OpenCPN crashes constantly

[bdbcat]

Doentje...


I have spent some time working with the older Prolific device/driver on Win 10., using the OCPN 5.0.0 code base. Adopting some of the techniques that we used on OCPN4.8.x, I am able to run this device now, without immediate crashing. That is good.


What is clear is that the driver has some internal logic errors, probably a buffer overrun. When that fault is triggered (by what, we don't know), the entire system crashes. So it is very fragile in handling. It barely works, and only when accessed by a specific set of API commands, in a specific order. For reference, I found that the Microsoft code samples provided to test serial port access cause a crash as well, when used as directed. So the driver is "broken"...



Anyway, here is a test article.
I would appreciate it, if you have the time, if you could run this through your battery of tests as before. That could help to give us a bit more confidence in the solution devised.


http://download.opencpn.org/5.0.0/opencpn_5.0.20301_setup.exe


Thanks
Dave

[CarCode]

Some of your conclusions are correct others are wrong.
Do you really think a company is able to sell millions of devices which crashes without any problem?
Simply revert the changes in the serial code of version 5.0 back to version 4.8.8 and everything is OK.

[Doentje]

Dear Dave,

after testing OCPN 5.0.20301 for 5 hours
on two computers running Win 10 pro 64bits
with old Prolific driver 3.3.2.102,
one PL-2303 HXD and one PL-2303 HX/HXA connected,
NMEA data coming from two old Garmin 126 and 152 simulating a trip
I have not seen any crashes nor other problems. Seems to be stable.

I will go on long term testing with more different adapters and also with new version Prolific drivers in parallel.
Thank you very much!



@CarCode: just try it, it seems to be as stable as OCPN 4.8 was.



Thanks, Doentje

[Doentje]

After some days of long term testing of all available Prolific adapters and parallel use of new type, old type and counterfeit chips I have not seen any problems at all, so this seems to be very stable.


Thank you Dave!


Doentje