Issues with hanging for ThunderPopperToGo

[Thaynius]

I'm having some problems with ThunderPopperToGo Version 2.4 hanging every so often. So far as I can tell, it's a problem with its logic, not with detecting anything on-screen. All the same, here's the standard info:

Agent Version: 24
Smooth Fonts: Yes
Screen Resolution: 1280x1024
Windows: Windows XP Service Pack 2
Browser: Firefox, Sun Java
Title Bar of Game: The Poppit! Show - 1.0.0.3o

That said, I have a few screenshots that probably articulate the conditions than I could explain myself.


"Cannot find balloons" indefinitely.



"Found Solution Leaving Behind 1 Balloons.", followed by "Bad Read" and finally "Can't Recover". Repeats indefinitely.

On a side note, the speed slider doesn't seem to change anything. Both the slowest and the fastest speeds appear to be identical, at least on my system. I remember have this issue with older BH autos, though its been quite a while since I've seen one that does this.

[Homer]

I just tested version 2.4 and it finished 8 consecutive games without stopping.

Delete the auto. Reboot your pc and redownload again from www.badgehelp.com

[Thaynius]

I have done such, but it still seems to be hanging to me. If it helps any, I only see this hanging occur when the solution the auto finds leaves 1 or more balloons. Never has it told me "Found Solution Leaving 0 Balloons", and then hung. :\

[Homer]

Your smooth fonts need to be disabled.

[Thaynius]

I disabled Smooth Fonts last night per your suggestion. I'm still having hanging problems. I also tried on my other XP desktop and my two XP laptops (one with SP1, one with SP2), as well as on my Vista partition. All 5 have the same hanging problem.

Like I mentioned before, the hanging only occurs when a solution leaves 1 or more balloons. I've tried setting the maximum number of balloons for a solution to be satisfactory, as is possible in ThunderPopper (not ToGo) Version 4.6, but the option does not exist in this auto. :\

[Homer]

Submit a Technical Support Request via the options section of the program.

[Thaynius]

Actually, I think I may have figured out the issue, at least on my systems. Before, I was running the auto in large rooms, occasionally stopping to chat for a minute or so between rounds. I was looking through a pile of screenshots I have accumulated and there appears to be one common denominator in almost all of them: donated power-ups. Somewhere between 80-90% of the shots I have show them at the bottom of the screen or the nagging poppup that you've popped all of the balloons but still have a power-up left. The nagging poppup tends to go away on its own after 10 seconds or so, so I'm not too worried about it. Discovering this, I moved into a room where I am the only occupant so I could no receive any donated power-ups and (between what was left of 4 trials on different computers), I managed to get through 20 games in a row without locking up. Hopefully it's not just luck. :)

My guess is that the auto was coded while in offline mode and, hence, donation of powerups was disabled. Homer, were you testing the auto yesterday either in offline mode or in an unpopulated room by chance?

I just wanted to leave this message as a possible solution in case anybody else comes up with this problem in the future. At least... if anybody still uses the search button.

[Homer]

I was playing in a full room or at least somewhat full. Can't say I remember if any of the power ups were donated or not but I didn't chat between rounds either.