SYMPTOM:
Terminal(s) freeze during heavy
operational use in a multi-user environment. This rarely ever happens
when using a single terminal. Networked systems with a dedicated
server generally can recover from a lockup by simply re-booting the
one workstation affected rather than re-booting the whole system.
CAUSE:
The TICKNUM.DAT file is locked during a transaction then released for
use by other users on the network for subsequent transactions. If the
file fails to be unlocked after the transaction due to an error, the
system remains frozen.
SOLUTIONS:
1. Make certain that the Main
Menu of Box Office Pro is not being displayed on any
computer terminals connected to your network while your ticketing
stations are online. It is a known bug in Windows that causes a
depletion of Windows system resources as the terminal totals are
constantly being polled by the program. This phenomenon does not
occur in pure DOS systems and idling Box Office Pro on the Main Menu
while terminals are running is not recommended as it will typically
eat through Windows system resources in a matter of minutes causing
the computer to lock up. If the computer is also your Box Office Pro
server machine, the workstations are affected.
2. On Windows 9x systems, it is very important to re-boot each of your computers on a regular, convenient basis to restore memory depleted during the course of use. Normally, your workstations should be re-booted at the beginning of the day, after periods of heavy use and just prior to a busy walk-in period. The network server should also be rebooted once daily while the ticketing workstations are not online.
3. Ensure that your ticket printer(s) are stocked with paper before each busy period. If you should encounter a paper outage or jam in the middle of a transaction, the TICKNUM.DAT file remains locked until the problem is corrected and the remaining tickets are printed. This creates a period where the system appears frozen, albeit temporarily, while the printer cannot finish the print job.