blog: rogue shell extensions

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nikos
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blog: rogue shell extensions

Post by nikos »

A popular topic relating to diagnosing xplorer² (and other) crashes, this thread was
originally posted in the xplorer² Professional forum.   Moved here 19-May-2010 =fg=
=================================================================


here's the comment area for today's blog article found at
http://www.zabkat.com/blog/10Feb08.htm
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snakebyte
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Post by snakebyte »

Excellent article!

I would rate this as my favorite X2 blog so far. I guess this generic information can be applied to analyze any application crash in windows.

Cheers!
Help! I'm an AI running around in someone's universe simulator.
Demetris
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Post by Demetris »

I think a definite article is missing in the first sentence: Working with THE windows shell...

Also, I'm not sure about phrasing like this:

The majority of crashes you may experience working with xplorer² are invariably caused by such poorly programmed DLLs — but xplorer² takes the blame!

It seems defensive (no need to get defensive), and it also seems to quantify ("majority") -- no need for this either, in my opinion. I would like much better something like this:

Sometimes x2 crashes -- and very often the culprit is such a rogue shell extension. -- Without majorities and minorities! :-)

~~~~~~

Other than that, I agree with snakebyte -- the article is excellent: the narration is very good, the technical issue is presented in language that is very easy to follow, and the diagnostic method has general application.

Thanks for an interesting and useful article!
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Post by JimKueneman »

Hi Nikos,

  There is a bug in Delphi that causes these crashes.  Next time you get one have user contact the author and point them to my website:

http://www.mustangpeak.net/hooks_fix.htm


Jim
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Post by tvgm2 »

Thanks for these posts!
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nikos
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Post by nikos »

There is a bug in Delphi that causes these crashes
that's interesting Jim, so it is delphi to blame! Like you can't write namespace extensions in managed code
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Post by JimKueneman »

that's interesting Jim, so it is delphi to blame!
Yes, up to Delphi 2005.  They added the fix in that version and beyond.
Like you can't write namespace extensions in managed code
That really roasts me in the M$ shell group.  When someone says "I know I am  not suppose to be writing extensions in C# but I seems to work OK I have a question......"

Well so what that it works "Ok" on your machine.  Wait until you get someone with another extension that the author made the same comment.....

Jim
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not a valid Win32 application

Post by rsleegers »

I should probably start a new thread but your shell extensions blog came at a time when I was having problems loading the editor2. At first I thought it was F3 shortcut problem, but F4 worked fine. Then I noticed other programs were not launching properly, so I thought it might be a shell extension problem. Looking in my event logs showed some, "not a valid Win32 application" errors. I checked for obvious virus and spyware (clean).

However, in the end it was a rogue log causing the problem. It was supposed to be saved to "\program files\program name\log name", but was in fact being saved to "\program" due to an unquoted parameter (the app created a script so I didn't know where it was, at first). On startup, Windows even "helpfully" suggested it rename this file to prevent problems, but the file came back.

To make a short story long, renaming this file also corrected the F3/Edit problem. This Microsoft support page led me to the final solution.
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Post by ckit »

Folder Guide 1.1 (made in 2006) can cause problems with xplorer2 pro when closing.
Error is runtime 216 which as I understand is a Delphi error.

Just posting to make others aware of it.
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Runtime 216 error

Post by joba »

It look consistend that when I used Mozilla Firefox I get the Runtime 216 error. I did not use any other  Delphi program as fas as I can determine. Is there anybody else that experience the same?
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Post by nikos »

is this a xplorer2 or firefox problem?
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Post by joba »

It is when I close xplorer.
Joba
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Post by nikos »

then it is one of your shell extensions that causes it. If you get me the crash minidump file as explained below i can tell you which one it is:
www.zabkat.com/x2cs_bug.htm
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insightful post

Post by dapxin »

This is a great piece for all the right reasons, the least of which is introducing me to such a fine rhyme-word:

Stoic!

veryNice :)
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Post by Flux »

Just for your information: runtime error 216 = general protection fault.

I read about that Delphi bug long ago, so I was hoping most of the faulty programs were updated, but it seems I was overoptimistic.
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