Bozteck VNCScan Community

First, let me say that, when I found VNCScan during Google it looked like a great tool.  I checked the web site and it further looked promising.  Lastly, since the web site indicates it "Works with Windows Vista", I was even more encouraged.

I read the tips for Vista users.   I strongly disagree with the UAC statement.  UAC works fine and it hardly instrusive after a machine has be configured and "personlized" for a given user.

I downloaded the trial and installed it on my Vista x86 machine.  It ran great.  I did not have to do anything special for the x86 Vista install.  The features it offers are just what I was looking for so I purchased an administrator license.

Then came the problem.  I am transitioning to Vista x64 so I installed VNCScan on that system.  I received the authorization codes and entered them.  As noted in other forum posts, the VNCScan console UI runs fine.  However, when I tried to create a new managed group, VNCScan crashed.

I am sorely disappointed with this turn of events.  So far, out of all the application and driver installs, I have had only two failures....VNCScan and WinDVD9.

Below is the debug text that was generated by the crash.  Hopefully this can be resolved quickly.  Vista x64 runs so much better that x86.

<debug info below>

See the end of this message for details on invoking

just-in-time (JIT) debugging instead of this dialog box.

 

************** Exception Text **************

System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.

   at AddHandler.CDbl.AddHandler.AndAlso(String , String , String )

   at AddHandler.CDbl.AddHandler.AddHandler(String , String , String )

   at Ansi.AddHandler.AndAlso(String , String , String )

   at Ansi.AddHandler.Alias(String , String )

   at AddHandler.Error.Overloads1()

   at System.Windows.Forms.Control.OnClick(EventArgs e)

   at System.Windows.Forms.Button.OnMouseUp(MouseEventArgs mevent)

   at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WmMouseUp(Message& m, MouseButtons button, Int32 clicks)

   at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WndProc(Message& m)

   at System.Windows.Forms.ButtonBase.WndProc(Message& m)

   at System.Windows.Forms.Button.WndProc(Message& m)

   at System.Windows.Forms.Control.ControlNativeWindow.WndProc(Message& m)

   at System.Windows.Forms.NativeWindow.Callback(IntPtr hWnd, Int32 msg, IntPtr wparam, IntPtr lparam)

 

 -Trimmed-

 

Hi Ron,

  The UAC on windows Vista was poorly implemented.  Unlike other platforms that elevate your UID to perform administrative functions, Vista hands the process off to another UID session that does not have all of the resources that your personal UID has such as mapped drives or authenticated network shares.  I understand and sympathize that you disagree with the statement and I welcome any feedback that you can provide that makes it easy for UAC to work well with network shares and the various other headaches that it creates.

The Vista x64 bug in VENM is a particularly pesky one and your error dump has given me some clue as to the cause.  It looks like one of the components have been compiled for x86 and needs to be tracked down and recompiled for x64.

I hope to have this done in the next maintenance release.

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Thank you,

Steve Bostedor

If you'd like, I'd be happy to beta test the recompiled version(s) before actual release.

I like the software and anxious await the resolution.

Oh man, if the next release fixes the Vista x64 issue I will be in a world of bliss.

Put me in the list of beta testers if you need some help Steve.

Steve,

Any target date for the next maintenance release with hopefully this fix?

For the time being I'm running VNCScan in a virtual machine but I'd prefer to run it directly on my Vista x64 host machine.

Thanks.

Ron....

Good News!  I have resolved the x64 bug today.  I am packaging up a test release. I'll post it here shortly...

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Thank you,

Steve Bostedor

You can download the version 2008.5.22 from here and that should solve this problem.

Notice that we've switched to a more reliable setup builder so you'll need to manually uninstall your old version before installing this one for maximum stability. 

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Thank you,

Steve Bostedor

So far so good here.

I loaded the new version yesterday and I can change preferences/support files locations, and add/change devices, etc...

Still getting this problem (http://talk.vncscan.com/forums/thread/2460.aspx) though.

I tried to deploy to a new PC and then teh workstations group disapeared and the workstations.xml file was 0 bytes.
I restored it to a previous version and all was fine again, but this happens at least 2-3 times a week.

Yes x64 is working better now.

My restore gave me all groups but only gave me half of my workstations. Second restore erased everything. Reboot, restore, close app, open app, and all were back.

I'm noticing XML files are showing up in both Program Files and Program Files (x86) after the restore and when adding new workstations.

I also can't deploy VNC to a new workstation.

Version 2008.5.22 is working on Vista x64.

Now, it's time to fix the UAC issue instead of saying that UAC is bad and recommending it be turned off.  It is wrong to suggest such a thing.  UAC works fine and rarely occurs on my machine now that final configuration and tweaking are complete.  Windows Vista and UAC are not going anywhere anytime soon.  If other small application vendors and even freeware creators can make their apps work with UAC, so should VNCScan be able to be made to work with UAC.

I understand your passion for UAC in Vista.  What problem are you having with VNCScan that will not work with UAC turned on?  I'll help you through them.  If there's a possible solution, we'll find it.

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Thank you,

Steve Bostedor

Well, it's not a passion for UAC, just that, I believe that UAC is not as bad as it is portrayed.

As far as the issue with VNCScan on Vista (x64 in my case), vncscan.exe will not start without getting the UAC prompt.  I have tried all manner of the Vista compatibility settings and I have not yet found any that do not cause the UAC prompt when vncscan.exe tries to start.

Given that VNCScan now runs on x64 without crashing (which is great I might add...thanks), having to live with the UAC prompt is nothing more than a minor inconvenience.  However, I'd still like to see VNCScan be able to start without getting the prompt.

 

Ron....

Strange
My UAC is enabled and I never get a prompt when running vncscan.exe in Vista x64.

I haven't seen that, either.  It's possible that the compatibility option to always run as Administrator is checked.  You can check this by right-clicking on vncscan.exe and choosing properties.

Really, the only thing that I know of where UAC becomes a problem with VNCScan is if you are storing your data on a network share.  If anyone else sees a problem where UAC is getting in their way, please let me know. 

I'll edit that recommendation on the website if I don't get any more reports.  It was put up there when Vista was new and there were a lot of issues that UAC was causing.  I think they are mostly a thing of the past, though.

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Thank you,

Steve Bostedor