Helix - run in 256 colors

[willjrock]

256 colors. Thats the only way the editor will run on this junky net computer. Win 7 

 

I found this by searching for compatability mode or whatever might make the editor work on this machine. Was never an issue before but i havent used or hooked this computer up in quite some time. 7 months or so. Just decided to do it so my main box could be cleaned.

 

No computer wizz, but im guessing its an update. Still, what could have changed that would make my helix editor "incompatible" with my graphics card? Like i said it worked fine a year ago. Any guess? Thanks!

[rd2rk]

The graphics components of many computers, particularly inexpensive "net" computers, often don't have their own dedicated memory. They share the main memory with the CPU, and don't have all that much to share in the first place. Could be that a year ago it was on the edge, and updates to the editor pushed it over. Check your startup settings for anything that might be starting automatically that isn't actually needed. Running Task Mgr (ctrl-alt-del) and checking which processes are using memory could also provide clues. Depending what you've got for hard disk space (free some up if necessary by deleting unneeded programs and files), you could try increasing the swap file size.

[willjrock]

The graphics components of many computers, particularly inexpensive "net" computers, often don't have their own dedicated memory. They share the main memory with the CPU, and don't have all that much to share in the first place. Could be that a year ago it was on the edge, and updates to the editor pushed it over. Check your startup settings for anything that might be starting automatically that isn't actually needed. Running Task Mgr (ctrl-alt-del) and checking which processes are using memory could also provide clues. Depending what you've got for hard disk space (free some up if necessary by deleting unneeded programs and files), you could try increasing the swap file size.

You are the man. Hard disc space is good here. Will check start-up. Why wouldnt any other program would be giving me similar fits? Cant see a reason this would/should be helix editor specific.

[rd2rk]

Many people believe in something called "Computer Science". It's a sort of religion. Those of us who've worked with computers long enough to have learned BASIC on a Commodore64 know that everything having to do with computers is actually magic. Don't believe me? Ask anyone who believes in CS to explain the Quantum Physics that underlies computer chips.

 

There's also (Arthur C.) Clarke's Third law: "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic".

[kylotan]

Let's back up a bit - what is the actual problem? i.e. What happens when you just run the editor as-is, without trying any workarounds or special processes?

[BigRalphN]

Use Msconfig to create a clean boot for Helix. In msconfig you can select what items load on reboot. disable anything you don't need at the time. Be careful not to disable needed  drivers and Windows files . Then reboot. If the  editor  runs fire you know its a memory issue or device conflict. if you are patient you can then run msconfig again and add things back into your boot up one at a time to see what you can run. At any time you can run msconfig and check normal start up to boot back to what you currently have. Obviously your other programs do not use the resources Helix does if they run fine.

 

You may want to Google or search YouTube on how to  use MSConfig prior

[willjrock]

Let's back up a bit - what is the actual problem? i.e. What happens when you just run the editor as-is, without trying any workarounds or special processes?

Hey thanks for your interest. Well.......a box comes up the shape of the editor and then inside that box comes a pop up immediately after words saying Helix has stopped working, windows is checking for solutions...and then it pretty much just closes immediately. The only way i can get it to run is by opening helix "properties",  and then under the compatibility tab i find this box.

 

 

 

 

Run in 256 is the only one that will allow the editor to open,

 

but then my screen looks like this

 

The difference is most noticeable at the very bottom. The graphics are actually more hampered than they appear here.

 

Also you'll notice that i have "run in compatibility mode for windows xp" tic'd. Thats not how it is usually set. I was just making more effort to find a fix and forgot to switch it back. Its usually set to "run in compatibility mode for win 7"

[willjrock]

Use Msconfig to create a clean boot for Helix. In msconfig you can select what items load on reboot. disable anything you don't need at the time. Be careful not to disable needed  drivers and Windows files . Then reboot. If the  editor  runs fire you know its a memory issue or device conflict. if you are patient you can then run msconfig again and add things back into your boot up one at a time to see what you can run. At any time you can run msconfig and check normal start up to boot back to what you currently have. Obviously your other programs do not use the resources Helix does if they run fine.

 

You may want to Google or search YouTube on how to  use MSConfig prior

Appreciate the information brother. 

[kylotan]

Okay, my guess is this:

• the Helix editor uses the OpenGL rendering system
• your computer is struggling with whatever OpenGL settings the editor normally uses
• 256 color mode forces the app to pick some different settings that your graphics can actually work with

Your first port of call might be to try and update your graphics drivers. Perhaps they broke something in OpenGL for you recently. This can happen because driver manufacturers care a lot more about DirectX than OpenGL so sometimes they break edge cases of the latter in order to improve the former.

 

Your second attempt might be to ensure you have enough memory free. Older and cheaper computers sometimes share the system memory with the graphics memory - so when a program like the Helix editor asks for a whole screen of pretty graphics to work with, the operating system can say "no, that's not gonna happen". 256 color mode sometimes works here because it asks for about a quarter as much memory as it normally would. Try running the editor with all other applications open, and attempt to close down any background applications that you don't need. (Note, this is memory, not disk space; don't bother uninstalling anything or deleting anything, as it won't help.)

 

Last up - maybe contact Line 6 support with your system specs. They may be able to tell you how to get more information from the crash, or point you at a file which you can send to them so they can get more information. This probably won't help you in the short term, but in the medium term it increases the chance that they can fix the editor for you and people in your position.