Bug while searching the AGS Help File Index

Kara Jo Kalinowski · Sat 15/02/2025 03:56:55

If I type something not found in the index, my entire AGS locks up and I have to close out / restart it. If I'm typing something that is in the index, it doesn't lock up, but as soon as I add a character that isn't, it locks up. Not sure the proper place to report this. This is in the most current official release.

Crimson Wizard · Sat 15/02/2025 04:18:13

Are you saying that you open ags manual from the Editor, for example with Help -> Contents menu command, and type something on the "Index" tab?
I do not know how AGS Editor can possibly lock up if anything happens in the help, because that help file is viewed by a separate program (windows help viewer).

What happens if you run this file from the file explorer and type something that does not exist?

Kara Jo Kalinowski · Sat 15/02/2025 04:23:43

Actually, it happens when I type something that exists, too, as I just typed a T this time and it crashed. But I had searched some stuff before where it didn't crash. I think if what I'm searching for is too far down the list then it crashes.

When opening directly from windows, it doesn't have this problem. Using the search function doesn't have issues, either, just the index.

Crimson Wizard · Sat 15/02/2025 05:09:13

I need to clarify again just in case: when you say it crashes or hangs up, it is whole AGS Editor crashes, or just the help viewer window?
Please tell, how exactly do you open the help file (idk if that matters, but I'd like to gather more details).

Quote from: Kara Jo Kalinowski on Sat 15/02/2025 03:56:55This is in the most current official release.

Please tell exactly which version do you refer to?

Kara Jo Kalinowski · Sat 15/02/2025 05:12:03

Quote from: Crimson Wizard on Sat 15/02/2025 05:09:13I need to clarify again just in case: when you say it crashes or hangs up, it is whole AGS Editor crashes, or just the help viewer window?
Please tell, how exactly do you open the help file (idk if that matters, but I'd like to gather more details).

Quote from: Kara Jo Kalinowski on Sat 15/02/2025 03:56:55This is in the most current official release.

Please tell exactly which version do you refer to?

AGS Editor .NET (Build 3.6.1.25)

But it might be doing it in other versions.

The entire editor freezes up. If I try and spam click to close the help file then it closes the entire program due to not responding.

I could check other versions to see if I have that problem...

Kara Jo Kalinowski · Sat 15/02/2025 05:19:45

It also does it in 4.0.0.14. If this is a problem that's just happening to me, maybe it's an issue with my computer... But it's weird that it only happens when loading the help file inside of AGS and not separately.

Edit: On the Discord it was talked about in general and the same bug happens to Babar, so it's not just me.

Babar · Sat 15/02/2025 06:51:10

I have had this happen as well. Its been for the past few versions of 3.6 as well (I think I noticed it since the beginning of last year). Sometimes typing something and searching just crashes the whole of AGS.

I've gotten into the habit of not opening the .chm through AGS.

Crimson Wizard · Sat 15/02/2025 15:10:55

Which operating system are you using? I need to find anything that makes a difference in this case.

Are there other people who have this problem?

Kara Jo Kalinowski · Sat 15/02/2025 16:30:05

Quote from: Crimson Wizard on Sat 15/02/2025 15:10:55Which operating system are you using? I need to find anything that makes a difference in this case.

Are there other people who have this problem?

Windows 11 Version 10.0.26100 Build 26100

Maybe opening the help file as a separate thing rather than as part of AGS would solve it....but not really identify what's causing it. I thought that it might be memory-related issues.

Crimson Wizard · Sat 15/02/2025 16:54:16

Quote from: Kara Jo Kalinowski on Sat 15/02/2025 16:30:05I thought that it might be memory-related issues.

Why?

Kara Jo Kalinowski · Sat 15/02/2025 16:59:05

Quote from: Crimson Wizard on Sat 15/02/2025 16:54:16
Quote from: Kara Jo Kalinowski on Sat 15/02/2025 16:30:05I thought that it might be memory-related issues.

Why?

It doesn't seem to have problems searching for earlier letters of the alphabet just for later letters. Searching for indexes that start with A,B,C,D,E all don't crash it. It's F or later that crash it. Which leads me to think that the problem is having to process further down the list. But I don't really know how this stuff is coded behind the scenes so I can only guess what the problem might be.

Also for those first letters that don't crash the game, adding a second letter with no matches in the index will crash it, but ones found won't crash it.

Kara Jo Kalinowski · Sat 15/02/2025 17:18:03

Looking further, the specific entry where searches start crashing is "Engine Plugin Run-time API" which has a ton of sub-indexes. That could also be what's causing it, when it tries to process that one specifically.

Searching for an index prior to that which exists doesn't crash it. Searching for "Engine Plugin R", anything later than that, or that doesn't exist crashes it.