When importing a layer into a Pencil2D project I sometime experience a crash.
The process
• Import the layer, including naming the new layer
• Select the Camera layer
If at this point I attempt to edit the project, say copying a drawing in a frame to another location, this is where the crash can occur.
An alternative process
• Import the layer, including naming the new layer
• Select the Camera layer
• Save the project, using a different filename. If the existing filename is James.pclx, then I will use the James-2.pclx for the new save operation.
• Load a new copy of Pencil2D into the computer and load the new files, in this case James-2.pclx into it.
I can then proceed to edit the project without the crash.
Analysis
Silly as it might sound, I feel the problem is that what I perceive as a very simple process, in human terms is not so simple in terms of the process that the computer uses to achieve it. In other words I ‘jump the gun’, the result I attempt to carry out the edit, whilst the computer is still working on the ‘add layer’ process and thus the computer crashes as a result.
Solution
To prevent the crash I must either use the alternative process or wait for a longer period before attempting the edit. But it is not straight forward knowing how much time to allow. Making a cup of tea seems to allow enough time!
I’m asking about this specifically because in a previous version there was a similar issue, and it was already fixed, so these answers can help narrow down the scope to investigate the cause.
Second thoughts, there’s something that I didn’t mention. Until I’d changed the selected layer to the Camera layer, I couldn’t see how many frames that I’d transfered either. The layer was blank.
As soon as I selected the Camera layer, the ‘key’ frames appeared within the layer, in tge Timeline.
I’ve also added a layer by editing ‘main.xml’ using Notepad under Windows 11 and then adding the frame images into the Data directory within the .pclx file.
I can edit, ie. Move frames immediately without a crash too!
Please try reproducing the issue with the latest nightly build and let us know how that goes. There is no point in trying to reproduce your issue and identify the cause if the issue has already been fixed as part of the substantial amount of changes that have been made to the program since 0.6.6.
I’ve now carried out extensive testing on the nightly build for the build as shown below.
Small bitmapped project OK
Large bitmapped project OK
Small bitmapped project with Sound layers OK
Large bitmapped project with Sound layers OK
Single vector layers with bitmapped & Sound OK
Multiple vector layers with bitmapped CRASH
Multiple vector layers with bitmapped & Sound CRASH
Large project with vectors, bitmapped & Sound CRASH
But the recovery mechanism works when layers imports crash. Projects can then be edited and exported without problems.
Overall assessment the changes are very successful, it’s a great step forward.
In outline terms what has been altered to make the improvement happen?
The more I think about it, I believe that the crashes, including vector layers occur because of a problem with rendering the animation, to allow the internal player to play the animation.
Sometimes Pencil2D is too pessimistic, for its own good!
I’ve been experiencing with a very large bitmapped image layer. I started the import and got a message which indicated a possible crash, but being patient, after a short while the layer loaded.
These are the frames that loaded when I loaded the layer bitmap.
When is played these frames, using the internal player, the frame pointer moved 1,2 then 3, it stopped and then displayed frames 2& 5 etc. The background render was taking place during the pause.
I presume it grabs the image from the video ram, because edit artifacts fir example the lasso tool appear in the frame move tool, if active appear in these frames.
The initial aim of this exercise was to push Pencil2D as hard as I could, the new version the nightly build version. I failed to break it, which is an excellent result.
