Wordworth Woes

[spudmiga]

Greetings,

Up until recently Wordworth has been my goto wordprocessor on the Amiga, I started off on version 4SE then went to version 5 which has been running nicely until I recently had to do a system re-install to a new CF card due to it not getting on with my new 4way buffered interface, got 3.1.4.1 installed with no problems however now when I try to re-install Wordworth 5 it gives me an error 'not enough disk space on Work: you need at least 3 MB of free space" - however the partition is 2 GB!!

I tried installing it to the Workbench: partition which is the same size and it installs 

But when I go to run, it goes black screen and gives me the software failure error.
I do have FinalWriter 4 here but I am not so keen, and have many files saved in Wordworth format so would like to get Wordworth working if possible. It mystifies me how it no longer wants to work!

Could it be an issue with the way I have set up the Work: partition?
Anything I can resolve in HD Toolbox or something?

My system is: A1200, OS 3.1.4.1, 4Gb CF (2x 2gb partitions), ACA 1221/64Mb

Any ideas appreciated

Spud 

[spudmiga]

The first problem, the installation complaining about not enough free space, is because the version of Installer on the Wordworth disk is too old. It can't properly detect the amount of free space above a certain amount, so the number overflows and wraps around to a negative number. It can be overcome by changing the default tool on the install icon to a newer version of Installer (at least v43, see Aminet).

Hi Matt thank you for the reply.
I would have thought the installer on my 3.1.4.1 system would be newer than the 1996 version on Aminet, no?
I have copied the 1st install disk as suggested and copied the installer from my 3.1.4.1 onto it and this gets around the installation problem so half way there!

I seem to recall that the Wordworth install script does just that, and replaces a number of system files with versions from OS2.1 or 3.0. Conflict between those old files and the newer OS could be causing the crash. Examine the Wordworth disk(s) to see what system files are on it, then check your SYS: partition to see if those files got copied there. If they did, replace them with the newer versions from the 3.1.4(.1) disks.

Also, use SnoopDos to monitor what files are being called. Then you should be able to see exactly at which point the system is crashing (and which file is responsible).

Ok so after running SnoopDOS it seems to crash after loading retina.library

One other thing, make sure you're not hitting the infamous MaxTransfer problem. I think that was finally solved in 3.1.4, but I'm not certain. Check the MaxTransfer setting in HDToolbox to be sure.

Can you remind me where I find this again, I have opened HDToolbox and can only see options to repartition or verify the drive and I don't want to accidentally destroy my partition

Thanks again,
Spud 

[spudmiga]

Of course WW5 is quite old. If you manage to get the WW7 disks, upgrade.

Have you tried searching for these? They are nigh on impossible to find legitimately.
Having said that, I did source a cracked copy (yuck) and tried this out for testing purposes and had the same installation problem.

[spudmiga]

Hi Matt

Since the last reply I have got around the installer problem by copying my 3.1.4.1 installer to a backup floppy, this seems to have done the trick and allowed me to install to Work:
I have set the Maxtransfer to the recommended However I am still getting the crashes, if I set 0x1FE00 recommended setting

If I try it Picasso=FALSE it freezes, if I set Picasso=TRUE it gets to the main screen then black screen/software failure
SnoopDOS says it loads retina.library just before the crash, I am not sure what this does - it seems to be one of Wordworth's own libs as it is not in my system libs drawer.

 

[spudmiga]

Hi Matt,

Well I checked the libraries all seemed in order except for a 1996 version of nonvolatile.library so I replaced with the 2018 os 3.1.4 version from disk
Tried Wordworth it crashed again so I restarted, mounted RAD: and set SnoopDOS to log to RAM_0: and attempt to load the program
It crashes as expected but upon reboot it comes up with an AmigaDOS screen that does not recognise any commands. So I powered off for 30 seconds to get back into the system obviously RAD is gone now... I have tried saving a log to my HD partition but it does not seem to save. It sure is mysterious....

Even more mysterious is since doing this... it has inexplicably started working!?!?!?!

Spud

[spudmiga]

Well I thought I had it fixed, it began to work. Switch machine off, power on, it still works.

I come back to my machine 2 hours later and try.. it crashes again. The SnoopDOS log file is empty but I did manage to capture this with my camera before it crashed.
Not sure if it helps shed any light on the issue?

[spudmiga]

I have tried installing again after 'fixing' the maxtransfer problem and this time told the installer to put thewordworth5 libs into their own directory.
One interesting message that appeared when doing this was I am using an old version of post.library ?? I am not sure what this does.. anyhoo, I installed it the newer version as recommended (its going to a separate directory from my system libs anyway) and I got to the beginning of the program, got some strange graphics distortion and the system reset into a software failure as is the norm!!

I may have to start thinking about another word processor sadly, I really do not want the hassle of re-installing my entire system when there is a very real chance this will not solve the issue...

Spud 

[spudmiga]

I am wondering would using Native.lha from Aminet have anything to do with this, I use this in replacement of FBlit as per Hyperion's recommendations for using OS 3.1.4

This is all I could capture full screen before crash, the trouble is Wordworth pops up in front of SnoopDOS so I am having to click back on SnoopDOS before it crashes.. once again empty log file

[spudmiga]

The screenmode of my Workbench is DBLPAL High Res No Flicker at 128 colours - using Native.lha / Picasso 96 tool this leaves me about 1.6Mb chip RAM on startup on normal AGA.
I have MUI 3.8 installed and BestWB.
WBStartup - AssignWedge, WBDock, ClickToFront, NoClick, FullPOallette.starter & TitleShadow.starter, BenchTrash



Wordworth settings below:





User Startup:

;BEGIN Picasso96
Assign Picasso96: "Work:Picasso96"
;END Picasso96




;BEGIN ADPro & MorphPlus
Assign ADPRO: "Work:ADPro"
Assign ADP_FRED: "Work:ADPro"
Assign ADPROSCRIPTS: "Work:ADPro/Commands2"
Assign FREDSCRIPTS: "Work:ADPro/FREDScripts"
;END ADPro & MorphPlus
;BEGIN Personal Paint
Assign >NIL: PPaint: Work:PPaint
;END Personal Paint
;BEGIN DeluxePaintV
Assign DPaintV: "Work:DPaintV" defer
;END DeluxePaintV
;BEGIN Photogenics-SE
assign pgsse: "WORK:Photogenics-SE"
;END Photogenics-SE
;BEGIN MUI
if exists "Workbench:MUI"
   assign MUI: "Workbench:MUI"
   if exists MUI:Libs
      assign add LIBS: MUI:Libs
   endif
   if exists MUI:Locale
      assign add LOCALE: MUI:Locale
   endif
   version >nil: exec.library 39
   if not warn
      if exists MUI:Docs
         if exists HELP:dummy ; do not remove
         endif                ; this entry!
         assign add HELP: MUI:Docs
      endif
   endif
endif
;END MUI
;BEGIN ActivateCrossIDEfix
ActivateCrossIDEfix ALL
;END ActivateCrossIDEfix
;BEGIN CacheCDFS
;END CacheCDFS

Spud 

[spudmiga]

You are not going to believe this but I tried de-activating each of those and it is still crashing the same way.
I have even disabled Picasso96 and it still crashing, I am completely at a loss now - it cant be the partition being over a gig as it does the same on my 995Mb Workbench partition...

I have installed FinalWriter 97...
When I get chance I can always install WW5 to floppy and access my old files and convert them to another format...

Spud 

[spudmiga]

Have just removed Native from the system and viola... Wordworth is working fine! So much for it offering a more stable system...
Works fine if I go back to FBlit however my chip RAM is down to 1.2megs in the same screenmode which isn't very good, certainly not worth the handicap just to run one application..  so I will convert my files from WW to another format then go back to using Native with FinalWriter97 for the time being. I might give AmigaWriter a go once I get a faster setup.

Spud 

[spudmiga]

Strange... glad you got it working, though.

Are you using intuition.library v45? In my UAE test system I'm still using intuition v40, and I was also emulating an A2000 instead of an A1200. I wonder if those variables in combination with Native were responsible?

Quite possibly, I am using version 45.
It did work but I am going to back to Native/FinalWriter, it gives me more available memory on the system.


I have a copy of AmigaWriter 2.2 here but minimum requirements are an 030 so I will have to wait until the Vampire arrives...


Spud