VA crashing / closing itself randomly

[punkerich]

Hi,
having some probs with VA (non-steam) on Elite Dangerous.
After quite some time off, i returned to the game, updating every 3rd party sw beforehand.
I'm on Win 10, and i'm using the EDDI plugin (always on latest beta).

I experienced crashes of VA in form of it just being gone (no error report in VA folder) after some time ingame.
In the event viewer, there was a mentioning of an 'access violation' related to VA.
Directly after that an ivona dll file. I updated the voice itself, but still got the same errors.
This was with latest VA beta and latest release version. After hampering quite some time with VA / EDDI and realtek input options i tried to revert VA through my backups to 1.6.9.25 pre-release.
Had a few sessions since with no error whatsoever. Still on latest EDDI beta.

Writing this while not on my gaming machine, so if you need more details let me know.

edit: from the event viewer:

Code: [Select]

Application: VoiceAttack.exe
Framework Version: v4.0.30319
Description: The process was terminated due to an unhandled exception.
Exception Info: System.AccessViolationException
   at System.Speech.Synthesis.TtsEngine.ITtsEngine.Speak(System.Speech.Synthesis.TtsEngine.SPEAKFLAGS, System.Guid ByRef, IntPtr, IntPtr, IntPtr)
   at System.Speech.Internal.Synthesis.TtsProxySapi.Speak(System.Collections.Generic.List`1<System.Speech.Synthesis.TtsEngine.TextFragment>, Byte[])
   at System.Speech.Internal.Synthesis.VoiceSynthesis.SpeakText(System.Speech.Internal.Synthesis.SpeakInfo, System.Speech.Synthesis.Prompt, System.Collections.Generic.List`1<System.Speech.Internal.Synthesis.LexiconEntry>)
   at System.Speech.Internal.Synthesis.VoiceSynthesis.ThreadProc()
   at System.Threading.ThreadHelper.ThreadStart_Context(System.Object)
   at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.RunInternal(System.Threading.ExecutionContext, System.Threading.ContextCallback, System.Object, Boolean)
   at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.Run(System.Threading.ExecutionContext, System.Threading.ContextCallback, System.Object, Boolean)
   at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.Run(System.Threading.ExecutionContext, System.Threading.ContextCallback, System.Object)
   at System.Threading.ThreadHelper.ThreadStart()


and

Code: [Select]

Faulting application name: VoiceAttack.exe, version: 1.7.2.21, time stamp: 0x5b904d23
Faulting module name: voice_en_us_ivy.dll, version: 0.0.0.0, time stamp: 0x5692f5cf
Exception code: 0xc0000005
Fault offset: 0x0003bfa3
Faulting process id: 0x13fc
Faulting application start time: 0x01d4569f28886664
Faulting application path: C:\Program Files (x86)\VoiceAttack\VoiceAttack.exe
Faulting module path: C:\Program Files (x86)\NextUp-Ivona\ivona-sapi\platforms\i686-pc-win32\voice_en_us_ivy.dll
Report Id: 216f5a39-146a-4c6f-ac0f-ec04b98a602c
Faulting package full name:
Faulting package-relative application ID:

[punkerich]

Sadly, after quite some time into my 3rd session i'm getting the same errors again, in 1.6.9.25.

[Pfeil]

There was a topic earlier where it was determined running too many TTS instances would lead to issues, though I was under the impression EDDI was edited after that.

As your crash refers to the third-party test-to-speech voice you're using, it may be related to that issue. VoiceAttack itself was updated to fix the problem, so it's likely the issue is with the plugin instead(for which you'll have to contact the author of said plugin).

[punkerich]

I definately have to dig deeper, but from what i found it crashes when i use commands which use the 'say' function in VA. Trying to use EDDI to do the speaking via setting a variable and calling the plugin if it makes any difference.
The only commands i did not convert to this behaviour before (bc of the synth use in EDDI i wanted to sound everything equally) were commands regarding menu options in ED. That's where it crashed, IIRC solely.
Will investigate further.

[punkerich]

After i modified the most used commands to let EDDI do the speaking i had a fairly long play session without a glitch.
When i was done, and gave the command to exit the game, it crashed again.
I obviously missed converting that command, it was still set to the VA 'say' variant.
Could be coincidence, ofc., but suspicious nonetheless.
Could it just be a slight incompatibility with the voice itself and the way VA adresses the text-tospeech engine?
I had used VA, EDDI and the Ivona voice for like years without probs like this.
Something must have changed i'm not aware of.

[Gary]

Something *has* changed in Windows in regards to TTS.  I haven't devoted any time researching what exactly that change was, but if you have a certain number of active TTS instances, there may be trouble (where there was not trouble before).   The latest beta version of VA throttles the number of active TTS voices, as well as later versions of EDDI: https://voiceattack.com/SMF/index.php?topic=2175.0, so, you'll want to get both.


Download links:
https://voiceattack.com/SMF/index.php?topic=2197.0

[punkerich]

I already updated VA today, EDDI still on latest beta. Been playing for quite some time, then executed a fairly unused command which still has the VA 'say' portion in it. Instantly crashed. There definately seems to be a pattern, as long as EDDI does the talking i seem to be safe. I can work around it, but definately would be glad if we get this sorted out. Perhaps it really is just an issue with this particular voice, Ivona Ivy (sounds extremely natural, and reminded me of the first resident evil movie)

[Gary]

I'll keep an eye out for others having this same issue, as I've not had any other reports.  VA executes TTS the same regardless of voice, which is via SAPI.  Have you tried reinstalling, 'Ivy'?

[punkerich]

Aye, updated the voice itself, newest version installed. Didn't change a thing, sadly.
Edit: as i said, as long as EDDI does the talking, i seem to be safe. They must be adressing it differently, so it seems.
Same voice used, ofc.

[Gary]

Some things to try:

Try executing the command with VA's, 'Say' action without any EDDI, 'Say' actions.  That is, launch VA, execute its, 'Say' action only.  Does VA crash?

Try going to Options > System/Advanced and checking the box labeled, 'Single TTS Instance'.  Try executing VA's, 'Say' action to see if the result is any different.

Your VA, 'Say' action... it's just a straight, 'Say' without any other options set (no channel routing, SSML, 'wait', etc.)?

[punkerich]

Tested a bit, and it's really strange.
It seems to be the mixture of EDDI and VA talking after another...
Made a new test profile, only some 'say' actions via VA. no crashes so far.
Imported a command with EDDI talking, and added another line for VA's 'say' command.
Instacrash.
As long as i make sure only one way is used, i seem to be safe.
So, it seems to be down to Win 10 itself somehow?
Single TTS instance is set, makes no difference as far as i can see...

[Gary]

What is happening is that there is a limited number of TTS instances that can be used.  VA (on its own) has the option, 'Single TTS instance', where it it will use a single TTS instance for the duration of execution (from VA startup to shutdown).  This was put in place as voices from, say, Cereproc, would crash outright if you had more than (I think) five total.  Since it was the only voice having that type of problem, and users of VA like to be able to have voices, 'overlap', this was left as an option.  If you add something like EDDI which runs under the same address space as VA and it is using its own instances of TTS, you are going to run into issues.  In the latest beta of VA, the max number of TTS instances VA creates is 3 (plus maybe one additional instance for preview... then again, it may be using one of the three main instances (would have to code dive on that)).  If the single tts option is selected, VA uses a single instance (and again, maybe one extra for preview).  I don't know how many TTS instances EDDI is using, so that is something that they will need indicate.

[punkerich]

Thanks for explanation, Gary.
Just wonder that no similiar reports came in, Tkael himself aside.
I already pointed him to this thread also, and i'm awating the next EDDI beta.
Still (for me, at least) a bit hard to understand those instancing thingies 
I managed to crash VA within the first use of said test command, so i'd automatically assume
there couldn't be more than 2 instances in use.
But hey, it's easy to circumvent plus looked into within the EDDI team.

Again, thanks a lot.
I may add that i'm extremely impressed on how VA has grown over the time i'm using it.
Fantastic work, mate!

[Tkael]

At the moment, EDDI generates a new TTS instance for every say action.
There is an open PR to convert EDDI to use a single TTS instance (hopefully incorporated very soon).

[punkerich]

Latest EDDI beta seems to fix it.
Thanks again to all participants, this case can be closed.