nvAlt 2.2.7 freezes on High Sierra (developer beta 1 & 2)

[seltzered]

Observing nvAlt freezing on macos High Sierra developer beta 1 & 2. Basically observing the app beachball upon startup and not open the main window.

Filing to see if anyone else is having issues too. Will try to compile/debug from https://github.com/ttscoff/nv/tree/2.2.5 if time frees up.

[pmessenich]

Seeing the same issue on High Sierra 10.13 Beta (17A291m). After loading the mmd files in my repository, nvAlt logs the following before it must be killed:

default 16:28:40.514637 -0600 nvALT FILE WAS MODIFIED: zumatribute.txt default 16:28:40.579110 -0600 nvALT load time: 17.5986, default 16:28:41.337702 -0600 nvALT 0x7fbac0606470 - PerformanceMonitor::measurePostBackgroundingMemoryUsage: Process was using 660254720 bytes of memory after becoming non visible. default 16:28:41.340472 -0600 nvALT OSErr AERemoveEventHandler(AEEventClass, AEEventID, AEEventHandlerUPP, Boolean)(spec,phac handler=0x7fff7c18f8ee isSys=YES) err=0/noErr default 16:28:41.348644 -0600 nvALT .sdef warning for argument 'FileType' of command 'save' in suite 'Standard Suite': 'saveable file format' is not a valid type name. default 16:28:41.348974 -0600 nvALT OSErr AERemoveEventHandler(AEEventClass, AEEventID, AEEventHandlerUPP, Boolean)(ascr,gdut handler=0x7fff7b0f98d0 isSys=YES) err=0/noErr default 16:28:41.418990 -0600 nvALT finished: '/var/folders/r2/sryb07fm8xj9wb0059bpd2gh0000gn/T/NVPlainTextEditingSpace' default 16:29:01.149457 -0600 kernel AGC:: [nvALT pid 79177 mux-aware] exiting, non-mux-aware app count 0, runtime: 0:00:38.233 default 16:44:21.063124 -0600 SubmitDiagInfo Submitted problem report file:///Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/nvALT_2017-07-03-155357_zuma.hang

[neilio]

Confirming here as well. Sadness!

[pvg]

Remains a problem in beta 3.

[kylelundstedt]

Still an issue in beta 4.

[oztourer]

Also an issue on the public beta (17A315i).

[seltzered]

Got curious and built the app. And paused to see the stacktrace when it starts freezing.

It looks like commenting out lines 3232-3233 in appcontroller.m makes it work, that is these lines:

            [theFieldEditor setDrawsBackground:NO];
            [theFieldEditor setSelectedTextAttributes:[NSDictionary dictionaryWithObjectsAndKeys:[NSColor selectedTextBackgroundColor], NSBackgroundColorAttributeName, nil]];

I'm still not sure why though, still need to step through the code. and it may turn out to be something a radar should be filed for.

In case anyone else is trying to build/debug, you shouldn't need the simperium key to debug this, just add a simperiumconfig.h with X's for the api key.

[glushchenko]

Try FSNotes, modern notatational velocity reinvention. High Sierra compatible and in active development now https://github.com/glushchenko/fsnotes

[neilio]

Thanks for the tip, @glushchenko. Unfortunately that app is still pretty rough - there's no sync support, for example - so it's a non-starter for me, but I'll definitely keep an eye on it.

[glushchenko]

@neilio, you can choose Dropbox or iCloud Drive destinaion for sync ;)

[timbuktu234]

I can confirm NVAlt continues to freeze in the latest PUBLIC release (macOS beta 6)

BitWriter can't come soon enough.

[TempSpas]

Is there any information available on the BitWriter project?

[jeff-h]

Depending on which nvALT features you use, you should definitely check out fsnotes (mentioned above). I personally store all my notes as individual rtf files, so the latest fsnotes beta is working just fine for me. I've compiled nvALT without the two lines mentioned in https://github.com/ttscoff/nv/issues/459#issuecomment-318543427 so I have it limping along on 10.13 but fsnotes is far more usable that that.

Disclaimer — I've contributed a few PR's to fsnotes :)

https://github.com/glushchenko/fsnotes

[iandol]

TempSpas: in the very recent Mac Power users podcast on tagging, Brett mentioned they are hard a work on BitWriter, but no ETA. Considering the quality of Marked 2 and Brett's attention to detail, I suspect BitWriter is going to be amazing. FSNotes is very nice and minimal, but is still missing lots of features that at least I use, so come High Sierra lets hope there is a BitWriter beta to work with...

[Japandave]

Would anyone be willing to compile and post a build of nvALT with the two lines commented out? I am running the latest beta of High Sierra and I am really missing nvALT.

[pvg]

https://github.com/pvg/nvtemp/raw/master/nvALT.app.zip It's unsigned, built with Xcode 8 on High Sierra beta 7. If it blows up your computer, it's your own fault.

[fdkz]

Thanks for this, pvg. But seems that this version can't login to the simplenote server. Time for me to investigate a dropbox based setup.

[Japandave]

Thank you, pvg. I appreciate it. Here's hoping we can keep nvALT puttering along until Bitwriter comes out.

fdkz: Though I also love Simplenote, I long ago moved my notes folder to be within my Dropbox folder; that way I could access it both with Simplenote and with any other note taking app I was trying (such as 1writer, which is excellent but slow)—also as an insurance policy incase Simplenote ever stopped working. I'd recommend the same.

[pvg]

There's a missing header in nvALT for Simplenote integration which presumably contains an API key/credentials and is not included. There's a sample header with dummy credentials which is what I used to build this so it won't work with Simplenote. This build is really just a stopgap so at an absolute minimum you can get your data out - something that's surprisingly tricky without a working nv app.

[steipete]

I donated 20$ to help and mentioned this issue. Maybe it motivates more people to help Brett.

http://brettterpstra.com/donate/

[timbuktu234]

I've donated 10$ too and mentioned this issue as well.

http://brettterpstra.com/donate/

BitWriter can't come soon enough.

[Nonious]

PVG, thank you for the workaround you put in place. I'm get a '404' error when I try to fetch it. I am a long-time Mac user and always assumed nvALT would be in my stable, with the specific sync service being less critical. I'm running High Sierra 17A352a (updated today). It's not a matter of data loss -- I can reach my notes -- but I can't use nvALT and there is no second place for it, IMHO.

Could you please comment on the link situation?

[ttscoff]

Hey all, I put a new build up at http://assets.brettterpstra.com/nvALT2.2.7127.dmg if anyone would like to test it. If I can just get a couple of confirmations from current High Sierra users that this fixes the issue, I'll push out an update.

[kram175]

I just tried the new build, and I get "Changed notes could not be saved because a parameter was invalid." I'm syncing to a fold in Dropbox. This is the same error I was getting from the previous build. I'm running the latest public beta of High Sierra 17A358a.

[Japandave]

I can confirm what kram175 wrote. I get the same message, and I also got the same message on when using the build that pvg posted. I also have my notes folder within my Dropbox folder

Edit: I'm using the most recent High Sierra public beta

[ttscoff]

Hrm, ok. I only applied the change mentioned above, so I'll have to do some more testing, I suppose.

[ttscoff]

Quick look at the code indicates that error is related to storing notes as a single database. @kram175 and @Japandave , are you using that or individual files?

[Japandave]

I just tried to set a new save folder outside my Dropbox dir, and I immediately got the same message upon setting it.

No, I'm using a folder filed with individual txt and md files.

[ttscoff]

Oh boy, actually looks like an issue with the change in filesystem. That could take some time I'm not sure I'll find this week. Anyone able to offer assistance in tracking that down?

Currently traced to storeDataAtomicallyInNotesDirectory: in NotationFileManager.m:547, but I need to dig back further to see what kind of FSRef it's passing.

[steipete]

I use Single Database (allows Encryption) and Simplenote sync. Updated build works great - thanks so much Brett! Just tried with 2-way sync with Simplenote on iOS and it all works just as ever.

[Japandave]

I would love to help in any way that I could. But I'm afraid I have no idea how to trace that call. I'm afraid I haven't coded in a long time and am too rusty. If there is any thing else I could do, testing or the like, I'm willing.

[timbuktu234]

I can confirm the error "Changed notes could not be saved because a parameter was invalid." in the latest version of MacOS High Sierra (Public Beta 8)

Using dropbox and individual txt files.

[cdhutch]

I am seeing the same behavior the timbuktu234 reported using Dropbox and individual txt files on build 17A352a.

[ptb]

For those trying to make nvALT useful under High Sierra (17A358a), I'd suggest storing plain text files on an HFS+ disk while the APFS issues are worked out. For me, with the http://assets.brettterpstra.com/nvALT2.2.7127.dmg from above, nvALT launches fine and when pointed at an HFS+ located folder, it has no issue syncing individual notes/files. YMMV

@ttscoff depending on when High Sierra goes gold, maybe push out an update with a note that if people want to store notes on disk as plain text files that they need to use an HFS+ formatted disk or disk image? 🤷🏻‍♂️

[ptb]

Oh, and if you are one of those who are testing/troubleshooting this, do yourself a favor and download a .zip of your notes from https://app.simplenote.com beforehand, otherwise you may find that the sync failed to download and worse uploaded 0 byte notes back to simplenote (which can be recovered of course, but is an unnecessary pain).

[ttscoff]

I can do that. Hopefully I can find time to track down the issues before GM, but we'll see...

On 31 Aug 2017, at 14:08, Peter T Bosse II wrote:

For those trying to make nvALT useful under High Sierra (17A358a), I'd suggest storing plain text files on an HFS+ disk while the APFS issues are worked out. For me, with the http://assets.brettterpstra.com/nvALT2.2.7127.dmg from above, nvALT launches fine and when pointed at an HFS+ located folder, it has no issue syncing individual notes/files. YMMV

@ttscoff depending on when High Sierra goes gold, maybe push out an update with a note that if people want to store notes on disk as plain text files that they need to use an HFS+ formatted disk or disk image? 🤷🏻‍♂️

-- You are receiving this because you were mentioned. Reply to this email directly or view it on GitHub: https://github.com/ttscoff/nv/issues/459#issuecomment-326392597

[Nonious]

@ptb -- THANK YOU for that URL. I'm back in business and off to the races. nvALT, how I missed thee.

@ttscoff -- THANK YOU for being a rock star. I'm listening to you on Mac Power Users episode 390 even as I get my nvALT fix!

//AP

[nearwalden]

I just got the new High Sierra beta release candidate over the weekend (17A362a) for my Mac Book Pro with APFS, and nvalt suddenly started working for me (it hadn't on any of the previous betas). My storage is setup as plain text files. Interestingly, Google Drive also started to sync correctly, and it had not for the previous betas, so may be some bug that was affecting both of them.

[ttscoff]

Are you storing your notes on an AFPS volume? I still can't do that…

-Brett

On 18 Sep 2017, at 13:26, David Douglas wrote:

I just got the new High Sierra beta release candidate over the weekend (17A362a) for my Mac Book Pro with APFS, and nvalt suddenly started working for me (it hadn't on any of the previous betas). My storage is setup as plain text files. Interestingly, Google Drive also started to sync correctly, and it had not for the previous betas, so may be some bug that was affecting both of them.

-- You are receiving this because you were mentioned. Reply to this email directly or view it on GitHub: https://github.com/ttscoff/nv/issues/459#issuecomment-330313555

[remmah]

Just to corroborate Brett's experience: release version of nvAlt still hangs on 10.13 GM build for me, and the nvAlt build in this thread does not save when on APFS.

[nearwalden]

OK, false alarm. Apologies. Here's what I'm seeing: Startup Bret's 127 build, edit to use APFS files and .md files, and appears to work to search and read my existing files. Prefs don't survive a restart, though, and new notes are kind of saved, kind of not (get warning and unpredictable result).

[maccius]

Not sure if this is helpful, but there is a discussion of this same issue at the main NV repo:

https://github.com/scrod/nv/issues/365

It looks like someone may have sorted out a fix, but I don't have the setup to build and test to see if it works on the 10.13 beta.

[remmah]

Here's the specific PR related to the issue: https://github.com/scrod/nv/pull/367

Just checked the current nvAlt source and the same FSExchangeObjectsCompat.c file is there with the same line that supposedly needs changing. Seems that I can't build and test it myself due to lacking the 10.7 SDK.

[ttscoff]

That might have done it. Please test: http://ckyp.us/j90SGq

[kram175]

Wow, that works for me. (Latest High Sierra public beta, plain text files stored in a Dropbox folder.) Thank you so much, Brett and everyone who helped with this!

[ptb]

That build is working for me! Plain text file files stored on an APFS disk. Awesome!

[ttscoff]

Yes! (pumps fist)

-Brett

On 19 Sep 2017, at 7:16, Peter T Bosse II wrote:

That build is working for me! Plain text file files stored on an APFS disk. Awesome!

-- You are receiving this because you were mentioned. Reply to this email directly or view it on GitHub: https://github.com/ttscoff/nv/issues/459#issuecomment-330520516

[remmah]

Works here as well!

[ttscoff]

Official release download link: https://updates.designheresy.com/nvalt/nvALT2.2.8128.dmg

[maccius]

Great! Thank you, Brett—much appreciated!

[jeff-h]

Looks promising, but unfortunately some stuff is still completely broken, which means the app is still unusable unless you've got valid prefs carried forward from a previous version.

The items I've noticed so far are in the preferences window:

• Notes: Read notes from folder — cannot choose a directory; the file dialogue never shows. Dumps "An uncaught exception was raised" to the console.
• Notes: Storage tab — can't change from "Single Database" to any other option. Nothing goes into the console.