Okay, frustrated Memory Map users - I have finally sussed out what is causing the problems with MM that robgul and I have been discussing above.
First, a helping hand for Google to find this post and bring you here ...
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This is a simple work-around or fix or solution for a bug or problem with using Memory Map on Windows when it can display blank or grey squares on maps on loading them or starting up and can also cause very slow changes or long delays when changing or altering map scales or resolutions.
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I examined all of Memory Map's entries in the Windows Registry and spotted something that looked
very odd ... I discovered that under one Key [HK_CURRENT_USER\software\Memory-Map\Memory-Map Navigator\DockingPaneLayouts\NormalLayout] there were multiple sets of pane data (coordinates etc.). I had over 1,400 sets of coordinates in there on my laptop!
The software is clearly trying to store what child windows/panes were open when it was closed, where they were, and what size they were. The idea presumably being to restore them when the software is next loaded.
I think that the software is not maintaining that information correctly. It should replace the old data with new data but instead it keeps adding new entries until eventually there are so many entries that MM slows to a crawl trying to process them when it starts up.
Software would normally check for the existence of essential entries in the registry, and create any missing entries as required. I reasoned that it would be safe to delete my 1,400-odd surplus sets of pane data so I thought that I would try it. I deleted just those entries and the software immediately started running properly again.
It is now a few days later and the software has already created 42 new sets of pane coordinates. It is still working ok, but I assume that it will eventually have created so many that the problem returns.
I have been monitoring things closely and it seems that every time I open up the routes/tracks/marks/waypoints property windows, MM creates another 7 or so sets of data. I typically display those property windows multiple times per MM session so it isn't surprising that after a week or so there can be hundreds of redundant entries in the registry.
This fix seems to be reliable. I was doing it manually using regedit.exe but now that I am happy with it I have created an easier way to do it. I have created a .REG file containing an instruction to delete the Key under which the duplicated data is stored, and that takes the offending data with it. The next time MM is loaded it detects the absence of the Key and creates a new one, along with 2 sets of pane data.
I saved my .REG file to my Windows desktop. All that I have to do now is to double click on the file's icon whereupon I get a warning that the registry is going to be edited. I okay that change and - BINGO - the bad data has gone! MM will work smoothly from that point on until it has piled up more digital rubbish in the registry, when the fix can be repeated. I won't wait that long. I use MM most days so I will get into the habit of clearing the problem at least once a week.
I have attached my file for you to experiment with. CycleChat's forum software will not let me attach a .REG file so it is saved as a .TXT. It actually IS a text file in the format understood by the registry editor so you can take a look inside it using NotePad, WordPad or any other text editor, and I recommend that you do so in order to confirm that it doesn't do anything dodgy!
It should consist of:
- Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
- *** Blank line ***
- [-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Memory-Map\Memory-Map Navigator\DockingPaneLayouts\NormalLayout]
Entry #1 is a description of what version of Regedit.exe was used to create it.
Entry #2 is a line, intentionally left blank.
Entry #3 is an instruction to delete that Key in the registry, plus all the data within that part of the registry. (The hyphen/minus sign means delete.)
NB. I have Memory Map version 6.1.3. If you have a different version then you probably ought to update it and I can't say whether the fix will work for you.
PLEASE HEED THIS WARNING - YOU SHOULD NEVER BLINDLY ACCEPT AND RUN .REG FILES BECAUSE FAULTY OR MALICIOUS ONES CAN WREAK HAVOC WITH YOUR PC, INCLUDING KILLING YOUR INSTALLATION OF WINDOWS!
Having confirmed that you are ok with what the file will do, change its extension from .TXT to .REG and save it somewhere convenient. If you double click on the file in Windows Explorer it will ask you if you are happy to run it. If you do, it should clear up MM for you until some time later. Either do this regularly or when you eventually find MM playing up again.
I hope that some of you actually found that useful because it took me a long time to type it!
