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More => Old Versions => Media Center 15 (Development Ended) => Topic started by: N0z1f on February 26, 2011, 06:12:23 pm

Title: Multiple Instances
Post by: N0z1f on February 26, 2011, 06:12:23 pm

I have MC running on a family Windows 7 64 bit pc with each family member having their own login.
MC has been set as the default playback device for audio and video and also runs as a DNLA server under my account.

I have checked the option General\Advanced to "Allow multiple instances to run at one time" and I am prompted with a UAC to allow this. However this setting does not get retained after switching users or logging off the option reverts to unchecked.

This results in other family members not being able to run MC as they get the message it is already running.

Title: Re: Multiple Instances
Post by: N0z1f on February 28, 2011, 05:57:44 am

Anybody got any ideas how to resolve this?

Title: Re: Multiple Instances
Post by: Alex B on February 28, 2011, 06:31:28 am

I have not specifically tested if this would help, but have you actually set that option for each user separately? (Close MC in other accounts so that you can run it). The settings are stored in the "current user section" in the Windows registry. Each Windows user account stores individual settings.

I don't know how DLNA would work with multiple running MC instances. Is your intention to keep the DLNA server running on your user account also when another user is logged in?

Alternatively you could disable the Windows Fast User Switching feature. Then the previous user would be completely logged off and all running programs would be closed.

Yet another option would be to simply remember to close MC before switching the user.

Title: Re: Multiple Instances
Post by: N0z1f on February 28, 2011, 02:47:44 pm

My intention was to always have the DNLA Media Server running under my account as I  use it to stream audio and video to a Playstation and AV System in another room.

If I exit MC in my account but leave the Server running and try to run MC under another user account MC will not open because of the Server still running under my account.
If I log off my account then I will loose the Server I require for streaming to the PS3 etc

Catch 22 ?

Title: Re: Multiple Instances
Post by: Alex B on February 28, 2011, 06:14:08 pm

Actually, I can't reproduce the problem. I just tested the following:

Two user accounts on a Win 7 machine, "fast user switching"
User 1, settings: allow multiple instances, don't run the servers
User 2, settings: allow multiple instances, run the servers

- "User 1" MC played audio to local speakers
- Another PC/MC instance played video from "User 2" MC Library Server.
- A third PC with a DLNA controller program (not MC) played audio from "User 2" MC DLNA Server.

All three tasks were running simultaneously without problems.

The MC version was 16.0.39, but I don't think this has radically changed from MC15.

Title: Re: Multiple Instances
Post by: glynor on March 01, 2011, 12:25:11 pm

Quote from: Alex B on February 28, 2011, 06:31:28 am

I have not specifically tested if this would help, but have you actually set that option for each user separately? (Close MC in other accounts so that you can run it). The settings are stored in the "current user section" in the Windows registry. Each Windows user account stores individual settings.

I strongly suspect you nailed it here.

He needs to set this option separately for EACH USER'S ACCOUNT, and I doubt this has been done properly.