Is there some way of using Easy Install without Accordance crashing?

[Lawrence]

I just got some Accordance resources and tried adding them to my PC laptop using Easy Install.

Accordance crashed when attempting the installation of the new material.

Accordance has always been somewhat unstable since I first used the software. The app itself is now a lot more stable, but in recent months it is a rare 'Easy Install' that doesn't crash Accordance, often corrupting the preferences file at the same time.

 

I spent some time customising things at one point. It's nice putting the most-used things within easy reach etc, but having to redo it over and over again seems pointless. I now just use whatever layout the latest crash leaves behind, or if it's a particularly bad crash, I just get the app to generate its default layout.

 

I use both Accordance and the other big brand. I am more comfortable with Accordance's Greek searches, but the other platform is a lot more stable - I don't need to worry about having to reopen all the resources to their current spots in my active set again just because I'm adding some new books to that platform.

 

Please, is there some way of using Easy Install without Accordance crashing?

 

The sequence today was:

1. Launch Accordance

2. Utilities -> Easy Install -> Download All -> Install

3. Download proceeds (to completion?)

4. Accordance crashes

 

This is the usual sequence, inclusive of step 4.

The downloads look like they finish before Accordance crashes since I can usually access the new resources after restarting Accordance.

 

I can email the latest crash log and a few others if they would be of help.

(PS: this crash did not corrupt the preferences, and a subsequent "Update" of existing material did not crash Accordance.)

 

Extract from today's crash log:

Accordance 13.3.3 (13.3.3.0)
...
Message: Access violation
Address:   $00000000
...

 

[cweber]

Hi Lawrence, As a Windows 11 user, I found I have to disable a VPN I run for security purposes, prior to opening Accordance to allow the preferences automatic updates to run. I previously had what the Support team suggested were possible corrupted libraries otherwise and that these might have contributed to the crashes. The notion of corrupted files was unproven. I reinstalled everything and the problems remained unresolved. However, disabling the VPN definitely contributed to a reliable process.

I am a recently new user to Accordance and when first detaching tabs and creating workspace Accordance crashed a lot. Support can provide a scripted default response to start in "Safe Mode" and clear cache etc. However, I found the resuming appears to work just fine without repercussions. Recently I imported a book and incurred some crashing again, but it was not the import process, the crash was again detaching tabs.

 

I also confirmed crashing with a Mac user, but they occur far less often for them and they simply resume each time. We both found interrupting Accordance doing it's business would cause  a crash. I now wait impatiently while Accordance is busy churning through a search or whatever was asked of it.

 

I discovered that if I select "Add current workspace: ..." when I have it configured as I want it appears to save that workspace. If I incur a crash and I choose to resume, it is where I left off. I have also restored to a previous session "Open autosaved session" with success.

 

The platform is not stable, not bad, but not stable. I love the tool and will continue with it. However the Accordance development team needs to improve their regression testing because the user experience for new users is not great and in today's age of software people have higher expectations than these crashes deliver to us. If Development are reading this, please take this as constructive criticism, as I said the platform is good, you do need to improve the UX though!

 

[Lawrence]

Hi cweber,

 

Thank you for sharing your experiences. I'm surprised that VPN status would make a difference since by its nature, it should be transparent to apps.

But I plan to check it out the next time I download a resource on Accordance.

 

I agree with you that Accordance is a good tool, and echo your call for developers to prioritise application stability, especially in relation to preference files.

[ukfraser]

As a comment, my library is over 18 gig and when i last did a complete install several years ago, i seem to remember i had an issue downloading it all at once, probably internet connection,  so i downloaded it in four chunks roughly dividing it up and trying not to download too many of my larger resources together and set a limit of about 5 gig per download and it worked well for me. Bit more messing round.

Edited August 8, 2022 by ukfraser

[Lawrence]

Hi ukfraser,

 

Thank you for your comment. In this case, I downloaded the Classic Commentary set, which should take up less than 100MB.