SKY crashes

[Rudy Leon]

Hi all. I may be the only one working today, but I have got to get these last 12 pages indexed! And SKY8 is being exceedingly uncooperative.

My issues with SKY usually are glitches, where I am unable to type anything into a box. Today, SKY has begun closing without warning, and often reopening without the last one or two entries. Yes, often. SKY has crashed several times.

I indexed yesterday, no issues. I did not shut down or thus reboot my computer overnight, so no updates from the evil overlords have installed on my PC while I slept. Nothing has changed between yesterday and today. Except that today, SKY closes frequently. Always immediately following my use of a macro, but not every use of a macro (not by a long shot!). But always immediately following a keyboard shortcut. 

Thoughts? Solutions? Past experiences? Commiseration?

Thank you,

Rudy Leon

Scholarly Editor, Publication Coach, Indexer, and Faculty Development Professional

http://rudyleon.com

Book a meeting with me

[Jochen Fassbender]

Hi Rudy,

Sounds as if you should better not use the macro(s) in question anymore.

As for the missing one or two entries when reopening your file, it could
theoretically only be the last one if you didn't save the new record by
leaving it (e.g. by moving up or down).

These are my 2 cents for today.

Good luck in finishing your index.

Jochen

Am 28.12.2024 um 19:54 schrieb Rudy Leon:
> Hi all. I may be the only one working today, but I have got to get these
> last 12 pages indexed! And SKY8 is being exceedingly uncooperative.
>
> My issues with SKY usually are glitches, where I am unable to type
> anything into a box. Today, SKY has begun closing without warning, and
> often reopening without the last one or two entries. Yes, often. SKY has

> crashed /*several */times.

>
> I indexed yesterday, no issues. I did not shut down or thus reboot my
> computer overnight, so no updates from the evil overlords have installed
> on my PC while I slept. Nothing has changed between yesterday and today.
> Except that today, SKY closes frequently. Always immediately following
> my use of a macro, but not every use of a macro (not by a long shot!).
> But always immediately following a keyboard shortcut.
>
> Thoughts? Solutions? Past experiences? Commiseration?
>

> *
> Thank you,
> *
> ****
> ****
> ********
> ***Rudy Leon*
> ************************************************Scholarly Editor,
> ****************************************************************************************************************Publication ****************************************************************************************************************Coach, Indexer, and Faculty Development Professional************************************************
> ********************************
> ********************************
> *http://rudyleon.com
> * <http://rudyleon.com>
> *Book a meeting with me <https://app.simplymeet.me/rudyleon/>*
> ********
> ****
> ******
> /
>
> /
> ***
> *
>
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[Deborah Patton]

In the rare times something like this happens to me, I reboot. A hard shutdown. When your machine starts over, I expect you'll be fine.

Actually, my usual sequence is

*close/reopen the index

And if that doesn't do it

*close the program and reopen it

And if that doesn't do it

*reboot

Deborah

I'll bet that macro will work fine then too, but tell us if it doesn't.

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[Rudy Leon]

Since SKY is essentially a bundle of macros, that’s not viable. 

[nicol...@hotmail.com]

I am new to Sky 8 and this got me today too. 

I think only when grouping to look at "too many locators" issues and ctrl+V to paste subheadings once I have decided what they should be split into.

I don't think I lost anything.

Exceedingly annoying.

[nicol...@hotmail.com]

I wonder if I am going to go too quickly for it when I do the pasting?

[Line by Line Indexing]

I also know how frustrating it can be when a computer program crashes repeatedly. You just want to get your work done and you're under pressure.  This is the last thing you should be dealing with when you have a deadline.

I've listed below somethings that I've learned to do over the years that keeps any crashes to a minimum:

Advice from my web developer who is a whiz at computers: "If you experiencing computer glitches, don't just restart your computer. Shut it down for ten minutes. Then restart."  According to her, using the restart option is not the same as shutting it down.

Also, consider "compacting" your index (under the file menu) every day. I know that it's not required, but I often have to convert SKY files to CINDEX, and if I don't compact the index first, not all the entries end up in the CINDEX file. I don't know why, but this never happens if the index was compacted first. I compact my index at least once every time I use it.

Here is another tip. If you are saving your file as a new file every day, or as an edited file, always do that within SKY, using the "Save as" function. I used to make a copy of the file in the folder that I save the files and that led to corrupted files occasionally. Once I started using "Save as" exclusively, this has not happened again.

A last bit of advice- buy the best computer you can afford. I run macros, a text expander, SKY, PDF Xchange, MS Word, and often have several tabs open on my internet browser. None of these programs are "heavy" but having them all open is a lot. If your computer isn't fast enough, I envision that some of the commands don't complete themselves (I'm sure that a computer expert has a more technical way to explain it.).  Both my laptop and desktop were so fast when I first got them, I had to add some delays to my macros (milliseconds), so that the macros could work properly!  But I don't get the glitches people are talking about with Sky 8, except for the occasional crash when I accidentally use a weird combination of keys.

Wait - I just realized, there is one way I consistently crashed SKY recently. I started using a new type of keyboard in August and I have realized that if I press ALT when I meant to press CTRL, and THEN take my finger off ALT and after releasing ALT press CTL, SKY will crash. I had to train myself NOT to do that. If I find myself clicking ALT instead of CTRL, then I need to click my mouse or do something like that before using CTRL again to avoid the crash. It took me a while to discover this combination of key presses created the crash. I'm not sure if it's specific to this keyboard, but maybe some kind of key press combination is causing crashes for other people.

I hope that some of this might help.

Michelle
Michelle Guiliano
📚  indexer | medicine & nursing | natural sciences | social sciences
🎧  podcaster | Freelance Indexer Exchange
💡 founder | Indexer Index—powered by indexers
 

[Siusan Moffat]

It irks me, the idea that we could be doing something "too quickly" to make a software crash! It seems so utterly ridiculous!

I have been having Sky crashing the past two weeks cutting and trying to paste and NOT be in groups. Previously, it was just once in a while in groups. Now it is much more common and in the regular view. I have not lost anything, thank goodness.

<grump>

Siusan

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-- 
Siusan Moffat,
Indexing Society of Canada member
http://about.me/siusanmoffat
absoluteindexing.com

she/her pronouns

I acknowledge that I live and work in the territory of 
the Anishinaabe, Haudenosaunee, Huron-Wendat,
and the Mississaugas of the Credit River, now home to many
Indigenous Peoples and newcomers from around the globe. I
recognize that decolonization must be an active and ongoing
process of reconciliation. Reconciliation is action beyond recognition.

[ju...@writeguru.com]

Yes, it crashes. I wish Kamm could make it as stable as Sky 7.

~Judi

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/skyindexusers/3ba29bbc-5879-4bd7-b6c8-0996116e55f6%40gmail.com.

[Line by Line Indexing]

I'm not sure if Siusan is referring to my comment about the macros working too quickly - if so, I'd like to be more clear. My macros weren't working correctly in SKY when I updated my computer because my computer was processing everything so quickly. It wasn't causing SKY to crash. It was a macro problem, not SKY. I added "pauses" at each macro step so the macro could finish each step prior to going on to the next one. The "pauses" don't cause any noticeable difference (i.e. I don't feel like the macro now takes too long) but they did function properly after that.

I'm wondering if some of the crashing issues in general is due to computers not being fast enough.  Would it be useful for us to make note in our emails about how much RAM our computers have and the processor to see if we can find a connection? Maybe someone with a good tech background weigh in on this? It's just a thought!

Personally, I have found Sky 8.0 to be quite stable except for some glitches that tend to be related to particular files or prior to instituting the changes I detailed above.

I hope this helps!

-Michelle

Michelle Guiliano
indexer | medicine & nursing | natural sciences | social sciences

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/skyindexusers/3ba29bbc-5879-4bd7-b6c8-0996116e55f6%40gmail.com.

[C Landeen]

I’ve used Sky 7 and 8 since 1998 with nary a problem. Never, nada, none. 

Stay well.

Cynthia Darling Landeen  

Professional bookindexer

Santa Fe, NM  

541.520.3321

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/skyindexusers/CALRn%2BCpi4GdTPYmpA0bkzBm%3DeYvh7dAbnJD3x%2BA37Wzy-woV3w%40mail.gmail.com.

[ju...@writeguru.com]

Cynthia,

I’m glad you’ve avoided the problems. Many of us haven’t—which is why the need for these discussions.

~Judi Gibbs

  Seattle, NM

 

 

From: skyind...@googlegroups.com <skyind...@googlegroups.com> On Behalf Of C Landeen
Sent: Thursday, January 23, 2025 3:00 PM
To: Line by Line Indexing <mich...@linebylineindexing.com>
Cc: SKYIndexUsers <skyind...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: [SKYIndexUsers] SKY crashes

 

I’ve used Sky 7 and 8 since 1998 with nary a problem. Never, nada, none. 

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/skyindexusers/CAPzvfYwEkASUm1j_15mVraZKrBotP5-kPsZbkf7a6%2B-wtAytmQ%40mail.gmail.com.

[ND]

Just wondering, for those having trouble with Sky crashing, is Sky the only program you have trouble with? 

Nigel

[in...@lookwithinindexing.com]

Thanks for your tips, Michelle!

Does what you suggest regarding Save As contradict what it says on p. 84 of the User's Guide?

Under "Bad Backup Habits" it says

"Backing up using the Save As command – The Save As command changes either the name
of the current index, the location, or both. After you use the Save As command, the current file is
now the one you ‘Saved As’ and not the original file you were working with. If you fail to re-open
the original, you’re almost guaranteed to become confused at some point when the file you think
you’ve been using doesn’t contain the last two or three days of work. Although there are
justifiable reasons for using the Save As command, backing up should not be one of them. The
Save As command is the single most likely way to cause backup confusion. Please don’t use it!

 Saving the index under two or more names – Although using different names for a backup
is an acceptable practice, saving the index you’re working on under different names as anything
other than a backup is not. It will likely lead to confusion at some point. If you need to flag a
certain point in time where you’ve made a big change to your index, do so with a backup, not
using Save As."

Under "Good Backup Habits" it says
"If you want to be sure to be able to find a particular version of an index later because
of a big change or other reason, do not use Save As – In a case like this, append a note to
the filename of a backup and keep the timestamp."

I didn't understand the information there, so I'm not sure how your information relates to it. Are you talking about the backup feature?

Thank you,

Mary

[ju...@writeguru.com]

I do not generally have trouble with anything crashing, including Sky—because I use Sky 7, which is very stable. I own Sky 8, but I went back to Sky 7 after encountering problems that only Kamm could fix.

 

~Judi

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/skyindexusers/3fab5543-f261-4a01-8aa8-eb494db8c42fn%40googlegroups.com.

[Line by Line Indexing]

Mary asked a very good question - does my suggestion to use Save As contradict what it says in the manual under "Bad Backup Habits"?

I hope the following helps clarify how I use "Save As."

By using the "Save as" option, I'm not trying to backup my files. I am creating a new file because I want to preserve the old file as-is and do more work to the new file for a specific reason such as editing.

Let's say I indexed the whole book, and now it's time to edit. I'll use the "save as" option to save the index as a new file named "Index Name_edit." In this way, I'm preserving "versions" of the index, but they are named according to what stage they're at. If for some reason, I made changes to a bunch of headings that I do not like, I can compare my changes to the pre-edit index (which does not have "_edit" at the end of the name).

I don't worry about opening the wrong file, but I can see how that might happen, especially if people use the option for Sky to automatically open the last opened file. I always open from my folders OR use the "open" command in SKY, then choose directly from the folder.

Another example would be if I'm indexing a book in two passes - one for names and the next for content. My first file would be named "Index Name_names." When I start the second pass, I would use the "Save as" option to create a new file named "Index Name_second pass." This way I would have a file of just names. There might be a reason why I need this in the future so I keep the file. Then I work on the new file "Index Name_second pass," and it will include all the names and the entries I made in the second pass.

I brought this up because I used to make a copy of the file directly in the folder where I store my files by using copy, then paste, then rename the file. That sometimes created issues. For some reason those files weren't as stable, and I sometimes ran into problems (I can't remember what they were at this point! But they were annoying enough that I looked at my processes to see if I should do something different. OR I might have mentioned it to Kamm and he told me that would create issues - I'm not sure which...). I thought this information might be useful to people who might also do the copy-paste method.  Use "save as" instead ;)

I hope this helps! Let me know if you have any more questions :)

[ju...@writeguru.com]

I do exactly the same thing as Michelle. I do Save as—usually at the end of each chapter. But if I’m sorting to pull out names, brands, etc. then I label it to indicate. I also label to indicate various stages of editing. If I need to go back for any reason, it is easier this way.

 

~Judi

 

 

 

From: skyind...@googlegroups.com <skyind...@googlegroups.com> On Behalf Of Line by Line Indexing
Sent: Friday, January 24, 2025 10:23 AM
Cc: SKYIndexUsers <skyind...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: [SKYIndexUsers] SKY crashes

 

Mary asked a very good question - does my suggestion to use Save As contradict what it says in the manual under "Bad Backup Habits"?

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[tone...@comcast.net]

This is how I use the Save As function as well. I find it is the best way to preserve a specific point in time in the indexing process. By the time I’m finished, I usually have a few (or sometimes several) where I label them by number, so “XYZ Index 01,” “XYZ Edit 01,” “XYZ Edit 02,” etc. I always have the last one (highest numbered one) at the end that I use to then relabel (Save As again) to send out to specific people (publisher, reviewers).

 

Tony

 

From: skyind...@googlegroups.com <skyind...@googlegroups.com> On Behalf Of Line by Line Indexing
Sent: Friday, January 24, 2025 11:23 AM
Cc: SKYIndexUsers <skyind...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: [SKYIndexUsers] SKY crashes

 

Mary asked a very good question - does my suggestion to use Save As contradict what it says in the manual under "Bad Backup Habits"?

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