Beta is out ... (first look)

[jerohm]

Xpro32/sp3
Although everything worked at first right after the download/install (I did NOT uninstall the previous version), it was a one time shot. I ended up uninstalling/rebooting/reinstalling. I normally run Standalone with Virtual Cable input, but I also tried as a WinAmp plugin. It would fail in WinAmp, reporting the Plugin did in illegal operation; the Standalone version would just hang, and the toolbar never came up. NOTE ... IT DID WORK the very first time I tried ... only ONE invocation however.

I removed all of the MY custom files and reinstalled/rebooted and ALL IS FINE as I type.

a) "Metors.txt" and "Raining Oscilliscopes.txt" WORK once again.
b) Constructs such as:

Code: Select all

B5="2*(float)(ID > 0)"
C3="&#40;A2-&#40;A8 * &#40;float&#41;&#40;C2 < A13&#41;&#41;&#41;"

The '(float) cast' is NO LONGER NEEDED (OR TOLERATED!) - They just need to be editted out and ALL IS GOOD.

UPDATE: Sometimes '(float)' is handled and reported as a syntax error and OTHER times it seems to silently choke the engine and hangs the program ... so I AM GOING TO ASSUME that all my orignal problems were most likely due to the construct EXISTING in my MY private files.
more as I play...

[jerohm]

Well I ran into my hang problem again, but I don't have specific details. I kinda doubt if a normal person would run into it (because I am editting Configs and 'u'ing on a live system, but it DOES screw things up to the point that ONLY an uninstall/reinstall will fix things.

I will TRY to come up with a procedure that causes it to happen all the time.

MORE SELFISHLY IMPORTANT TO ME is:

Code: Select all

LWdt= "(C7 * (float)(ID == 0)) + (abs(C8) * (float)(ID>0))"

[with '(float)' cast NEEDING to be removed for for GF4]

Line Width of ZERO SHOULD (and USE TO) mean ... nada nothing. This is something many of my effects depend on... I could live with Negative values meaning NO OUTPUT, but there NOW seems to be a minimum width no matter what.

'DT Zoom Planet' for example, ALSO starts off much larger from the horizon (I think?!)

[jerohm]

[Original Erroneous Hang Assumption Deleted]

The Standalone Audio Input is NO WORSE than before ... but it is NOT RIGHT either (on XPro 32/sp3). For an example, it REALLY WORKS CORRECTLY on SkyPe, but in this case, the 'controller' supplying the input BETTER be the Default System Input device. If that controller supports multiple input sub-choices (i.e., Microphone, Line In, Wave Out), THAT DOES SEEM TO WORK, BUT ONLY if the 'controller' device is specified as the System Default Input device.

Don't get me wrong, I feel that BETA is about working out bugs/issues, and NOT about praising improvements ... which there are. I hope you feel the same.

[jerohm]

Okay ... one last try on the HANG problem. First, there SHOULD be some suspect with regard to anything (everything) I previously stated about the issue, BUT if you understand the (my?) Config development process, you might understand why I made erroneous conclusions ... BUT THE FOLLOWING IS 100% true (yeah, right ), and repeatable.

I usually use the ToolBar to set the FlowFields ONLY to the single '(Empty)' configuration entry, so I can see what is going on. If you close GF4 in this condition, uninstall/reinstall is necessary. If TWO Flowfields are selected, one of them being '(Empty)', it works FINE.

Sorry for barking up the wrong tree, but THIS SHOULD probably be attempted/confirmed by other Beta testers on the same/different OS versions (or I would really appreciate it, anyway!)

[sitsparky]

I'm sorry, jerohm, but are you saying that if you select an (Empty) FlowField in the Toolbar, close out of GF, and relaunch, everything's fine... or everything hangs? If you can give me a step by step to repro the issue I'll test it out across my various Windows builds.

[jerohm]

I am saying:

If I use the Toolbar and ONLY select the Flowfield '(Empty)' and close the Toolbar/GF4.0b1, I can't restart the program [Actually the programs start and hang]... I MUST uninstall and reinstall.

If I use the Toolbar and ONLY select ONE Flowfield OTHER THAN '(Empty)' and close the Toolbar/GF4.0b1, DOES NOT cause a problem.

If I use the Toolbar and select TWO Flowfields [read: more than ONE], one of which IS '(Empty)', and close the Toolbar/GF4.0b1, DOES NOT cause a problem.


clear(er)?
PS: I just confirmed the above assertion ... and I NOW need to uninstall/reinstall... just a reinstall doesn't cut it

One difference that I noted on versions PRIOR to GF4, is on startup, the first (random) selection of FLOWFIELD, COLORMAP, and WAVESHAPE did NOT necessarily conform to the 'enabled' selections. The second and subsequent 'choices' would. On startup of GF4, it appears that even the first selections come from the 'enabled' list. ... make sense? This is a NOTED DIFFERENCE ... not an error or anything

[jerohm]

As a variation to the previously stated issue, if there aren't ANY flowfields specified, you run into the same situation. This is a problem I WOULDN'T expect running into when the app is run in a normal manner, but in my particular situation, I was running a SINGLE flowfield config that I was in the process of developing. I closed GF4 and renamed the flowfield in question. Afterwards, I could not restart GF4 ... actually it is the same hang. BUT in this case, if I renamed the flowfield config back to the original name (that GF4 KNEW about when it was last closed), I could get back running without the whole uninstall/reinstall dance.

[andy55]

Thanks for all the feedback and making this thread!

Ok, let me address some different items:

- Yes, the '(float)' stuff is longer needed. since the b1 release, there's only one config ("MCP") that you reported to still have this and is now fixed (thanks!). Hopefully this issue isn't a pain for any folks

- The 4.0 engine dll/bundle has changed such that the "glue" library for each respective host player has changed as well. The install process should overwrite the previous one, so I am unfortunately unable to explain why you you saw problems after installing.

- Regarding the min line width, I've confirmed this as a big and will be fixed for the beta. Awesome catch, Jim!!

I'll get back to other stuff in the coming days as I sort through stuff (once I posted the beta, I blew out of the office for a few days--I had been crankin for a while).

[ozbeats]

Hey Andy and all here at the SS Forums,

it seems your Beta Version 3 of G-Force 4.0 Triggers of an antivirus software threat warning during download:

NORTON 360 Version 4 (This years version of Norton 360) DETECTS G-Force 4.0b3 has a HUERISTICS VIRUS,
It downloads in full , BUT displays the red warning box, and won't install either because of the HUERISTICS VIRUS Detection

In other words, whatever tweak you made for anitvirus software for BETA 3 is either faulty or was not corrected properly for AV programs such as my Norton 360 from Symantec.com

IT Has been auto quarantined (Removed) due to a Hueristics Virus detected and Described by Norton 360 v.4. as:

"SUSPICIOUS.AD" - Hueristics Virus

Please fix This as soon as possible and THEN re-email us SS beta testers- the Beta 3 release email (obviously with a newer version uploaded and in place for us to install from SS first)

Thanks Andy,

Cheers from Alfred Penny

[springfield_tom]

re ozbeats & norton 360: ditto

[juxtiphi]

Hey Andy and all here at the SS Forums,

it seems your Beta Version 3 of G-Force 4.0 Triggers of an antivirus software threat warning during download:

NORTON 360 Version 4 (This years version of Norton 360) DETECTS G-Force 4.0b3 has a HUERISTICS VIRUS,
It downloads in full , BUT displays the red warning box, and won't install either because of the HUERISTICS VIRUS Detection

In other words, whatever tweak you made for anitvirus software for BETA 3 is either faulty or was not corrected properly for AV programs such as my Norton 360 from Symantec.com

IT Has been auto quarantined (Removed) due to a Hueristics Virus detected and Described by Norton 360 v.4. as:

"SUSPICIOUS.AD" - Hueristics Virus

Please fix This as soon as possible and THEN re-email us SS beta testers- the Beta 3 release email (obviously with a newer version uploaded and in place for us to install from SS first)

Thanks Andy,

Cheers from Alfred Penny

my antivirus made no such claims, maybe norton should be the one to fix something

[ozbeats]

Maybe this is because your antivirus program doesnt go the extra step like norton 360 and inspect each download, even .exe's (executable install files) are scanned after download

In both forms (after download / download inspection by norton 360, AND when scanning the file within its folder/ downloaded location), the download was marked by Norton 360 (which costs $130 au dollars per year) as a "Heuristics Virus" - with SUSPICIOUS.AD detected

Upon inspection of the download itself, it detects this "SUSPICIOUS.AD" component which must be new - as the faulty component and prevents any installation - however the file stays intact at the location on disk it has been save to

Furthermore, once you scan that download location,
e.g drive m-Soundspectum Downloads/g-force4.0b3.
It is detected once again, but this time norton 360 actually removed the risk (the whole file, installation package and all)

Considering ANDY just recently made changes to the g-force 4.0 BETA 3 to add signatures to the .exe and standalone components

"- Now signing exes and screen savers to prevent anti-virus false positives"

It seems this was not configured correctly or in a format that Norton 360 will allow G-Force4.0b3 to operate.

For starters our antivirus hasn't picked up anything that wasnt there in the first place, and any exe file or download with something built in inside of it identified as "SUSPICIOUS.AD" would ring a bell in any antivirus software that is half decent.

Thanks , but as mentioned by other SS platinum beta testers, its actually an issue that Andy and the SS team will need to address internally as part of the install file package (.exe) and correct for the greater good of all G-Forcce 4.0 users

Maybe it just that your "Download for FREE or inferior generic antivirus programs" won't find the SUSPICIOUS.AD string because they don't go the step further to inspect downloads as safe or dangerous, or it simply doesn't use heurisitc protection or detection mechanisms, etc.

Please correct me if you think im wrong, but the SUSPICIOUS.AD component would NOT have been found if it wasn't part of the downloaded ex file install package in the first place - obviously introduced by andy in GF 4.0beta 3, or mistakenly named, wrongly configured, etc

Im sure Andy knows how to phone Norton's Symantec Parent company if this continues to be a problem for SS customers / license owners

Cheers, from Alfred Penny

[juxtiphi]

Maybe this is because your antivirus program doesnt go the extra step like norton 360 and inspect each download, even .exe's (executable install files) are scanned after download

In both forms (after download / download inspection by norton 360, AND when scanning the file within its folder/ downloaded location), the download was marked by Norton 360 (which costs $130 au dollars per year) as a "Heuristics Virus" - with SUSPICIOUS.AD detected

Upon inspection of the download itself, it detects this "SUSPICIOUS.AD" component which must be new - as the faulty component and prevents any installation - however the file stays intact at the location on disk it has been save to

Furthermore, once you scan that download location,
e.g drive m-Soundspectum Downloads/g-force4.0b3.
It is detected once again, but this time norton 360 actually removed the risk (the whole file, installation package and all)

Considering ANDY just recently made changes to the g-force 4.0 BETA 3 to add signatures to the .exe and standalone components

"- Now signing exes and screen savers to prevent anti-virus false positives"

It seems this was not configured correctly or in a format that Norton 360 will allow G-Force4.0b3 to operate.

For starters our antivirus hasn't picked up anything that wasnt there in the first place, and any exe file or download with something built in inside of it identified as "SUSPICIOUS.AD" would ring a bell in any antivirus software that is half decent.

Thanks , but as mentioned by other SS platinum beta testers, its actually an issue that Andy and the SS team will need to address internally as part of the install file package (.exe) and correct for the greater good of all G-Forcce 4.0 users

Maybe it just that your "Download for FREE or inferior generic antivirus programs" won't find the SUSPICIOUS.AD string because they don't go the step further to inspect downloads as safe or dangerous, or it simply doesn't use heurisitc protection or detection mechanisms, etc.

Please correct me if you think im wrong, but the SUSPICIOUS.AD component would NOT have been found if it wasn't part of the downloaded ex file install package in the first place - obviously introduced by andy in GF 4.0beta 3, or mistakenly named, wrongly configured, etc

Im sure Andy knows how to phone Norton's Symantec Parent company if this continues to be a problem for SS customers / license owners

Cheers, from Alfred Penny

oh well if you paid for over 100 bucks for it then it must be top notch
or maybe my antivirus actually works correctly and there is nothing really wrong with GF



http://service1.symantec.com/sarc/sarc. ... itive.html

this is probably not an issue for GF its an issue for norton.

If I am wrong then so be it but just because your program says somethings there doesn't mean there actually is a problem.

[ozbeats]

http://www.symantec.com/security_respon ... 23-1355-99


Description of SUSPICIOUS.AD in more detail, i even went to the technical details tab and submitted it myself to symantec by uploading the file and describing the download / file insight detection of the huristics virus.

Furthermore i have also gone into recent history, quarantine or similar setting and loaded the report, chosen more options and restored and excluded the file itself manually.

It works fine, only this detection will hinder those of us who have antivirus programs which use a download inspection AV product or an AV product with hueristics detection

Cheers

P.s Symantec has sent me a submission tiocket to track i will post the outcome as soon as they have inspected the G-ForceB3 EXE file fully, hopefully this will get it fixed faster - If not i will be able to report the exact threat details, strings, and why Symantec has evaluated it as a specific huerisitcs virus in its current format.

Maybe consider that andys changes to the 3rd beta with antivirus false positive coding wasn't norton symantec product compliant,

Symantec have invented so many newer components nowadays making their detection formats unlike the older AV programs, e.g things like : SONAR, Download insight, file insight and more

[sitsparky]

Andy discovered that there was some corruption to the recently posted beta of G-Force (4.0b3) and subsequently removed the file from our server. He has since addressed the issue and reposted the beta. Please redownload this beta version and see if this AV problem still exists.