The VideoLAN Forums

I think I've been able to narrow down my crashes. They seem to be right after I send in a play request over the http interface. It happens about 1/2 the time. But it's in spurts, say 5 crashes in a row, then it works 3 times in a row.

This feels like a timing bug. I get a crash, the crashdump file is zero length.

Clearing out the %appdata%\vlc makes no difference here. v 0.99 has no problems.

When it does work, I'm seeing something strange.

1. small window (waiting for a video to play)
2. send in the http request
3. small window changes to large window, blank contents for an instant
4. back to small window for a short instant (1/3d second approx)
5 returns to larger window, with video playing.

Sometimes the small window appears on top of the larger window in steps 3 and 4.

When it crashes, it never goes to the larger window, just dies.

If I run v 0.99 on the same video it does the above except for the extra toggle between small to large to small and it doesn't crash.

Fill a bug

Well, I would file a bug report, but to be honest, it's just too difficult. I did this once, registered, went to some irc chat, got permission, yadda yadda yadda, and of course since it's been a while I don't know my login anymore, and it's just too painful to try to do it all again. Maybe someone already setup for reporting bugs who reads this post and is seeing the same things can copy/paste the link with a few clicks. I just gave up after 15 minutes of trying.

It's a shame though, after 40 years in the computer business and I'm stumped by a reporting form

If I were building this website, I'd have a button on this page that says - file this as a bug report. Why make it so difficult.

You don't have to go to IRC. Just say your trac username here.

You don't have to go to IRC. Just say your trac username here.

Well, I don't remember that one either. It's probably similar to my login here, rocketxxx (777 or 888 etc.)

What does the ticket button at the top of this window do?

All I see is that it enters [ ticket ] /ticket] around text. Why not have that button send a link to this thread off as a bug tracker. And maybe have it output some little template that I can fill in right here, similar to how a reply works starting you off with some text, and letting you add to it.

If you're worried about bug reporting spam, then require that the ticket button be enabled by you first - when you say "please submit a bug report" as you did here.

First time users find most bugs and they are also going to be turned off by difficult bug reporting.

First time users find most bugs and they are also going to be turned off by difficult bug reporting.

Well most bug reports done by normal users are quite horrible and they don't really help us. That is why we try to get most people report bugs to forums and open tickets when needed.

[ ticket ] can be used to link certain trac ticket, but I am guessing the tags don't work.

First time users find most bugs and they are also going to be turned off by difficult bug reporting.

Well most bug reports done by normal users are quite horrible and they don't really help us. That is why we try to get most people report bugs to forums and open tickets when needed.

And I think this is wise. It's just that once you actually tell me that my input is valuable, why not make it as easy as possible for me to follow through.

In fact, why don't you (as part of the VLC team) just submit the bug for me? Or just give me a tracking number and let me email in a report.

This is how it's done with, for example, the video-redo project. True, they sell their product, but they keep their bug tracking details to themselves and simply take action from the information that comes into their forum. Some input is not valuable, and so they just let the particular thread end with a final comment.

But once they believe the user is on to something, it's a cinch to follow up. Sometimes you don't even have to email them, they just make a fix based on the info in the thread. If they need more info, they provide a tracking number and an email address (plus an ftp upload site to send in videos that cause problems if appropriate).

I think you should consider this approach. This would make a fine program even better.