Hi all
2.23.0 is the first VStar release since June 2022.
Windows (an installer in particular), *nix, and Mac OS distributions are available here:
https://github.com/AAVSO/VStar/releases/tag/2.23.0
That page links to the Change Log and complete list of changes (git commits).
There are more than 40 bug fixes and improvements.
Max (Maksym Pyatnytskyy) and I continue to work on this together and as always, I appreciate his support. Thanks to Bert Pablo for persevering with the plugin installation on the AAVSO server. We're trying to streamline the release process further.
There is currently a problem with the MacOS X .dmg file reported by two people. See https://www.aavso.org/vstar-not-working re: the problem and for a workaround until I can solve the problem. If anyone else is seeing an error when starting the VStar app after opening the vstar-mac-2.23.0.dmg file, please add a comment here. Conversely, if you have downloaded the Mac .dmg file and had no problems, I want to know that too, along with your Mac OX version.
David
Hi all
Further to my comment above, if you have had trouble with vstar-mac-2.23.0.dmg, please try again now.
As before, download it from https://github.com/AAVSO/VStar/releases/tag/2.23.0 and open the vstar-mac-2.23.0.dmg file.
On the first run after download (despite having signed the application with my Apple Developer ID) you may need to open
VStarwith ctrl-click (hold thecontrolkey down then click the trackpad/mouse). You will be presented with a dialog that says:Select the
Openbutton in this dialog and VStar will start. The next time you startVStar, simply double-clicking to open should be all that's needed.I've updated the wiki Mac installation section accordingly.
I will work on making this a smoother experience in the future.
Please let me know if you have any further problems with this!
Thanks.
David
I'm bringing up a new computer and having some trouble getting the new VStar to run. Here's what happens when invoking VStar.sh:
tcalderw@banshee:~/Downloads/vstar$ sh -x VStar.sh
+ dirname VStar.sh
+ APP_DIR=.
+ uname -a
+ grep _64
+ VER=Linux banshee 6.2.0-36-generic #37~22.04.1-Ubuntu SMP PREEMPT_DYNAMIC Mon Oct 9 15:34:04 UTC 2 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux
+ [ Linux banshee 6.2.0-36-generic #37~22.04.1-Ubuntu SMP PREEMPT_DYNAMIC Mon Oct 9 15:34:04 UTC 2 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux != ]
+ echo
+ grep darwin
+ [ != ]
+ cat /proc/meminfo
+ head
+ awk /MemTotal:/{print $2}
+ perl -e print int(16106632 / 1024/1024/2);
+ HALF_MEM=7
+ [ 7 == ]
VStar.sh: 20: [: 7: unexpected operator
+ [ 7 == 0 ]
VStar.sh: 26: [: 7: unexpected operator
+ MAX_MEM=7g
+ java -splash:./extlib/vstaricon.png -Xms800m -Xmx7g -jar ./dist/vstar.jar
After this, there is a pause and I get a new prompt - no VStar startup
My Java is as follows:
tcalderw@banshee:~/Downloads/vstar$ java --version
openjdk 19.0.2 2023-01-17
OpenJDK Runtime Environment (build 19.0.2+7-Ubuntu-0ubuntu322.04)
OpenJDK 64-Bit Server VM (build 19.0.2+7-Ubuntu-0ubuntu322.04, mixed mode, sharing)
Hi Tom
This one seems to have slipped through the cracks. Apologies.
I'm starting to look at this.
I notice the operator errors on lines 20 and 26. That suggests a shell issue to me.
Could you try/reply to a few things for me?
ls -l /bin/shls -l /bin/bashAlso, I found a new error while looking at this one: https://github.com/AAVSO/VStar/issues/386
David
tcalderw@banshee:~/PEP/tools$ which bash
/usr/bin/bash
tcalderw@banshee:~/PEP/tools$ ls -l /bin/sh
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 4 Nov 4 15:30 /bin/sh -> dash
tcalderw@banshee:~/PEP/tools$ ls -l /bin/bash
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 1396520 Jan 6 2022 /bin/bash
tcalderw@banshee:~/PEP/tools$ bash -x ~/Downloads/vstar/VStar.sh
++ dirname /home/tcalderw/Downloads/vstar/VStar.sh
+ APP_DIR=/home/tcalderw/Downloads/vstar
++ uname -a
++ grep _64
+ VER='Linux banshee 6.2.0-37-generic #38~22.04.1-Ubuntu SMP PREEMPT_DYNAMIC Thu Nov 2 18:01:13 UTC 2 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux'
+ '[' 'Linux banshee 6.2.0-37-generic #38~22.04.1-Ubuntu SMP PREEMPT_DYNAMIC Thu Nov 2 18:01:13 UTC 2 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux' '!=' '' ']'
++ echo linux-gnu
++ grep darwin
+ '[' '' '!=' '' ']'
+++ cat /proc/meminfo
+++ head
+++ awk '/MemTotal:/{print $2}'
++ perl -e 'print int(16106632 / 1024/1024/2);'
+ HALF_MEM=7
+ '[' 7 == '' ']'
+ '[' 7 == 0 ']'
+ MAX_MEM=7g
+ java -splash:/home/tcalderw/Downloads/vstar/extlib/vstaricon.png -Xms800m -Xmx7g -jar /home/tcalderw/Downloads/vstar/dist/vstar.jar
(I note that no VStar window appeared and I got a new shell prompt)
tcalderw@banshee:~/PEP/tools$ cat /proc/meminfo | head | awk '/MemTotal:/{print $2}'
16106632
Thanks Tom. I'll get back ASAP.
David
Hi Tom
I've reproduced the output you see with sh -x and bash -x on a Raspberry Pi4 with JDK 17. The operator error is due to sh being a symlink to dash which has different operator rules. In any case, the bash interpreter is what we want. That turns out to be a distraction however.
However, it runs VStar in both cases.
Can you please try this:
java -verbose -splash:/home/tcalderw/Downloads/vstar/extlib/vstaricon.png -Xms800m -Xmx7g -jar /home/tcalderw/Downloads/vstar/dist/vstar.jar
(i.e. add the -verbose option) and paste the output in a response?
Also, before that, can you modify -Xmx to a smaller value:
java -splash:/home/tcalderw/Downloads/vstar/extlib/vstaricon.png -Xms800m -Xmx3g -jar /home/tcalderw/Downloads/vstar/dist/vstar.jar
Thanks.
David
The "smaller value" test produced no output and no VStar window.
The verbose output is so long that I will mail it to you in a file.
Tom
Hi Tom
I'm exploring verbose output from version 17 and 19 (Java) and also running unit tests with version 19 to see whether it breaks.
David
VStar unit tests and plugin tests are passing under Java 19 (added to GitHub Actions workflow on the issue's branch):
https://github.com/AAVSO/VStar/actions/runs/7223349544
https://github.com/AAVSO/VStar/actions/runs/7223349543
That doesn't mean code that isn't covered by tests isn't the culprit under 19 of course.
The verbose output I see from OpenJDK 17 is the same as the output you emailed to me.
I'm still trying to think through this, but are you able to try a different Java distribution (Oracle, Corretto - an Amazon supported OpenJDK build) or a different version of OpenJDK, specifically 17 since that works on a Raspberry Pi4 I have here?
David
So I " apt removed" Java19, although that did not seem to actually remove all traces of that release. Installs note below received a warning: update-binfmts: warning: current package is openjdk-17, but binary format already installed by openjdk-19
I then "apt installed" openjdk-17-jre-headless, but that left me with a missing shared object: libawt_xawt
I removed 17 headless and installed openjdk-17-jre. With this release VStar will now come up, though with two complaints:
1) libpng warning: iCCP: known incorrect sRGB profile
2) Gtk-Message: 13:43:55.068: Failed to load module "canberra-gtk-module"
The first of these were appearing on my old computer.
Hi Tom
Okay, good to know VStar is running at least.
As you say, the libpng problem is known and I captured it as an issue awhile ago:
https://github.com/AAVSO/VStar/issues/304
The second is new to me. It appears to be a sound-playback related error, and can be resolved via apt get as per:
https://www.tecmint.com/failed-to-load-module-canberra-gtk-module/
David
Hi Tom
Max has managed to get VStar running under Java 19 on Ubuntu.
See https://github.com/AAVSO/VStar/issues/387#issuecomment-1868538838
I have yet to look closely at the difference between your output and Max's.
David