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Flaming Pear Plug-ins Freeze Up

Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2007 6:08 am
by etherize
I don't have many plug-ins (maybe 5 total) and most are Flaming Pears. I really like them, but I have a serious problem with them freezing up.

I use them in PSE5, and have used them on a Mac (with Windows XP/SP2) and a PC (with Win XP/SP2). In both systems, I've had the same problem, and on the Mac I have lots of RAM and processor power.

I've written to Flaming Pear but received no response.

Has anyone else experienced this and solved the problem?

To be more specific, when the filters freeze, the window that shows the plug-in goes white, there are a few grey or beige boxes where the selections used to be, and I can't do anything with it. Sometimes, with Melancholytron, I can get the screen items to show again with about 10 minutes (!!) of clicking on the few grey/beige bars, which will slowly, slowly bring forth text, etc.

Often I have to completely shut down PSE and restart the program because everything is locked up.

This problem happens with all the filters but is worse with Flexify and Superblade Pro (both of which are only demos, so far)

Thanks in advance ...

Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2007 8:45 am
by plugsnpixels
I don't have an answer for your particular problem (I haven't experienced this myself with these plug-ins under Photoshop, even on older Mac hardware), but when you say "I've written to Flaming Pear but received no response", THAT I have experienced!

In case you're wondering why no Flaming Pear plug-ins appear on my website directory or in the ezine, that is why. The developer simply does not reply to repeated emails, even over the few years that I've tried! It almost seems he doesn't care to promote (or support) his products.

It's a shame, because these are great plug-ins, but many others have also complained of support issues with the developer himself (do a Google search). I personally can't understand why anyone (whether your grandmother or a software developer) can't or won't reply to an email, whether from the supportive press or a customer with difficulties. It's basic courtesy, not to mention good business.

I know Flaming Pear plug-ins get updated every now and then, so the lights are on, but maybe no one's home ;-).

Harald is the only one I know who has actually gotten through to the developer to the point of having a conversation, but I'm not sure how long it's been since his last contact.

Here's a related thread from this forum from 2005. Same problems with lack of response from Flaming Pear, except to lawyers, and even then not satisfactorily.

So anyway, try using the plug-ins under another host and see if PSE is the problem.

Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2007 5:54 pm
by etherize
Thanks for the reply. I did see some talk about lack of response from Flaming Pear ... and I agree, it's a crummy way to run a business.

BTW, I just went to plugsandpixels last night--I'm so excited to have found these two sites! I'm gonna be a pluggin' fool! :lol:

Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2007 6:32 am
by plugsnpixels
"pluggin' fool"! That's a great title!

Enjoy these resources. There's a lot of great imaging software to explore.

Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2007 4:10 am
by ArticWolf
The reason WHY they are freezing up on you is this..

"you have to" ..upgrade your video card..that is your problem..after upgrading the plugins will never freeze nor will PSP again.....I had to do it myself................................Wolfie

Posted: Sun Sep 09, 2007 4:59 am
by etherize
Thanks for the tip, Wolfie ... I'm not sure it's the video card, though. I'm still using the same Mac with a new video card, etc., but since my original post, I switched to using CS3 for the Mac (rather than PSE in Windows on the Mac or on a PC) and the Flaming Pear plug-ins work fine. So, I think it's something about Windows ... because the video card I'm using is the same.

Posted: Sun Sep 09, 2007 5:06 am
by ArticWolf
Windows will do that m8...didn't know u were using a Mac...good for you ...but i'm more for PSP...than for PS....Wolfie

Not sure but....

Posted: Tue Sep 18, 2007 1:18 am
by sattamander
I don't know how much RAM you have but I had similiar problems with my PC until I upgraded to 1.5 GIGs of RAM. If you have close to this then most likely RAM is not the problem.

But even with 1.5 GIGs of RAM if the image is rather large and the effect somewhat "intense" it can take awhile. Plus try to make sure nothing else is running app-wise. If I have any other apps open it can freeze on me. You really need to not only have the RAM but have the RAM available.

Posted: Tue Sep 18, 2007 4:19 am
by etherize
I think you're right, Sattamander. RAM is key ... when I was using the plug-ins in Windows on a PC and Windows on the Mac, I had less RAM to work with than using PS on the Mac alone. And yes, it's always a good idea to keep concurrently running programs to a very minimum when using Photoshop--that's something I need to remind myself of every now and then! :wink: