Missing layers - not a bug [solved]

tomasz · 6 Jan 2010, 18:58

Hi,
I am surprised that there is no bug report on this.
I am constantly loosing layers in SU. It has started in version 7.0.
I am not loosing a geometry, but some layers simply disappear.
They exist in a file for several 'sessions' and suddenly BANG!, few of them 'transfer' their geometry to layer0 and vanish (on opening a file).
I haven't discovered any particular pattern.

I always keep model well divided into groups, so it is not that hard to bring everything back no 'normal', but it is so irritating.
Anyone else experiencing same thing?

Tomasz

Gaieus · 6 Jan 2010, 19:01

Hi Tomasz,

I have never experienced anything like that - but haven't even heard of it (although this does not exclude the chance of course)

tomasz · 6 Jan 2010, 19:05

I keep all faces(gaometry) on layer0 and only top-most groups are assigned to different layers. Maybe this habit makes me vulnerable?

thomthom · 6 Jan 2010, 19:06

No - never experience that.

Could it be some plugin interfering?

Gaieus · 6 Jan 2010, 19:08

I do that myself (most of the times), Tomasz, so I doubt. In fact, this is the way generally suggested so quite many people may have a similar workflow.

tomasz · 6 Jan 2010, 19:16

@thomthom said:

Could it be some plugin interfering?

I doubt a plugin deletes a layer. It would be hard to trace anyway. It doesn't happen every save\open.
I would understand it if SU would loose say changes to a file & layers, but it looses only layers.
I have had a file once, that I was able to open after few trials with all layers intact, when realized that they have been missing on the first opening.

I will post a file, if it happens once again.

solo · 6 Jan 2010, 19:23

Happened to me before also, only with version 7.1, I noticed that if I named the layer it does not occur.

Chris Fullmer · 6 Jan 2010, 19:28

Any chance that you actually don't have anything on that layer, and then you purge-all to get rid of components and materials and styles, and it deletes the unused layers too?

Chris

thomthom · 6 Jan 2010, 19:34

@chris fullmer said:

Any chance that you actually don't have anything on that layer, and then you purge-all to get rid of components and materials and styles, and it deletes the unused layers too?

Chris

This would be my best bet as well.

tomasz · 6 Jan 2010, 20:04

@chris fullmer said:

Any chance that you actually don't have anything on that layer, and then you purge-all to get rid of components and materials and styles, and it deletes the unused layers too?

Chris

Lads, please! I am not THAT novice in therms of SU modelling

Chris Fullmer · 6 Jan 2010, 21:00

I'm not suggesting you would do it not knowing what "purge" means, but more like possibly purging not realizing that somehow all geometry had been moved off a few layers and so by purging, you were setting yourself up to unknowingly lose a few layers. Its happened to me.

I wonder if a script could be made that would write all layers names of a model into a separate text file. THen compare those names on opening and re-write them on closing. Then you could track if some were missing that had been there previously. Just a thought, but knowing what I do about ruby observers, I have a feeling it would be nearly impossible to automate.

Chris

thomthom · 6 Jan 2010, 21:28

Do you have a 100% reproducible example?

thomthom · 7 Jan 2010, 09:33

Can't reproduce.

@unknownuser said:

then minimizes the layer tab,

The Layer window is minimized?

That's odd. I've never seen that either.

Just for the sake of testing - rename your plugin folder temporarily and try the same. Just incase there is a rouge plugin loose.

tomasz · 7 Jan 2010, 09:33

@thomthom said:

Do you have a 100% reproducible example?

I do.
The file is saved in SU6 format (in SU6Free) and I have figured out what is going on.

If I open the file in SU7.1 Pro (having blank SU model space) through File\Open menu it opens just fine with all layers, BUT when I do open same file by double click, something strange happens with the layers menu. It shows all layers in tact, then minimizes the layer tab, standard message 'Opening older version' appears AND when I open the layers ALL of them are gone! Nothing on the list!

I have even managed to create a sample file.

Open the file by double click or with clean SU through File\Open

$When with blank SU & File\Open$

tomasz · 7 Jan 2010, 09:35

What happens on your machine when you double click the file? Do you get all layers?

thomthom · 7 Jan 2010, 09:35

hm... the more I think of it. rounds like a plugin doing something funky.

The reason you see this only when you double-click is that it loads the plugins at the same time it loads your file. So I really think one of your installed plugins is doing naughty things upon load. my guess would be to look for anyone that causes the layer window to minimize.

thomthom · 7 Jan 2010, 09:37

@unknownuser said:

What happens on your machine when you double click the file? Do you get all layers?

Yes. I never lost any layers. Only time was when I hit purge - but that only removed some of them. not all.

As mentioned in my previous post - I think it's a plugin messing with the model's entities at startup.

tomasz · 7 Jan 2010, 09:38

You are right. A plugin is messing with SU.
Without plugins it works just fine.
It must be a plugin that uses an Observer on startup, isn't it?

thomthom · 7 Jan 2010, 09:42

@unknownuser said:

It must be a plugin that uses an Observer on startup, isn't it?

Don't think so. It's not something that happens every time you open a model. Just when you start SU. So it's some sort of command that¨runs immediately as the plugin is loaded.

How many plugins you got installed?

tomasz · 7 Jan 2010, 09:53

No wonder, that only I have experienced this error.
Have copied a 'purge' snippet from somewhere and has forgotten about it. It was sitting in the midst of all other rubies.

Thank you!