PopPeeper ends for no apparent reason

[KikeKSI]

I've been testing PopPeeper's version 5 for a while in its various reviews, and there's no way. Randomly, it closes, for no apparent reason, and other times it goes well. It is as if it were a very unstable application. And I say this unstable, because I continue with my version 4 with the same accounts and configurations as with version 5, and yet it goes smoothly, with almost never having a problem. The last thing that happened to me with version 5, I attach it to this post. It goes without saying that, like version 4, I have it outside the antivirus range. And it's a shame not to be able to upgrade for these reasons, of an application, whose functionality is the best I think there is in the internet universe, and that also, in his last review, at least improved the size of the "data" folder, occupying significantly, less space than with version 4. Before, it required much more space. Anyway, what a lot of encouragement, and to continue improving the application, I repeat, for me, the best in your field.

[Jeff]

The data files for v5 and v4 are pretty much the same. But even before you mentioned that, my first inclination in crashes is that it can be a data corruption error, so what I would recommend is that you delete the databases. There are various ways to do this, but the best proven method is:

1) In POP Peeper, go to:
main menu: Tools / Options; select the storage page and double-click on the text "data path" which will open File Explorer

2) Exit POP Peeper (main menu: File / Exit)

3) in File Explorer from step #1, do a search for data.db

4) Delete all instances of data.db (there should be one for each of your accounts)

5) Restart POP Peeper

You'll notice that there are no messages when POP Peeper restarts but they will be re-synced on the next mail check.

If the problem persists after deleting the database files, email me (support at esumsoft dot com) and include any relevant information, such as:
- How often does it crash?
- What is currently happening when it crashes (e.g. is it in the background, are you reading messages, etc.)? Even if you haven't noticed a pattern, try to remember what was happening from now on.

[KikeKSI]

Jeff, we will test what you are telling me to see how it is, because today when the application started, it has broken again in the same way as yesterday. It is a curious fact, because once the application is finished, I start it again, and it works perfectly well, with the same data files. Very rare everything. Yes, I usually have the application started with the system and in the background. I want to insist on the fact that with version 4 I have never had a problem, ever. Regarding the issue of the size of the "data" folder, I was curious, and with the bases from 0, the occupation of each version is as follows, another curious fact:

- Version 4 - 358 Mb
- Version 5 - 400 Mb

And as an extra curiosity, what each application occupies in memory, in a waiting state:

- Version 4 - 611,000.00 Kb
- Version 5 - 610,000.00 Kb

And as a colophon, indicate that version 4 takes less time to verify emails than version 5, with a difference of several minutes.

I admit that I have many accounts and of all kinds (imap, gmail (with push)), but I want to insist on the fact that with version 4, 0 problems.

Thank you for your response and advice.

[Jeff]

Are you saying that when PPv5 crashes, it's always during the load process? And, if that's so, that it's always when PP starts with Windows? If that assumption is correct, does PPv5 crash *every* time at Windows startup? If not, can you give a rough estimate of how often (50%, 90%, etc.)?

I'd still recommend deleting the database files if you haven't already. There's a convenient term you may have heard of before called "undefined behavior" which just means that sometimes it might crash and sometimes it might not

Also, I wouldn't put too much speculation into the file sizes. For example, it's possible that your v4 files have done a compact more recently than the v5.


What specific version of v5 are you using? Make sure you're on v5.4.6. There was a bug in previous versions that could significantly impact the efficiency of the check mail process (among other issues, such as crashing).

[KikeKSI]

Jeff, good morning. Yes, the version I have installed is the last one, and I have to say that since I removed the database, at the moment it goes smoothly. I hope it continues like this in the next few days. Thank you!!

[Jeff]

Happy to hear it! And I hope it continues like that for the next few years

[KikeKSI]

Jeff, my joy in a well. It has only lasted three days. Today it has hit the bad part, and it has closed several times, even deleting the database, in a totally incomprehensible way.

[Jeff]

Ok, I have a few questions to narrow down what the problem may be:

- When exactly does the crash occur? ie. does the main window appear? If so, can you see if it's checking mail (in the status bar)?
- Approximately how many messages do you have stored in PP?
- How many accounts do you have?
- What Windows OS are you using?

[KikeKSI]

Jeff, this is crazy. Today I start the PC again, and the application works without problems. Weirder impossible. On other computers I have it installed with the same configuration, and at the moment they have not given any problem. They all have Windows 10, 44 accounts (imap and gmail), and a total of 69,000 messages right now. As for the crush, the program window does not appear, it is minimized, giving the feeling that it is reading emails from the server, but when I bring the mouse closer to the taskbar icon, it disappears.

[Jeff]

PP starts as minimized by default when it's run at startup, but shouldn't when you run it manually. So if you start it manually and it crashes, try to notice if the main window appeared. But we'll table that for now.

One thing that you might try doing is to reduce the number of messages. I don't know if that is a problem or not, but you have about twice as many messages as I do; the memory is probably the main concern in that case (as opposed to simply the number of messages) and 600MB doesn't seem that suspicious as a candidate (but for reference, Windows is reporting 166MB memory usage for my 39K messages).

Anyway, what I'd recommend is that you log into the webmail interface for 1+ of your accounts that has the most messages and move messages from the inbox into another folder that PP doesn't monitor. For Gmail, you can press the checkbox on the upper-left above the message list, then click the "select all messages..." link and then move them to another folder. If you want to keep some of the more recent messages in the inbox, go to that folder and you can move a page at a time back into the inbox (the default is 50[?], but you can change it to 100 in the settings/general, maximum page size). Keep in mind that this change won't change anything until it's actually able to check the account for mail and remove the non-existing messages -- but it might help to delete the account's DB for the ones that you culled (in fact, I'd probably recommend doing that, now that it should be old hat for you).

Keep me posted if that seems to help (and how many messages you went down to).

[KikeKSI]

Jeff, after a long time of testing and uses, I'm going to continue with version 4 for now. For whatever reason, it is much more stable than version 5, making all kinds of adjustments. In fact, it has never failed me, as it did before. We will continue to hope in future versions, but it gives me that they will never improve 4. Also, I don't see any differences at all between the two versions, for the use I give it, as to change. You know: if something works, don't touch it. Thanks for your directions and advice.

[Jeff]

We will continue to hope in future versions, but it gives me that they will never improve 4.

"They" is me. And to fix a problem I either have to (a) experience the problem myself or (b) have the cooperation of a user with the problem. If you're willing to troubleshoot, then please email me (support at esumsoft dot com).

lso, I don't see any differences at all between the two versions

https://www.esumsoft.com/pop-peeper/versionhistory/

A lot of major features are specific to Pro, but there are several that affect free users.

[KikeKSI]

Jeff, sorry if something has made you feel bad, I admire all your work, like that of so many other developers, but I really don't know what to do to help you, because they are so random errors..... And sorry again for insisting, but I have let these days go by on purpose to continue monitoring version 4, and you can believe it or not, but it has not failed once in all the devices that I have, therefore, understand my reluctance with the version 5. In the future I'll keep watching your work, and don't doubt that I'll get involved trying it again, but for now I'll stick with 4, which is undoubtedly more stable. Congratulations for your work.

[Jeff]

You didn't make me feel bad, I was just explaining to you that something can't be fixed if I can't duplicate the problem. And there is information that you can provide such as logs or perhaps noticing patterns or other things to help narrow down where the problem may be.

[KikeKSI]

I said it, Jeff. Since my last post, with version 4 and to date. All without a single problem. I will continue this way until the next updates of version 5. Thank you.