Layout plays before files have downloaded

Sorry to drag up this old post, but I’m still struggling with this issue. This is with ref to my previous post on Launchpad “Question #257026]: “Navigation to the webpage was cancelled” when updating Powerpoint presentation”

Since pretty much giving up on this last year, my users have had to majorly cut back the resolution of photos etc in powerpoint files to keep the presentation size down. Doing this, and keeping the size to below around 10MB works fine.

However, I’ve just taken delivery of some new displays which are HD and the low quality content looks poor. I’ve upgraded my CMS and all client to the current (1.7.4) in the last few days, and I still have issues with large powerpoint files.

I no longer get the ‘navigation to webpage cancelled’ message, but if the presentation is larger than around 10MB the layout plays before the file has downloaded which results in a black area in my layout where powerpoint should be, and the powerpoint .exe file is not called. The download continues in the background until complete, even with very large files, and the xibo client does not crash but also never refreshes so the black area remains.

Can anyone help or suggest anything?

Thanks

Are these files definitely being uploaded through the Xibo CMS Web interface (ie not directly changing files in the CMS library?)

Hi Alex,

Thanks for the quick response. Yes they sure are.

Can you capture some audit logs showing the player doing that so we can see what’s happening then please?

You’ll need to enable auditing for that display in the CMS settings, then push a new PPT to it and wait for it to download, plus another 10 minutes or so to allow time for the log records to go back to the CMS.

Then go to the log in the CMS and filter logs for that display going back say 1 hour and copy/paste to a spreadsheet

Hi Alex,

For some reason the logs do not seem to be making it to my CMS. Nothing appears when I filter by the display in question, but I can see the display creating a local ‘log.xml_largenumber’ and periodically merging this with the log file I have specified in the display settings profile. I have a copy of that local log file covering the powerpoint change if that’s ok? The log file problem can be addressed another time if you can work with the local log? If so, how shall I get it to you?

Thanks

The local logs should be OK.

If you can redact them and pop them somewhere they can be downloaded please - Dropbox, Google Drive or similar.

Thanks Alex, log file is here:

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/11464961/log.txt

This shows a new powerpoint file of around 60MB being uploaded to the library, replacing an existing one, and using the checkbox ‘Update this media in all layouts it is assigned to?’ to update it in the currently running layout. This replicates how the system is used in production.

Thanks

The logs are fine but there’s all kinds of other media in there which makes
it really hard to read and understand.

Please can you collect them again with a simple layout containing just the
PowerPoint file and no other media items?

Sure, so this is a newly created blank layout containing just one region. In that region was the original large powerpoint file (actually 46MB now I’ve checked) and when applying the new layout to a display initially the powerpoint downloads (client holds splash screen) and then plays just fine. I made a change to the powerpoint file, re-uploaded to the library over the top of the original, and the same behaviour occured- just a blank area where the powerpoint should display. Download of file continued in the background until complete, but never displayed by client. This is the full log file but the very latest media change is the one in question, around 8:06am

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/11464961/log.txt

Thanks

Hi Andy,

How do you feel about trying to save your power point presentation as video and then using the video module in Xibo?(that’s what we recommend)

Even if you would not like it, you may try it to see if there will be the same issue with downloading it like with the PowerPoint module.

Have a look here - PowerPoint module

Hi Peter,

Thanks for the suggestion. I’ve visited this method before, and unfortunately I can;t use it. My clients are very low spec, and have only 3.5GB of drive space available for the OS install, extras like powerpoint, vlc etc and xbo plus the library. It’s tight at the best of times! Saving a ~45MB powerpoint file as a video results in a ~250MB video file, which I just can’t handle.

Thanks

Hi Andy

If you can leave that log accessible I’ll ask Dan to take a look when he has time. It’s not likely to be in the next few days though as he’s extremely busy.

Alex

Sure, thanks for your time!

Hi Dan,

Were you able to take a look at log file for me? I’m really keen to get this working properly.

Thanks

Any update will be posted to the linked bug report. As far as I’m aware this hasn’t been looked at yet. Only a very small proportion of the user base still use PowerPoint so I’m afraid at the moment there are other things that take priority. As soon as there is time available to look at this we will.

@AndyC - i’ve taken a look at the bug and believe i have a fix available for you to try. I will PM you a link to an EXE that you can use to replace your current EXE.

Thanks for this Dan. I’ve replaced the .exe on a test client, but I’m afraid I still just get a blank area where the power point should be displayed. The file continues to download until complete if I watch the client’s local library folder, but it is never actually displayed by the client. If I close and reopen the client, the downloaded file then plays.
Thanks

Would it be possible to grab the schedule.xml file from the player library? Just after doing the test. Can you also mention the name of the file that is being downloaded during the test - i.e. 1234.ppt ?

Sure, how shall I get the file to you? File name was 2591.ppt

Thanks

You can paste the contents in here inside a code block if that is easy for you?