Hi,

I periodically lose the ability to use the keyboard anywhere in Altia Design (with the exception of the standard Windows dialogs such as Save As... and Open Model Library...). I'm running Altia on Win XP Pro SP 2.

I can't edit text objects, can't modify properties or connections, and can't use the shortcuts to enter and leave groups...

Closing and re-opening the design file fixes the problem.

Any idea what could be causing this frustrating problem? Am I doing something wrong?

Thanks,

Nathan

Hi Nathan,

This is a defect that several of us at Altia have also experienced, but
too infrequently to reproduce it until just a couple of weeks ago.

It happens when the cursor is active in one of the number input fields
at the top of the editor for setting selected object x, y, width, height
or the cursor is active in the number input field on the left side for
changing the selected object's opacity.

If the number entry is not completed with a press of the Enter key or
Escape key and the next operation is a mouse press in the drawing
area (for example, clicking on a different object or in empty space), the
keyboard becomes locked. The lock up also happens if the next mouse
press is in the Property Dialog, Connections Dialog, Animation Editor,
etc.

The lock up can be released by clicking the left mouse button in the
same number input field (it has to be the same one that previously had
the cursor) and pressing the Enter or Escape key. If it's not certain
which number input field previously had the cursor, a click and press of
the Escape key in each of the most likely ones should do the trick.

Pressing the Escape key is a way to cancel the current operation so
it will not cause a change to the object whereas pressing the Enter
key might (for example, in the delta move x or delta move y fields).

Note that the lock up does not happen if the next operation is pressing
on one of the editor's tool buttons or opening one of the editor's menus.
Only if the next operation is a mouse press in the drawing area or
one of the other Altia windows.

Sorry about the frustration. Now that we can reproduce it, we'll be
able to fix it for an upcoming release (probably in the February
timeframe).

_________________
Tom Walton
Altia, Inc.

For others who might read this (it sounds like Nathan already picked this up), I just wanted to emphasize that it is just text entry in the Altia Editor that stops working. You can still save your design using File > Save so you don't lose any work.

The first reaction of many users is to assume things have gone so far south that they have to kill the process or do some other type of drastic abort.

Awesome, thanks for the reply. I'll try that next time it happens. : -)

Nathan

This problem has been isolated and fixed. There is a downloadable release, Altia Design 8.06 DeepScreen 5.0 MR9, containing the fix. Please contact support@altia.com for download instructions if desired.

A new release, Altia Design 8.07 DeepScreen 5.0, is currently under development for full distribution to all customers anticipated by 2008 year end. This release (which also has the fix) will get delivered on CD to all customers with active software support/maintenance. In the interim, the 8.06 MR9 release can be requested, downloaded, and installed to fix the problem.

_________________
Tom Walton
Altia, Inc.