vixen not working with Vista... Any luck with Linux?

[ccmmxx]

So for 2008 I made all my sequences with Vixen 2.0 on my Windows Vista Computer. towards the end of the season, vixen stopped working properly. It wont let me "unclick", or "Turn off" any event or "square" I would turn on. its really annoying because for most of my sequencing I would have to copy a blank square, and paste it over one that was on to turn it off. Vixen would come up with errors all the time..

Anyway, I tried deleting vixen, and re-install it. Nope
I even deleted 2.0, and upgraded to 2.1. still same problems.
now, I created a new profile for 2009 in 2.0, and when I try to create a sequence with it in 2.1 vixen instantly comes up with an error and closes.
It seems like anything I made in 08 wont work properly now, is there anything I need to convert? something im doing wrong???

And also, I have another computer running Linux. Honestly, its a lot faster than vista, and I dont know how much longer I can put up with it:mad:. Is there any sure development of vixen for Linux? (specifically Fedora)
thanks for any tips/help in advance.

[dirknerkle]

I'm not sure what your issue with Vista may be, but my guess is that some other application on your computer has caused the problem. I code a lot of Windows software and my prediction is that you'll be waiting a very, very long time for Vixen for Linux. Not only would Vixen need recoding, but all the add-on DLLs that others have written that extend Vixen's usefulness need to be revised as well. Considering that Vixen is essentially "freeware," coding all these things so that they're compatible with Fedora, Red Hat, Debian, Ubuntu, Suse, and all the others (at last count according to Wiki, about 200 different distributions), the task is pretty daunting, and even more so when the people who have to do the work get virtually nothing in return.

From a developer's standpoint, there is a lot of advantage for having a standardized UI, and Microsoft is doing a pretty darned good job. The Linux world seems essentially to be one of anarchy and the concept of "open source" software, while admirable, has led to the complete loss of control that we've seen in Linux. It actually makes it harder to code software, not easier.

By the way, I use Linux as well as Windows so I'm not writing from a position of heresay. Almost all the apps I write for Linux are web apps that 'should' work on everything, but even browsers display HTML differently. Everybody in the Linux world seems to think that their version of Linux is the best one.

My best suggestion, and it's made with all due respect, is to quit trying to push molasses up a sandy hill. Buy a good used computer (lots of good equipment is available for under $200), load a fresh copy of XP or Vista on it, install the net framework and Vixen, and never install anything else on it -- especially games, various audio apps or Internet sharing software and all the other stuff that is supposed to make your life easier but never does. Dedicate the box to Vixen and you'll be much, much happier in the long run.

-dirknerkle

[Wombat]

I would say to run XP on it.

I too have been trying for a long time to get Vixen to run under Ubuntu with varying degrees of success (close but no cigar) Most of the issues revolve around the compatibility of the open .net issues. I tried again last year to get it working and will indubitably try again this year. You might be better off running XP under VMWare and using USB serial port adapters to allow VMWARE to use them (VMWare has pass through USB support)
I have tried this also in the past but there are issues with the stability of the machine when other things external are stalling the machine especially the sound output stuttering etc.

Best bet is as the last comment said is to run a separate machine which is dedicated to running the sequences and designing them on another or in VMWare XP machines.

Wombat

[Wayne J]

Buy a good used computer (lots of good equipment is available for under $200), load a fresh copy of XP or Vista on it, install the net framework and Vixen, and never install anything else on it -- especially games, various audio apps or Internet sharing software and all the other stuff that is supposed to make your life easier but never does. Dedicate the box to Vixen and you'll be much, much happier in the long run.

-dirknerkle

That is the best advice you will get.