PI background process keeps running after closing the program

[naavis]

The PixInsight Core process seems to keep running after closing the program, at the same time blocking PI from opening the next time. I have to go to Task Manager to kill the process before PI can be started again.

It does not happen if I just open PI and close it again immediately. It only happens if I work on something in PI for a while and then close the program, so I haven't been able to systematically reproduce it every time. This happens with the latest 1.8.5.1353 version.

I'm running Windows 10 64-bit, and don't have any 3rd party antivirus programs running. Just the default Windows Defender.

[topboxman]

Mine happens as well. It has been very consistent. I cannot pinpoint exactly to make it reproducible. If I use one or two tools in PI, exit PI, I am able to restart PI. But if I process an image using many PI tools, exit PI, I will not be able to restart PI but I can restart using "PixInsight - New Insrance".

I know Juan has blamed Windows OS or graphics driver but if I revert back to PI version 1.8.4, I have absolutely no issues. I am still using 1.8.5 because I like the new PCC tool very much.

My computer is a home built Intel i7 (over 2000 pins), Windows 10 64 bit with latest Windows Update, Radeon graphics card using latest driver as of few days ago. I don't have anti-virus software running. No bloatware of any kind is installed.

I also have an HP laptop with i5 CPU, Windows 10 with latest updates and shared RAM graphics chip and so far PI version 1.8.5 is working. I don't use laptop for processing images, I only use it for capturing images and controlling the mount, focuser and camera.

Peter

[topboxman]

Samuli,

I may have found the culprit but I would like you to try this simple test. If you know how to make this issue repeatable, reprocess the same image you did that caused the issue and when exiting PixInsight, instead of clicking on the "X" at the upper right corner, use "File->Exit" to exit PixInsight. Then try restarting PixInsight.

I did this and it seems to work.

Juan, I know it sounds impossible because both "X" and "File->Exit" are supposed to behave the same way but please look into this.

Thanks,
Peter

[Juan Conejero]

The only difference between 'X' and FILE > Exit is that in the former case the application is receiving a system event from the underlying desktop manager, while in the latter case all generated events are internal to the core application. The rest of actions to exit the application are exactly the same in both cases.

I can modify the way a system 'window close' event is managed by issuing a delayed menu selection event, instead of triggering the exit command immediately. I'll implement this, and will upload a modified core executable for you to test (next week). However, for me this is like a shoot in the dark, since I have no way to reproduce this problem.

[topboxman]

Possible timing issue? Interesting. I will be happy to test your test code when you are ready.

Thanks,
Peter

[tloebl]

I have the same issue but with Windows 7. I can cause it to happen 100% of the time if,  in global preferences, special GUI effects,  I uncheck 'animate autohide windows', and I close PI and reopen it, and then i hover over Process Explorer tab and then move to the right to let it close. After this point if I close PI by clicking the X rather than choosing EXIT from the FILE menu, it remains open in Task Manager.  Juan had looked at this but no resolution  so far. Wonder if you can cause this same  thing to happen in Windows 10 if you set things up in Global Preferences as I have.

Tom

[naavis]

I think I found a way to systematically reproduce this. I don't know which steps are necessary yet, but doing this results in the process running in the background every time:

• Open a .fit image in PI by double clicking it in Windows.
• Open Arcsinh process from the Process Explorer.
• Open the real-time preview.
• Adjust the stretch factor and blackpoint.
• Apply the process to the image by clicking on the square blue button in the process.
• Close the real-time preview and process.
• Close PixInsight by clicking on the window close button in the upper right corner.
• Answer "Yes" when PixInsight asks whether to really exit.

After this the PixInsight Core 1.8.5 Ripley process seems to always stay in the Windows Task Manager.

EDIT: I tried topboxman's suggestion of closing PI with File->Exit. It does not seem to leave the process hanging.

[msmythers]

This is an odd problem. On my Windows 7 computer following those exact steps I have no issue. PI is always closed in the task manager almost instantly of exiting.


Mike

[Juan Conejero]

This cannot be reproduced on our machines.

However, I have detected a small issue that should explain why this happens in some cases. This problem is already fixed in the next version, which I plan on releasing soon.

[georg.viehoever]

I also have seen non-terminating PI processes on my Windows 10 machine last week - non-reproducable unfortunately.

I believe that this issue has now been reported so many times - there is really some problem there. We should try to get to the root cause. Maybe you have some way to instrument your builds, or have a way to tell Windows to create a core dump that you can analyze, or something like this.

Georg

[Juan Conejero]

Hi Georg,

As I've said, I think I already have solved this issue. The problem I've fixed is related to the QWebEngineProcess executable, which is not being properly terminated sometimes. Actually, this can happen on any platform, not just Windows. Let's see if this fixes all of these problems in the next version.

[mike@mulcahys.us]

I too have experienced this.  I know Juan feels it may be corrected in the next release but I thought I could add a few observations:

1.  For me it happens when I close PI by closing its window with the "X" at the upper right.  At this point the taskmanger does not show PI as a task but there is a Pixinsight process running.  At this point I cannot restart PI.  However, if I terminate the process I can.  Also, my favorite processes from the process explorer are not saved.

2.  If I close PI using File>exit everything closes as it should, my favorites are saved and I can restart PI.

Hope this helps,

Mike Mulcahy

[starhopper]

Hello Forum,
I can reproduce Mike Mulcahys experience.
It happens all the time, because I close apps mostly with the 'X'
Thomas