VMD-L Mailing List

From: Lohry, David Patrick (dlohry_at_vols.utk.edu)
Date: Wed Apr 17 2024 - 07:48:45 CDT

Windows version VMD 1.9.4a51 was available after logging into the download page. That version seems to have resolved the random crashing that I experienced with 1.9.4a53. I will continue to use it and test it out.

Thank you!

________________________________
From: Jason Smith <jason_smith_18_at_sfu.ca>
Sent: Tuesday, April 16, 2024 10:21 PM
To: Lohry, David Patrick <dlohry_at_vols.utk.edu>
Cc: vmd-l_at_ks.uiuc.edu <vmd-l_at_ks.uiuc.edu>
Subject: Re: vmd-l: VMD 1.9.4a53 on Windows 11 crashing frequently

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Hi David, a53 crashes when trying to use GPU Optix. a51 work for optix though. I don't think a51 is on the site anymore though. From memory CPU Optix might work in a53? But it's probably too slow and you might need to find new setting to achieve same results as gpu Optix.

Sent from a mobile device. Please excuse my brevity.

On Apr 16, 2024 4:46 PM, "Lohry, David Patrick" <dlohry_at_vols.utk.edu> wrote:
Hello,

I find that VMD 1.9.4a53 crashes frequently on Windows 11. I use VMD to review trajectory files from MD simulations (using DCD file format and PARM7 file formats). It seems to crash at random times. There is no one particular action that seems to cause it. It seems like I can click on a button the wrong way and it will crash. Other times, I feel like I get a good run out of it, then it crashes. In the mailing list, there was a suggestion to set the Windows Environment Variable VMDNOOSPRAY to 1. I did that and restarted the computer but that did not solve the issue.

These issues do not seem to occur in Windows 1.9.3 however I need to make many high quality renders and I'm interested in the faster render options in 1.9.4alpha such as Tachyon Optix renderer which is only available in the Windows 1.9.4alpha native version (and not via WSL due to lack of NVIDIA Optix in the WSL driver)

I did run the Linux version vmd-1.9.4a57 under WSL (without Optix) and during a shorter run it didn't seem to crash. However, there does not seem to be a pre-compiled Windows versions 1.9.4a57.

Is there a chance that there are bug fixes between 1.9.4a53 and 1.9.4a57 that the Windows version could benefit from? If so, is there a way to get the latest version compiled?

Thank you!
David