Error opening zoom_plugin.out

[MergeThis]

I get this error message (inside a red background) at a certain PDF file while indexing HTM files and PDF files with the plug-in (and using DESC files). Indexing after initially opening Zoom gave me 4 other errors, but repeating the process afterwards resulted in only this 1 error.

Error: Could not open file: <Zoom Search Engine Indexer path>zoom_plugin.out

The PDF file doesn't seem corrupt; there are dozens of similar PDF files roughly the same size (100-130 KB), and it opens properly.

Any thoughts?

Leon

[wrensoft]

Might be an old bug or a Vista issue, what version of Zoom and the plug-in are you using on which O/S?

See also your previous post on the same issue (http://www.wrensoft.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2167) for possible solutions.

[MergeThis]

Zoom 5.1.1002, Windows XP SP2, Offline mode, Javascript output

I just ran it this morning, and it gave me one error again, but at a different .pdf file!

My limits tab reads:
Max. files to index: 4000
Max. unique words: 100000
Max. file size indexed: 2000 KB
Max. description length: 250
Optimization: Default

pdftotext.exe: 2/27/2007, 580 KB

[Ray]

That is a fairly old build (more than 6 months old) and the bug mentioned above has been fixed since then. Download the latest here:
http://www.wrensoft.com/zoom/whatsnew.html

[MergeThis]

Nice try, Ray. :)

I admit, I often ignore the update notices. So I updated to the latest of both 5.1 and the plugins. Still no joy, although today's error is on yet another, different file. Here's the complete indexlog.txt entry for that file:

==================================
01/17/08 07:57:40 - Error: Could not open file: C:\Documents and Settings\ldescoteaux\Local Settings\Application Data\Wrensoft\Zoom Search Engine Indexer\zoom_plugin.out
01/17/08 07:57:40 - Skipping \\Docsql01\documentation\RoboHelp\8.2\imsmerge\pro jects\compliance_ref\acct_cpltestsetuprpt_us_oh.pd f (Could not open or read from file)
01/17/08 07:57:40 - Skipping \\Docsql01\documentation\RoboHelp\8.2\imsmerge\pro jects\compliance_ref\acct_cpltestsetuprpt_us_oh.pd f.desc (Blocked by extensions list)
==================================

If it helps any, this file is #45 of a total 46 .pdf files with similar filenames. Here's the indexlog.txt entry for the successful #46 file that follows:

==================================
01/17/08 07:57:40 - Processing PDF file \\Docsql01\documentation\RoboHelp\8.2\imsmerge\pro jects\compliance_ref\acct_cpltestsetuprpt_us_wi.pd f
01/17/08 07:57:40 - Using .desc file found for \\Docsql01\documentation\RoboHelp\8.2\imsmerge\pro jects\compliance_ref\acct_cpltestsetuprpt_us_wi.pd f
01/17/08 07:57:40 - Indexing \\Docsql01\documentation\RoboHelp\8.2\imsmerge\pro jects\compliance_ref\acct_cpltestsetuprpt_us_wi.pd f
01/17/08 07:57:40 - Skipping \\Docsql01\documentation\RoboHelp\8.2\imsmerge\pro jects\compliance_ref\acct_cpltestsetuprpt_us_wi.pd f.desc (Blocked by extensions list)
==================================

[MergeThis]

More on this subject:

One of the .pdf files that supposedly got indexed, as shown in the indexlog.txt file snippet below, actually did not!

================================
01/17/08 07:57:12 - Processing PDF file \\Docsql01\documentation\RoboHelp\8.2\imsmerge\ims portal\82_release_notes.pdf
01/17/08 07:57:13 - Using .desc file found for \\Docsql01\documentation\RoboHelp\8.2\imsmerge\ims portal\82_release_notes.pdf
01/17/08 07:57:13 - Indexing \\Docsql01\documentation\RoboHelp\8.2\imsmerge\ims portal\82_release_notes.pdf
01/17/08 07:57:13 - Skipping \\Docsql01\documentation\RoboHelp\8.2\imsmerge\ims portal\82_release_notes.pdf.desc (Blocked by extensions list)
================================

Weird, huh?

[wrensoft]

Did you read the 2nd post in the old thread (http://www.wrensoft.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1942) that I referened above. Can you try removing the "Users" folder from the Indexing Options of Windows Indexing Service as suggested in that post.

[MergeThis]

XP SP2, Ray, not Vista...

[wrensoft]

Opps sorry. Didn't read that very well did I. Are you running Desktop search on XP. It is almost the same as the Vista search function. We'll have a to have a closer look on Monday.

I notice your log dumps have a space character in the "PD F" extension. e.g.
acct_cpltestsetuprpt_us_wi.pd f
Is this real or is it some artifact from posting in the forum?

[MergeThis]

Posting artifact...yeah, that's it!

Hmmm...sounds like something out of a white paper on archeology. :)

[Ray]

Did you manage to confirm/check if you are using Windows Desktop Search for XP (http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/desktopsearch/choose/windowsdesktopsearch.mspx)?

As mentioned, this is similar to the Vista built-in search functionality, and can cause the problem as described here (http://www.wrensoft.com/forum/showpost.php?p=7557&postcount=2).

Another potential cause that comes to mind is if you are running multiple indexer sessions at the same time (ie: you have multiple instances of the Indexer running simultaneously)

[MergeThis]

No, Ray, no WDS here (nothing under Control Panel, etc.), and I'm running only one Indexing run at a time.

And, of course, the run I just launched came up with errors on four .pdf files, two of them encountered on previous runs and two of them appearing for the first time. :confused:


Thx

[MergeThis]

ping (too short)

[wrensoft]

With the exception of the known cause on Vista (see above), this is not a problem other people are experiencing. So it is likely to be due to something special.

You are indexing across a local area network. And got an error, "Could not open or read from file". So maybe you are loosing your network connection for very short periods. As an experiment, try moving all the files to your local disk before indexing.

[Dex]

Hey Guys,
I have been experiencing the same issues (i.e. Random PDF's not being indexed).

First, I tried to slow down the spider throttling in the configuration settings, and more pdf's appeared to be indexed, but not all. This made me think about a timing issue? Could the application not be taking virus scanning into account? I temporarily turned off my virus scanner and the pdf's were then indexed.

Could it be that this application does not check and wait for files that could be locked/unlocked by your virus scanner?

Thx

[wrensoft]

Dex, can you confirm that the error message you had was, "..opening zoom_plugin.out" (there are other valid reasons for files not being indexed (http://www.wrensoft.com/zoom/support/faq_problems.html#spider_finding)) so best to check it is the same issue. Can you also confirm which O/S you are using, which version of Zoom you are using and which Antivirus product you are using.

[MergeThis]

Actually, Ray, it occurred to me also, over the weekend, to copy everything to my local machine to test that.

I'll be back!

[MergeThis]

It works fine on my local machine--all .pdf files were indexed.

Quel bummer! Another set of steps to complete before indexing. Yet another reason to hate the anti-virus product that IT foisted upon us last year!

Thx again for the great support for your great product.


Leon

[Dex]

Hello,

I just wanted to confirm that I was receiving the same error messages on random pdf files. I am using Windows XP, Zoom version 5.1 (Build 1011), and "Kapersky" Antivirus.

Once again, all the pdf's are indexed successfully ONLY when I pause my antivirus product.

Thanks,
Dex

[MergeThis]

What a coincidence that we also use the Kaspersky product (I think NOT!).

:)

Actually, I think you have to "introduce" Zoom to Kaspersky at each session. I have one PDF very near the start of the indexing process, which always gets the error message on the first shot. I immediately stop the process, and then restart it. No problems on the second pass, on that PDF or on the other three dozen!


Leon

[Ray]

Thanks for the update. We'll have a look at this Kaspersky Antivirus program, and see if it is interferring with Zoom, and what can be done about it.

[Dex]

Thanks Ray and Leon.... I'll keep checking the forum for updates.

[wrensoft]

In V6 of Zoom (http://www.wrensoft.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2527) there will be improved compatibility and tolerance of antivirus software and the Windows Indexing Service. Zoom will now deal with cases where the Windows Indexing Service or other 3rd party software (like Antivirus software) is locking Zoom's files.

We will build an internal mechanism where Zoom will attempt to open one of it's files and detect a 3rd party lock on the file, then back off for some milliseconds, the re-attempt to open the file. This will prevent most of these errors, but if a file is locked for more than several seconds there will still be an error.

For V5 you might still need to disable your Antivirus program if you see these file read and delete failures. Turning off the AV should also improve performance.