V4 nbsp;- upside down text

YouTube · Post by **Jane** » 30 Apr 2009 15:33

Thank Mike, Or run in 16 bit screen res for now. This is an odd one as it only seems to effect a small percentage of users. I am sure Calico will crack it.

JosefVissarionovich · Post by **JosefVissarionovich** » 30 Apr 2009 16:32

Hello all. I'm new to this site and this my first post. I've been using Version 3 for about three years now and have been extremely happy with it, but I wanted an excuse to say something about Version 4. Unfortunately, all I can contribute to this discussion is the fact that this exact same issue about 16-bit and 32-bit colour is also responsible for turning iTunes pink instead of grey. Don't suppose that helps much, though ! For what it's worth, my only real complaint about Version 3 was the fact that you couldn't re-size or customise the Property Dialog (I really don't like that spidery MS Sans Serif font). Now I have it looking exactly how I want, with all the same functionality I had before. I have just over 800 people in my tree and about 200 or so images, and I haven't come across any problems at all (touch wood). My wife does have the upside down text problem, but I'm going to change the colour setting shortly to see if it sorts it. Thank you all for the advice, and what an excellent website this is !

janefrances · Post by **janefrances** » 30 Apr 2009 19:04

It worked for me too. Changed my settings from 32 to 16 bit colours and everything is now the right way up.[smile]

Thanks
Jane

pollitt1 · Post by **pollitt1** » 30 Apr 2009 20:41

I have just received my new Version 4.

My text was upside down.

Thanks to all who tried to combat this problem.

I changed to 16bit - and all is fine.

I am really pleased with the new format.

It is a 100 times better than version 3.

Once again thanks to all who solved this mystery.

Regards

Trevor

heathermary · Post by **heathermary** » 30 Apr 2009 21:56

At first I couldn't install the upgrade then when the fix was in place I could - but then my place names were all upside-down. Simon told me about the resolution and colour quality changes that could help but I don't like fiddling with my computer so to start with I decided to use a restore point and go back to version 3. Also, yesterday I had downloaded Microsoft's update to Internet Explorer 8, which I don't like, so I thought the restoration would sort that out too. Not so. FH went back to version 3 ok but IE had lost its toolbars and name and favourites..... The upshot was that I undid the restoration and have to get on with IE8 whether I like it or not - and the strange thing was that in FH version 4 my text was ok. Great, I thought, until this evening when it went upside-down again. I have now changed the colour to 16 bit and (fingers crossed) it is the right way up again. Can anyone please tell me what this change to the colour will do to everything else on my computer? I think Simon may well come up with a solution and presumably then we'll be able to go back to 32 bit? I thought I was computer literate but this stuff makes me panicky and I wish I hadn't bought the upgrade. Heather.

YouTube · Post by **Jane** » 30 Apr 2009 22:14

Heather, I am sure there will be a fix. This problem seems to be a combination of Graphics card drivers and Microsoft DLLs having a fight, I am sure a solution is possible so for now just use 16 bit colour, as long as you are not doing high end photographic processing it won't make much difference as a temporary fix.

And if you do need to do photographic work, just turn the colours back up and then back down for FH.

mikepimley · Post by **mikepimley** » 01 May 2009 11:18

Actually, you might not even have to swap to 16 bit colour. Just find something else to do for a few minutes! Yesterday evening I minimised my FH4, complete with upside-down text, and restored (from the taskbar) something else I was running. I can't remember what, but it was probably an Internet Explorer page, or maybe Picasa (a second-to-none freebie photo-managing program from Google). Anyway, after a while my wife came in, and I said to her, 'Hey, come and look at this funny upside down text on Family Historian'. I restored FH4, and to my surprise the text was now the right way up. I think someone else, earlier in this conversation thread, has pointed the finger of suspicion at some sort of weird interaction between FH4 and Internet Explorer. Anyway, I hope this snippet will add to the circumstantial knowledge base for this entertaining problem.

lancashiredave · Post by **lancashiredave** » 01 May 2009 14:13

Just to add more info for the programmers
I Had a similar experience to Mike.
I had upside down text one evening and the next day it was Ok.
I cant remember what difference there was between applications on the two days.
Now today its upside down again, but if Ichange to 16 bit cures the problem.
Back 32 bit consistantly upside down.

Dave

lancashiredave · Post by **lancashiredave** » 01 May 2009 14:15

Sorry forgot to add, I use firefox not IE, so the prolem isnt confined to IE.

Dave

peter5643 · Post by **peter5643** » 07 May 2009 13:34

I had this problem as well. Using XP and the 30 day trial V4 FH loaded on top of V3 already on machine. I can't give the exact circumstance when it first appeared but I could not get rid of it. I logged out and in again to investigate and couldn't see it again ???

I will let you know if it happens again.

fairfax · Post by **fairfax** » 09 May 2009 13:38

I have just noticed after posting my problem that you have experienced one exactly the same.i.e. upside down text in the property box.
If I double click on my Gedcom file direct the view in the property box is correct (right way up) and remains correct for my complete session.
Might work for you also.

brackendel · Post by **brackendel** » 10 May 2009 13:41

I also have this problem - the text isn't just upside down, it's also mirror image! I took a screen dump to send to Calico Pie and when I switched back, it seemed to have fixed itself. Very peculiar.[confused]

Jo · Post by Jo » 10 May 2009 16:54

I too upgraded from full V3 to V4 trial (Windows XP, IE explorer 8) and got the upside down occupations & places when clicking on the desktop icon to open FH, but when I open a gedcom from the gedcom file, it's fine.

Jo

goodwin2 · Post by **goodwin2** » 11 May 2009 04:56

Have quite a few posts here on installing full FH v.4. A major transition re types not converting from another software package has been addressed by Jane though I can't take her up on it right now.

The upside down text did not apply to me - UNTIL TODAY! I think this now merits a big GRRR. All I did was add a picture to a diagram - incidentally saying NO to the save it in a project folder - and suddenly I had the upside down text problem. Thankfully, had read all the posts here, changed to 16 bit color and the text is now OK.

Does anyone want to put money on how soon we will see Version 4.1?

heathermary · Post by **heathermary** » 11 May 2009 19:08

I agree the text was mirror image rather than upside down. Any news on when there will be a fix? 16 bit colour is ok for looking on screen but I print quite a lot of photos and it is a nuisance having to keep changing to 32 bit and back again.
Heather[frown]

YouTube · Post by **Jane** » 11 May 2009 19:36

It's being worked on, but I don't have any time scales from Calico at the moment.

goodwin2 · Post by **goodwin2** » 12 May 2009 04:05

Think I have an answer to MY particular 'upside down' happening.

I have Windows XP Home Edition, v. 2002, Service Pack 2. When I add pictures, apparently Windows automatically goes back to 32 bit color. Had just added a number of pictures - then saw I had the upside down text again. When I checked my settings, I found that it was back to 32 bit. Changed it to 16 bit and the text is now OK.

Haven't recently read ALL the posts on this issue so maybe someone else has already come up with this particular set of circumstances.

Sorry it's only one of the ???? many possible configurations of Windows. Hope there is an easy way to fix the problem for good. The 16 bit at the moment is not a problem for me but don't want to have to keep going back and forth for very long.

peter5643 · Post by **peter5643** » 12 May 2009 10:18

Is this problem confined to XP or has anybody had this problem using Vista?

I am looking at evaluating FH V4 on Vista Home Premium 64 bit and would be interested if anyone has had the problem on Vista. Reading the tread it appears that only XP is affected.

YouTube · Post by **Jane** » 12 May 2009 10:33

Peter, as far as I am aware this problem effects a small minority of XP systems and seems to be tied to graphics drivers.

Vista uses a completely different driver model does not seem to be effected.

I use FH on Vista X64

Post by **SimonOrde** » 12 May 2009 13:57

We have now put together a minor upgrade (to 4.0.1) which should fix the problem of the upside down text, but we would like as many people as possible who had that problem to confirm that it does indeed fix the problem, before we make it generally available.

If you would like to give it a go, the upgrade is at http://www.family-historian.co.uk/downloads/latest (or it is at time of writing - we may move it shortly to the main downloads page). After the upgrade, those of you who set colour quality to 16-bit should be able to set it back to 32 bit, and the text in the Property Box should no longer turn upside down. If the problem only happened in particular circumstances, please try to replicate those circumstances to confirm that, whatever you do, the text no longer turns upside down.

I would be grateful if everyone who tries it could post back to this thread to confirm that the problem is indeed now fixed (or not). Many thanks.

peter5643 · Post by **peter5643** » 12 May 2009 15:54

Thanks for your comments Jane. I have just purchased an FH V4 upgrade and loaded on my Vista x64 machine. No problems with loading and it is running fine.[smile]

belmore · Post by **belmore** » 12 May 2009 17:49

I have just tried the update and can confirm that it does appear to have fixed the problem, The text now displays correctly in both 16 and 32 bit colour. Thank you

bagpuddycat · Post by **bagpuddycat** » 12 May 2009 19:27

I'm running XP and I've just downloaded and installed the v4 upgrade and have this problem - it was the first thing I noticed once I'd finished playing with the rather fabulous new interface.

I'm just downloading the fix now, so will report back shortly on whether it's sorted the problem.

bagpuddycat · Post by **bagpuddycat** » 12 May 2009 19:29

And lo and behold, it's fixed!

Thanks Calico Pie

GrumbleDiddley · Post by **GrumbleDiddley** » 12 May 2009 19:33

Thanks Jane - two clicks - job done. Inverted/mirror image scripts now the right way round. [cool]

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