MC is just using Notepad to open the file anyway when it's displayed, so I'm not sure why using Notepad to open the file manually would behave any differently.

I wonder what causes it to lock?  I just can't reproduce that behavior.

[skarsol]

And I can reproduce it every time, so I'm super confused. I mean, it's not horrible to work around, I just turn off logging before closing MC and then turn it back on when starting it again, but it's perplexing that I'm apparently a special child.

[Matt]

When we open the log to write to it, we open the file with sharing enabled:
m_fileLog.SetSharingMode(JRFile::SHARE_READING | JRFile::SHARE_WRITING | JRFile::SHARE_DELETING);

I just can't think what would lock it.

[skarsol]

Well on the XP one, when the file is "locked" by MC, the Security tab in the permissions dialog doesn't even exist, so I can't inspect the permissions.

On Windows 7, going to the Security tab tells me I have to be an Admin to view the security properties (I am). Clicking Continue gets me to a dialog asking me if I want to take ownership of the object in order to view its security properties. Current owner is "Unable to display current owner.". Trying to change ownership to my account or the Administrator account results in "Access is denied".

[JimH]

Security software?

[skarsol]

My media server runs bog standard Windows 7 with no AV or anything else (ESXi VM). The XP runs AVG and Spybot2. One Windows 7 runs AVG and the final Windows 7 has McAfee.

I disabled AVG and Spybot on the XP box with no change in behavior for me.

Anyway, it seems that I'm doing something dumb on my end since no one else can reproduce it, and I've got an easy workaround, so you guys can punt on this if no one else is reporting it. I'm just stumped as to what I could be doing to cause it.

[Matt]

Windows 7 has McAfee

I wonder if it could be McAfee on Windows 7?  I'm really stumped.

[leezer3]

A few random shots in the dark:
* Any special characters in your username/ user data folders? (Umlauts accents etc.)
* Any language other than US/ GB English set as the default in Windows?
* Have you installed the WDM driver? (If yes, try without)
* Try a different text file viewer, such as Notepad++

Notepad++ here reports that the file doesn't exist, but it also can't create it immediately after hitting the log reset, so I do wonder if your text viewer is locking the file.

I'll try and spin up an XP VM later in the week and try and reproduce on there if no luck.

-Leezer-

[leezer3]

Still can't reproduce this, I've tried a couple more machines now, including one 7, my normal Win 8 and a foreign language XP VM.

Spanish Windows XP VM
English Windows 7 (Thinkpad, runs MSE for antivirus)
English Windows 8 (Desktop, no AV)

-Leezer-

[skarsol]

I only have access to the XP machine right now. I did some more step by step poking and it looks like "Reset Log" doesn't actually generate the new file/properly clean up the old file until you do a subset of things. Opening menu dialogs (About JRiver, Logging, Eula, etc) normally generates log file entries but doesn't trigger "fixing" the log file. Clicking on left pane items (Smartlists, playing now, etc) does cause MC to "fix" the log file. Once the log file has been reset and fixed in a session, it seems to always work after that.

Steps I did:
Unistalled JRiver Audio Driver from Hardware control panel.
Open MC20.21.
Help->Logging (confirm it is turned on)
Navigate to Application Data\J River\Media Center 20
Open Log.txt in notepad. It contains logging information. It is 49kb.
Click "Reset Log" in MC.
Click OK in resulting dialog.
Return to Explorer. Log.txt still exists, still shows 49kb.
Refresh folder, no change.
Try to open Log.txt, access denied.
Close logging window. Do some clicking in MC20.
Now Log.txt changes size and is openable.
     Now I'm no longer able to generate access denied using original steps.
     Clicking Reset Log at this point always sets the size back to 0kb.
Close MC.
Open MC.
It updates itself to .47 without asking.
Now I have Log.txt and Previous Log.txt
Can open Log.txt
Click Reset Log
Click Okay
Previous Log.txt is gone, Log.txt is 47kb and access denied in notepad and in "View Current Log".
Access menu items (View Eula, Benchmark)
Log.txt still 47kb and access denied.
Click Smartlists in left menu
Log.txt resets and is openable
Click Reset Log
Click Okay
Log.txt resets and is openable

Log after "good" reset:
Media Center; Version: 20.0.47; Types: 2147483647
0000000: 3152: General: Starting logging: Date: 12/10/2014 12:18 pm
0000000: 3152: General: Log Reset: Logging reset
0000812: 3152: General: CMCResourceHelper::GetIsModalPopupShowing: Main window disabled
0001322: 3152: General: CMCResourceHelper::GetIsModalPopupShowing: Main window disabled
0001322: 3152: General: RunProgram: Start
0001322: 3152: General: RunProgram: Filename: C:\Documents and Settings\XPMUser\Application Data\J River\Media Center 20\Log.txt / Parameters:
0001322: 3152: General: RunProgram: Performing ShellExecute...
0001422: 3152: General: RunProgram: Running process...
0001422: 3152: General: RunProgram: Finish (100 ms)

Log after "bad" reset (notice no Log Reset or Starting logging):
Media Center; Version: 20.0.47; Types: 2147483647
0020570: 2628: General: JRWebWnd::OnTerminate: Closing callback server
0020570: 2628: General: JRIpcServerThreaded::ServerStop: Start
0020570: 2628: General: JRIpcServerThreaded::ServerStop: Canceling thread
0020570: 2628: General: JRIpcServerThreaded::ServerStop: Canceling pending run
0020570: 2628: General: JRIpcServerThreaded::ServerStop: Stopping thread
0020580: 888: General: JRIpcServerThreaded::Thread: Thread finishing (cancel: 1; errors: 1)
0020580: 888: General: JRIpcServerThreaded::Thread: Finish (28411 ms)
0020590: 2628: General: JRIpcServerThreaded::ServerStop: Canceling response threads
0020590: 2628: General: JRIpcServerThreaded::ServerStop: Deleting response threads
0020590: 2628: General: JRIpcServerThreaded::ServerStop: Closing notification window
0020590: 2628: General: JRIpcServerThreaded::ServerStop: Finish (20 ms)
0020590: 2628: General: JRWebWnd::OnTerminate: Closing window
0020590: 2628: General: JRWebWnd::OnTerminate: Finish (90 ms)
0022162: 2628: General: CMCResourceHelper::GetIsModalPopupShowing: Menu showing
0022473: 2628: General: CMCUICore::SystemPowerManager_UpdateActions: Start
0022473: 2628: General: CMCUICore::SystemPowerManager_UpdateActions: UI Mode: -999; Playing: 0
0022473: 2628: General: CMCUICore::SystemPowerManager_UpdateActions: Finish (result: 0) (0 ms)
0023124: 2628: General: CMCResourceHelper::GetIsModalPopupShowing: Menu showing
0023724: 2628: General: CMCResourceHelper::GetIsModalPopupShowing: Main window disabled
0023724: 2628: General: RunProgram: Start
0023724: 2628: General: RunProgram: Filename: C:\Documents and Settings\XPMUser\Application Data\J River\Media Center 20\Log.txt / Parameters:
0023724: 2628: General: RunProgram: Performing ShellExecute...
0023895: 2628: General: RunProgram: Running process...
0023895: 2628: General: RunProgram: Finish (171 ms)