MapMate Alerts!  Issue 110:

Welcome,

This alert is to let you know of a recent issue with Windows 8 and 8.1 and to ponder the future of MapMate under Windows.
Problem: The symptoms of this particular problem are that queries can't be chosen from the list in Analysis as this is blank.  The cause of this issue is that the "tree-view control" used to choose queries in Analysis was broken when Windows 8.0 was released.  This is part of the Windows operating system - being a "common control" - it is not 'MapMate' as such.   It is part of 'Windows', intended for software developers to use as an interface with you.

This was subsequently fixed, together with a host of other general problems, when Windows 8.1 was (quickly) released to replace 8.0.  Upgrade from 8.0 to 8.1 also fixed the problem.  Microsoft then, recently, released a "not-required cumulative update" for 8.1 which (inadvertently) contained some problems from 8.0 that had been fixed in 8.1, consequently breaking it again.  This Update is KB3000850 and you are safe to remove it (which will restore functionality again).

Further complications:  It now appears that KB3059317 may have broken it again.  All we can suggest again is that you remove this update if applicable.

To remove an update: From Control Panel click Security. Under Windows Update, click View installed updates, and then select from the list of updates.

Future (and Windows 10):  We have been asked a number of times now "Will MapMate run on Windows 10?"  All we can say is that we truly don't know.  Consider this question in context of the fact that Windows 8.1 is still unstable and yet Microsoft are already advertising Windows 10 to replace it.  Microsoft have a pattern of one good, then one bad version - which they have held to since it all started - so a betting man would have his money on 10 being good: XP good, Vista bad, 7 good, 8 bad, 10???  There is no software science here - it is purely Microsoft business strategy.

If MapMate is important to you - and/or until something else may come along to take it's place - you would be well advised to try and keep a stable and clean Windows 7 machine for as long as you can.  You will be able to continue to run the software indefinitely under these conditions.  We also strongly advise that you turn Windows Update to "ask me first" and then manually run them: you can then clearly see which may have a detrimental effect.  Avoid all "cumulative updates" as these always seem very poorly tested and their 'critical' content delivered otherwise.

We have now, regrettably, and until further notice, decided to drop any recommendation that MapMate will run on Windows 8 (or subsequent Windows versions) for prospective or future users.  We will keep you informed of any other bugs or issues and fixes as we find and resolve them.

Thanks for the rapid response Mike. Good to see that it is in hand.

Thanks for the info, very useful. Will checking as soon as I get the upgrade if R6 will install on Windows 10 and which version of  SQL Server is best.