Disable file locking please! (Windows)

Solar2D Daily Builds and Public Releases
#1

Well, this is not a bug but it IS definately a show stopper because it is absolutely annoying and wastes so much of daily developing time…

THE PROBLEM
When running code in the simulator, all loaded image files are “locked” and cannot be accessed by other applications anymore. So it’s impossible to change or edit an image while the simulator is running. Each time we want to change a graphic, we have to save it under a new file name, change the filename in the LUA code, then restart the simulator. This not only wastes a lot of time, it also results in dozens of unused images on disk that we have to clean up again later.

This completely eliminates any workflow.

To make it even worse, files keep locked when they have been loaded into the simulator once -even if they are not used by the currently running app! The only solution is to shut down the simulator completely to release all graphics and make them accessible for other applications again.

The Mac version of the simulator had the same problem until “auto-refresh” was introduced (which was a HUUUUGE workflow gain then).

Could you please add such a feature for the Windows version, too?

[import]uid: 10504 topic_id: 7218 reply_id: 307218[/import]

#2

UGHGHGHGHGHGHG

Send to bugs@anscamobile.com so they can add to our bugbase. I will fast-track it once I see it in the bug base.

C [import]uid: 24 topic_id: 7218 reply_id: 25423[/import]

#3

Sent :wink:
[import]uid: 10504 topic_id: 7218 reply_id: 25474[/import]

#4

We just installed the .377 windows SDK and files are STILL being locked and can’t be overwritten while the Simulator is running.

Please, please, please disable file locking on media files, this is soooo annoying :-(((( We have to create a new media file for every little change, then edit the code, then restart the Simulator again. This is extremely tedious, every single day, and will surely let us jump out of a window soon… -.-

I am sure this is no big thing to do. It would improve the workflow a lot if we could overwrite any graphic on the fly and the Sim would automatically restart the app (as it does with the Mac version).

Please, please, please, please, please, please, please… =(( [import]uid: 10504 topic_id: 7218 reply_id: 29125[/import]

#5

Filed it ! Raised priority

c [import]uid: 24 topic_id: 7218 reply_id: 29400[/import]

#6

Hey x-pressive,

This is by no means a fix but as a temporary solution it does save some time, I’ve found.

Rather than quitting the simulator so the image isn’t being used, or saving it under a different name then replacing the file, I typically just restart the simulator and press CMD+down - then you can edit any image files as it wont say they are in use.

I know it’s by no means ideal and I am not suggesting it as a proper solution, but it has certainly saved me time over using multiple files with different names or, alternatively, quitting the simulator while working with images.

Just a suggestion, although again, I know it’s not ideal.

Peach :slight_smile: [import]uid: 10144 topic_id: 7218 reply_id: 30929[/import]

#7

File locking is on Corona iPhone SDK too.
I need to close the running app before I can edit images.
It’s very annoying as I need to edit images and correct pixel by pixel and see instant results from the simulator.

– Advanced UI + Graph for Corona® | Website | Forum (https) | See: [import]uid: 11385 topic_id: 7218 reply_id: 32116[/import]

#8

Well, almost a year (at minimum!) passed since the first request to disable file locking on Windows and… nothing changed!?

It’s still annoying like *HELL* if one has to switch from the image editor to the simulator, close it, go back to the image editor, save the image, start the simulator again -please repeat this for EVERY LITTLE, TINY CHANGE YOU MAKE -even if you need to replace ONE PIXEL! And please repeat this day, after day, after day… that’s really wrecking my nerves!

Please, please, finally stop it and make the sim refresh automatically on image change like the Mac version does for such a looooong time now. Or at least disable file locking so we don’t have to explicitly close the sim each time and just need to hit the refresh key.

I am really angry now, because I just deleted an image I was working on for a couple of days due to this behaviour (long story, the file locking interferred with the image editors save function with the result that a null-byte file was written. Great. All work gone) >:-( [import]uid: 9644 topic_id: 7218 reply_id: 88856[/import]

#9

+1 on removing file-locking. Really annoying. [import]uid: 93133 topic_id: 7218 reply_id: 88861[/import]

#10

To make it even worse, Coronas file locking behaviour does not always release the files (happens in certain situations), even if the sim is closed. The files stay locked then until a system reboot. If you want to overwrite them, you have to save the edited image using another name (f.e. “image2.png”) AND change all regarding code parts (which consumes even more time).

Well, yesterday, I ended up with “image 18.png” (this means saving the image under a new name and edit all regarding code parts 18 times in a row!), so I hope it is understandable how annoying this is and how much valuable working time this kills, day for day…! :frowning: [import]uid: 9644 topic_id: 7218 reply_id: 89007[/import]

#11

http://emcosoftware.com/unlock-it

Might help. It’s free. [import]uid: 108660 topic_id: 7218 reply_id: 89028[/import]

#12

@jeff472 I just tried the software on Windows 7 and unlocked the files and folders I was using and it still did not help. I use Gimp and it still complains that it can’t save file because it’s in use by another program. The only solution that seems to work best for me is closing the Corona Simulator and editing and saving images and audio files. I have no problems with editing and saving .lua files while the simulator is running. huh. Well, I hope this is fixed before the next major release Mr. C :wink: It certainly does help with productivity. Ok, enough of my blah blah blahhing. [import]uid: 38820 topic_id: 7218 reply_id: 89036[/import]

#13

This tool may avoid a system reboot, but of course, it’s no suitable solution to use a third party tool each time we want to edit our image files.

With all the daily builds, I really can’t understand why this has not been fixed within a year or more. I mean it’s not a minor thing, it’s something really annoying and time-killing and Corona Windows users are struggling with it EVERY SINGLE DAY :frowning:
[import]uid: 9644 topic_id: 7218 reply_id: 89040[/import]

#14

Episode #6453 of my daily suffering with Corona’s buggy and absolutely unneccessary file locking madness on Windows:

Needed to edit an image and politely closed the simulator.
Tried to overwrite the existing image with a new one.
Surprise!!! Got an error message because Corona DID NOT RELEASE THE LOCKED FILES AGAIN (this is not always the case -just at about 50% of the cases).
Can’t save image under another file name since I had to change massive parts of the code.
Desperately re-opened and re-closed the simulator again and again. No success. Files keep locked.
Only thing left is to reboot the entire system to unlock the hijacked files (thank you).
Rebooting is fun -Corona made me love this.
I am still rendering an image, which takes another 2.5 hours to finish, so I EVEN CAN’T REBOOT to release the image files hijacked by Corona.

Result:
All work halted completely until system can be rebootet.

Today’s wasted time with Corona’s file locking bug: 2.5 hours.

Today’s wasted money: don’t want to think about it (yet).

Will keep to post my suffering here until being heard. [import]uid: 9644 topic_id: 7218 reply_id: 91702[/import]