Scratch

I just had this happen...

I was making 5+ comments and hooking them up to separate blocks but in the same script. Another thing is, I save my projects to a flash drive, so I have to overwrite the project over and over. When this happened I saved it to my desktop, and it turns out that the project file sizes were different. 550 KB ( Flash Drive before save ) and 500 KB ( Desktop after save ). It seemed to have "compressed" 50 KB of the project, but when I got all my text back it increased only by like 15 KB, and also some of my costumes still had their text. I don't know how it saved 45-50 KB of space without compressing, it was just odd. o.O Any idea why? ( Clears "useless" space on the file? )

If the file button disappears so you can't save, just quickly click the button to restore the window and the text appears again-for a little bit so you can quickly save.  It has helped me a few times when this happens.

This happens mostly when I use Scratch for a long period of time.

Hope this helps in the future. 


Note: I don't remember any specific time this has happened, so I can't further describe really.


This happened to me on a Windows XP computer.

Last edited by HD123 (2010-09-16 17:22:15)

Guinea_Pig_Girl wrote:

I know this is SO old.

I can't edit posts, and I want to tell you I made a mistake! I didn't read the third page, so this thread isn't old, after all! My bad.

Chrischb wrote:

Many of us have experienced the disappearing text problem. You're doing your business, and suddenly: it strikes.

Nobody knows what causes it, so it has been here for quite a while. It has happened so often that there is a sticky explaining what to do when it happens!

So, let's get it fixed. If it happens to you, do the following:

•Post when it happened. (When I clicked OK in the paint editor, when I saved, when I clicked the green flag, etc..)
•Post characteristics about your project. (It has a lot of sprites, it's very large, it has a lot of scripting, etc..)
•Were you doing anything odd? Post it. (I was connecting a large script, I was repeatedly clicking the File button, I was running the Internet at the same time, etc..)

You may not think that your posts will help, but if a lot of posts are sent, maybe there could be a connection!

A link to JSO's sticky: What to do when all text disappears...

A useful post by Jonathanpb:

Jonathanpb wrote:

JSO wrote:

The Scratch team has tracked it down a little bit.


It means it's in the UnicodePlugin.dll and not in the Squeak Scratch source code... 

johnm wrote:

If you'd like to try to debug the problem, the Unicode plugin source code can be downloaded from the Plugins section of this page:

  http://info.scratch.mit.edu/Source_Code

It's a very difficult bug. Good luck!

Get it? It's not from the Scratch source code... it's in the Unicode source code. If you want to try and find the bug, look in the Unicode source code.

A useful post from fanofcena:

fanofcena wrote:

Well i got an update a gr8 update i think the file that is bugging is the  unicode ops file well i m not sure but good programmers should see its coding it has a lot of complications it may be returning a garbage value instead

_________________________________________________________________________________
Notes.................try and find a connection!

Chrischb wrote:

•I saved, and it happened.
•I clicked OK in the paint editor, and it happened.

•It has four sprites.
•It has a small amount of scripting.
•It has a lot of pixel art.

•Nothing I can think of.

what-the wrote:

I've seen it before but it only happens to me when there are two or more Scratch applications open, there side by side and they are overlaping a little & i'm constantly changing between them. This also causes scratch have a blank space where they overlaped if I move them and if I fullscreen one, the border goes to the edge of the screen but scratch doesn't resize leaving a big white space on my screen.

It happens with any sized projects.
It happens with and without other programs running.
It can happen when I try to do any sort of editing this includes pressing buttons. the save button is the one that causes it to happen the most for me

06dknibbs wrote:

One small solution I noticed, after It continued to happen. If I saved the file under a different name before closing it, the text stayed.

I seemed to get it at the start when I went into presentation mode.

I will also add, my Sphere project still seems to contain the glitch even if you download it. Maybe you could have a look at it and see if you can figure anything out?

SHADOWDARK2 wrote:

I have Scratch 1.4 and the same thing happens

* I start Scracth
* Make a Sprite With a Lot of Text on it
* I hit the undo button
* then the text dissapears

Jonathanpb wrote:

I get it when I save the Scratch project or save a costume/background with text after typing the text (not editing it).

Greatdane wrote:

I had vista and used Chrome, and it happened.

I don't remember when or where I heard this, but I think it's a reaction of Scratch to either:
-Too much memory usage
-Too much application at the same time
-Too much clicking, playing around
Something like that. I think it's related to the processor. Can maybe you guys give a processor? I have an AMD 64-bit. I was using the drawer tool. I'm using Vista, and Scratch 1.4.

A link to a breakthrough thread: Breakthrough

what-the wrote:

I found another way it happens if you go to upload a project and then cancel it

greenflash wrote:

I have a particularly weird case:

•I was typing in the paint editor, boom! Some of the text dissapeared. I hit ok, and closed the project, and it asked me to save, so I did. The rest of the text dissappeared.
•It had about five sprites, most of them had text. (I managed to upload it if you want to see it: Project in Question)
•I closed the project repeatedly and the text kept disappearing. I had to do this six or seven times untill I had all the text I needed typed in. It took about 2 minutes before it dissapeared after I opened the project.

I was also had internet explorer, itunes, powerpoint, and word open. I closed a few of the windows and it still dissapeared. Then I tried opening another scratch project and making the text disappear in that project and it didn't work. So I closed all the windows and quickly uploaded it before anything worse happened.

It was really annoying! I hope my information helps, but it completely baffles me! 

somelia wrote:

I just typed in  the word "text" and it disappeared! Than I tried typing in "cat" and it wouldn't show up, and than with a thrill of horror I realized that it was the bug!

fanofcena wrote:

now i have seen that the text problem occured only after the addition of truetype fonts on Scratch .the problem lies somewhere in the true type code (can i get a link to source code). For further i experimented I will need u all to also test this and report if u found it.
Start Scratch.
Start creating meaningless text filled sprites with some picture background .
now when u have done with nearly 50 start editing them unmeaningfully again.
after doing this for sometimes when u press backspace and space u might get the bug
If happened very often to me.by this procedure,
The other reason might be the old programming bug called garbage value(I dont think that seriosly it would be)



WELL THE THING THAT SUPPORTS IS IT DOSENT HAPPENS ON 1.2 and Older

Greatdane wrote:

ALERT ALERT!

It strikes again! I was using JUST Scratch, ONLY Scratch. It was using 93% or the system's RAM and memory. That just proves my theory. It was a big and complicated Scratch-OS, and was, well, big.

darthatr0n wrote:

OS: Windows XP
This doesn't just happen with Scratch. My computer does it randomly. It doesn't happen very often. One time I was playing a game called Motherload and then my computer slowed down and the text started going. The way I fix this every time is to restart my computer by pressing and holding the power button for 4 seconds. VERY ANNOYING!!!

jackrulez wrote:

It happened. I was filling in a survey project, and I was in the paint editor. I had typed all of the text I neeed in the costume and was drawing when BOOM! the text was gone. I tried to retype it, but it didn't work. I closed the paint editor then realized that there was no text at all. The only two programs tht were running were Scratch and the Internet. I closed Scratch, reopened it. Still no text. Help!!!!!!!!!!!! 

ThePCKid wrote:

I pressed enter too many times in the paint editor, and it happend

ThePCKid wrote:

I held down the enter button a second too long. The only text was "ThePCKid". It was the only application running. I'm running Windows Vista SP1 (I REALLY WANNA GET WINDOWS 7!!!!!)

fg123 wrote:

It usually happens in my Xenotype. When I edit a window with lot's of text for a long time, KA-BOOM. Text dissappears.
INFO:
OS: WINDOWS XP SP2
PROGRAMS RUNNING: SCRATCH, FIREFOX
PROJECT SIZE: APPROX. 40 sprites 80 scripts

Jonathanpb wrote:

I got the bug! In a way I haven't gotten it before.

I was dragging the black box used to position your text. I was slowly moving it around (I wanted it six pixels below something), and in the middle of it, the text suddenly vanished!

Has anyone else ever gotten the text bug while dragging the box?

fanofcena wrote:

well i got it again i was copying a same thing and BANG the thing dissappeard with all the text next after 2 - 3 seconds scratch crashed

rdococ wrote:

Happennd when i was working on my must-download-to-use Stream comments (within scratch 1.4 RC)
I have 200 and something GB of memory and it sill happens! 
I have like 200 and something less than what is my memory for scratch to use
I only had 3 programs on 

rdococ wrote:

OS: Windows XP Home Edition SP2
Memory: 200 and something GB
Memory for scratch to use: 100 and something GB
When I was working on a comment using 1.4RC, KA-KA-KA-KA-KA-KA-KA-KA-KA-BOOM! The text dissapeard! Even the bars, menu text,  and all pieces of Scratch Dissapeard!
This one is like the "All of Scratch dissapearing/vanishing" bug!

pinochio wrote:

It only happens to me when I have A LOT of text!

markyparky56 wrote:

I was typing
I have a lot of scritping
I have a lot of sprites
I have a lot of graphics
I have some sounds
I took some screen shots on how to fix it.
http://scratch.mit.edu/forums/viewtopic.php?pid=291527

Chatter wrote:

It happens a lot to me. I use Windows 7 and it still happens. It's annoying, but here's what I do:

I close it. Then I edit it and the text comes back. It's not so bad except i need to edit every costume.

Vista4563 wrote:

Windows XP.

I'm running 5 programs. When I open up the Scratch Window, all text disappears. Also, I had the upload window open. I saved, opened it up again, then saved two more times to restore text.

domben wrote:

I use windows Vista, and have the latest version of Scratch                                 I got that problem just now, it was a quite small project. Lets think, I had downloaded a project to have a look at the scripts, but when I opened up Scratch, I left the downloaded project up and running. I also had internet explorer on. I was doing a small project (just a little "I can count up to numbers" thing, it had 1 script about 10 cm at the most long, I had 2 variables, I called them (for humor and to confuse people (sorry!) called "blank (as in, the space key pressed)" and a double space key blank thingy. I was using the ask block, and was using the colour orange alot. I opened up the edit thing for my second sprite (I had 2 sprites) Which had a scipt (sorry, forgot about that! I had two scripts in total!) that was just forever, go to front. All the text on Scratch went, I tried saving a picture of the screen, and found all the document names had gone as well. The only text left was (surprisingly) when you do anything saveish, on the left where there's the different folders to go onto (costumes, your user etc.). I unfortunately got so scared and thought it was a virus, so I shut down Scratch immediately. Of course, the writing that said "Scratch" at the top left was still there. This is the first time this has happened for me.   


Hope we can get this fixed!!!!

MyRedNeptune wrote:

Wow...I finally decided to create another project. xD So I opened good ol' Scratch (which was covered in a thick layer of dust as a result of many weeks of abandonment) and after a few minutes of working with it I realized what a pain this bug is. 

It kinda does make you think (considering that it has never emerged before) when the bug starts occuring every...5 seconds. o.o In the end I decided to head to this topic and whine a little. So here it is:

•It occurs spontaneously when I drag a script
•It occurs spontaneously when I click on a number field to change the value
•It occurs spontaneously when I save
•It occurs spontaneously when I switch between sprites
•Most of the time it occurs when I switch between windows
•It never occurs when I press the green flag/stop button

I listed those factors because they are things I do in this project A LOT. It's another transcribed song project, actually. A piano piece, which means that it has a lot of forte/piano madness going on throughout the whole track - so I have to adjust the volume individually for each note and check it every time. There are no text costumes in my project, barely any code...oh, I also have Winamp open in another window, and I switch between the Scratch and Winamp windows constantly.

Well, since I've never had this bug in my other projects before, it's probably got to do with memory and all the stuff running on my computer. The soft needs to be shut down... So I'll go try that now and see what happens.

TheGameMaster1231 wrote:

Well, I Don't Have The Imformation, But I Do Have Something That May Help. Here Is An Example Of What I Am Doing When It Happens To Me: I Have A Project. I Am Working On A, Oh, Lets Say A Game Over Sprite For My Slushy's Big Adventure Game. (Really. I AM Working On A Slushy's Big Adventure Game. And It Actually DID Happen To Me When I Was Doing This.) It Has The Words Game Over, And Then Under The Game Over, It Says: Press The Green Flag Or The 'Enter' Key  To Go Back To The Title Screen. If You Saved Your Progress, Then You Can Continue The Game From The Level You Saved The Game On. : ) And Then I Decided I Want To Underline The Words Game Over. So I Underline The Words Game Over With A White Line. I See That The Line Is Sticking Out Of The Words Game Over About An Inch, So I Decide To Cover That Area With A Black Square. I Finish Covering The Part Of The Line That's Sticking Out And I Let Go Of The Mouse So The Square Stays There. But Then All The Text Is Gone! I Hope This Helps And It Actually Never Happens To Me In Any Other Way. Please Put This Imformation Into Good Use And Please Let It Help You Fix The Glitch! 

WeirdF wrote:

A new thing happened to me a few days ago. All the text and everything disappeared, except for a short section on one of my backgrounds. Only a few lines of text survived. Has this happened to anyone else?

cheddargirl wrote:

I've noticed that leaving the 'Project Notes' window open when minimizing Scratch (1.4) window will cause the text to disappear when Scratch is brought up again (this especially occurs with large walls of text).

snikos_scratch wrote:

While developing the project http://scratch.mit.edu/projects/snikos_scratch/914543 on a remote computer using RDT (hosting computer XP SP3, 2 GB; remote comuter Vista Business 64 bits SP2, 4 GB; 100 MBps LAN connection)

somelia wrote:

Gah! I got it again. I was not using lots of text, it suddenly just happened.

benjamin2 wrote:

I was typing an instruction page on a big project (luckily I'd only just started it!) and I only had like a couple scripts and no spirtes and a few backgrounds, then it suddenly happened. I save all the time now.

jeromi wrote:

I was editing a *cannot remember* project and the File Edit Share Help menus disappeared when i mouse over them. Same happened with everything else involving text. I clicked the invisible file menu, and i clicked the non existing save button and opened up scratch again and everything was fine.

That's the longest post I've ever seen. And I wish I could help, but I don't do real programming. 

ian528 wrote:

floatingmagictree wrote:

I've never encountered the disappearing text problem...

Me neither! 

Oh no!
It happened today in the paint editor when I was making an orange circle!

The time it happend to me:

When I was on scratch, I went to the backround.
On backround1, I typed a HUGE amount of text. (Wasn't thinking about the glitch)
Then I added another backround. I was typing, and in the middle of typing, the text SUDDENTLY disappeared! I didn't have it saved yet, so I went to the file menu to find save, but the text there disappeared too! I closed scratch after that.

I have a tip that may or may not work:
Try running through squeak on the program that was fine, and the one that the glitch started on. If you look at all the defferent codes, there might be a cracker!

greenflash wrote:

I have a particularly weird case:

•I was typing in the paint editor, boom! Some of the text dissapeared. I hit ok, and closed the project, and it asked me to save, so I did. The rest of the text dissappeared.
•It had about five sprites, most of them had text. (I managed to upload it if you want to see it: Project in Question)
•I closed the project repeatedly and the text kept disappearing. I had to do this six or seven times untill I had all the text I needed typed in. It took about 2 minutes before it dissapeared after I opened the project.

I was also had internet explorer, itunes, powerpoint, and word open. I closed a few of the windows and it still dissapeared. Then I tried opening another scratch project and making the text disappear in that project and it didn't work. So I closed all the windows and quickly uploaded it before anything worse happened.

It was really annoying! I hope my information helps, but it completely baffles me!

Same thing with me, except I had nothing else open. Approximately 2 minutes after going to the same sprite and in the midst of editing it, it disappeared! This happened every time I tried to edit it.

The project was fairly large, with a lot of text.

Chrischb wrote:

Agh forgot to update...


I wonder if this'll all be irrelevant once 2.0 comes out 

Probably 

A little update on the situation:
The evil doer struck while I was working on my latest game, Backward.
The game is only 540KB, it has fifteen sprites and IDK how many scripts.
It happened when I clicked the save button: all text was just gone.

I only had 60% of the memory used up, but it had a lot of multitasking.

I had:
two instances of chrome open (with a total of 10 tabs);
two powerpoints with pictures;
skype with two active chats;
visual studio open with a project loaded;
a virtual machine (he, he, he..);
my latest jeopardy game i made for Spanish class.

In the background I had:
widgets,
all of the useless Toshiba DVD accessories, and
all the other usual things (explorer, dwm, etc).

Here's a screenshot of my PC as soon as it happened.

click to enlarge ^^

This doesn't really bother me, as the text reappeared the next time I opened the project (which after all, saved successfully). I saved it again and again and can't get it to happen again.

Looking at other posts, it seems as if the actions which call the unicode plugin are all glitchy. I tried to modify the source of the compiler, but i can't recompile it so no use.

Last edited by LS97 (2011-03-12 14:12:54)

scimonster wrote:

You certainly have alot open! That might be what caused it.    BTW, your pic link is broken, just use the same img url as link url. 
OT: Do you like your comp? I like Vista. 

Yeah, lots of multitasking.
By the way, the link is not broken, just takes ages to load. I used a different link because photobucket only allows a certain resolution...
And yes. I love my PC. It's got more than enough screen space, it's fast, and it's got the best windows OS (yet). Windows 7 is just a bad copy of vista.

It usually only happens when you edit some text in the paint editor, then paint for extended periods of time. One thing to do is to just exit the paint editor after editing text.

rdococ wrote:

06dknibbs wrote:

We do seem to get it differently, perhaps it isn't the Scratch program itself, but rather something our systems have in common? They could be messing something up.

So I could start,

I had Windows XP,
My memory space was relatively free,
I had Scratch 1.3 installed,
My default browser was Firefox.

Shall we see if any of those could be affecting it? Try and remember what you had when you got the glitch instead of what you have now.

Since I had this computer I haven't got the bug at all. This has less than 200GB and is running Windows 7 Professional. What's the breakthrough between:
- A text-bug-happening on a Windows XP Home Edition with 200+ GB and
- No text bug on a Windows 7 Professional with approx. 105 GB?
It is quite weird, mentioning how much GigaBytes of memory left there are. Also I probarbly had both Firefox, IE, Chrome and maybe something else installed on that XP computer. This one, only Firefox and IE.

Maybe because newer versions are better?

disappearing text!

I have a solution to the problem, well it is likely to not be able to stop it.

To fix the bug, click here.

Last edited by zorket (2011-04-30 19:43:57)