Multiple instances of Alibre - Startup race condition.

[danwilley]

I just had another instance of having two Alibre's running at the same time. A week or so ago both Alibre's had the same part file open. I worked on the part, saved the part, and closed Alibre. The second Alibre was still open with the same part file. I closed Alibre #2 and the part did not ask to be saved so I didn't lose any of the work I had performed on the part by Alibre #1.

Today I had the double Alibre again and dug into it a bit more. I was able to get three instances of Alibre running at once, see screenshot. I did this by rapidly clicking the mouse button 3 or 4 times on the Alibre icon on my startup bar.

So whatever mechanism, Windows system semaphore or other, Alibre is using to control the number of active Alibre instances needs some work. There is a race condition that needs to be addressed. Normally only one Alibre instance is launched, but rapid button presses trigger this condition. This was probably the reason had the one part open by two Alibre's. BTW... I am running Windows with all of its current patches (as of 8/01/21).

 

[JST]

I've seen two, never three........ Yet.

 

[HaroldL]

I've had instances where I clicked on the Alibre icon in the Task Bar and within a second of the click I see the Alibre flash screen. Then sometimes I click on the Alibre icon and nothing seems to happen so I click it again and about 4-5 seconds later I see an Alibre flash screen and a few seconds later another Alibre flash screen. So the key for me is to just wait a bit for the flash screen and I won't get two instances of Alibre running. And be careful not to double-click.

 

[danwilley]

"And be careful not to double-click."

Yes, but unless multiple instances are allowed, Alibre's start-up code should guard against multiple instances of the program ever launching, regardless of the cause.

 

[simonb65]

Yes, but unless multiple instances are allowed, Alibre's start-up code should guard against multiple instances of the program ever launching, regardless of the cause.

+1

 

[HaroldL]

"And be careful not to double-click."

Yes, but unless multiple instances are allowed, Alibre's start-up code should guard against multiple instances of the program ever launching, regardless of the cause.

As a test I tried starting Excel and Affinity Photo from my task bar by double clicking and neither of them started two instances. Only Alibre started two instances when its icon was double clicked.

 

[bigseb]

Only Alibre started two instances when its icon was double clicked.

There have been many many times when I was waiting for Alibre to 'finish an operation' but wanted to carry on working. So I open a second instance. Helped me out many times that. Downside: memory drains super fast.