The FactSage 7.3 Update/Installation (2019) package was released in March 2019.

The FactSage Education 7.3 Package - FactSageEdu is a free FactSage 7.3 Demonstration Version and was released in May 2019. For details on the education package click FactSageEdu Information

For the latest details on the programming, documentation and database changes including screen shots click What's New in FactSage 7.3

For details on changes in the FactSage Apps and Databases click What's New in Equilib, What's New in Phase Diagrams, What's New in Macro Processing and What's New in the Databases

Here we post the most recent messages about FactSage 7.3 including items not addressed in What's New in FactSage 7.3

Apart from the issues below the FactSage Apps and Databases are working as designed. There have been no other complaints or surprises.

• Possible error in Equilib when deleting a reactant by setting it to a 'blank' (posted November 10, 2019)

  Let us consider a system of 3 reactants, for example: Ar + He + H₂ . The equilibrated products will be a gas phase containing primarily Ar, He, and H₂.

  In order to remove, say He, from the system, in the Reactants Window you click on 'He' and then 'Edit > Delete reactant He ...'. The equilibrated products will now be a gas phase containing primarily Ar and H₂ - there will be no He.

  Some users may apply an apparent short-cut whereby a reactant is removed by simply setting it to a 'blank'. For example a system of 3 reactants, Ar + He + H₂ is changed to Ar + ' ' + H₂ .

  This approach is not documented and the problem is that it may not work and in fact give an incorrect output. In the example Ar + ' ' + H₂ the equilibrated gas phase contains Ar and He but no H₂ - clearly this is an error in Equilib.

  If you wish to use a 'blank' to delete a reactant you can remedy the situation by then clicking 'Data Search > Refresh Databases'.

  The error will be corrected in FactSage 8.0

  
  

• The FactSage Education 7.3 Package - FactSageEdu is a free FactSage 7.3 Demonstration Version and was released in June 2019.

  For details on the education package click FactSageEdu Information

  
  

• Patch for Equilib (posted May 15, 2019; revised June 3, 2019)

  We have developed a patch for Equilib that addresses the following issues:

  - permit Viscosity calculations with network client installations (see below)

  - enable one to use mixtures and [streams] when using kg and tonne (see below)

  - improve Scheil calculations

  - minor problems with Equilib: missing labels in large tabular outputs; incorrect labeling of duplicate dormant gas species

  You can download the patch Equilib73_2019-06-03.zip (approx. size 3.8 MB) and copy EquiSage.exe and FactSage.dll to your FactSage 7.3 standalone or server installation (but not client installations) and replace the old files.

  
  

• "Exit FactSage?" - erroneous message issued in network client installations (posted May 28, 2019)

  When first opening FactSage Network client installations may see the message "Exit FactSage?". This message is issued in error - simply reply 'No' or 'Cancel'.

  
  

• Viscosity calculations no longer possible in network client installations (posted May 2, 2019)

  Macro batch processing (see Run_Equilib.bat, Run_PhaseDiagram.bat) is not permitted in network client installations. The Viscosity App. employs macro batch processing and so it can not run in network client installations.

  This is an error. We will be issuing a patch whereby network client installations will able to run the Viscosity App.

  
  

• Maximum number of selected species and selected solution in Macro Processing (posted April 12, 2019)

  In Equilib the maximum number of selected species is now 5000 (was 3000 in FactSage 7.2) and the maximum number of selected product solutions is now 200 (was 150 in FactSage 7.2). These values are posted in the Equilb Parameters Window.

  In the Macro Processing Manuals the old values of 3000 and 150 are incorrectly listed throughout - these values should now read 5000 and 200 respectively.

  
  

• Windows Defender deleted FactSage.exe and FS-Copy.exe (posted April 9, 2019; revised April 10)

  Sometime after March 27 Microsoft Windows Defender decided the files FactSage.exe and FS-Copy.exe were security threats and deleted them. In many cases the user was unaware the files were missing which is why it took us so long to figure out the problem.

  This was a tremendous inconvenience for FactSage users. The file FS-Copy.exe is used to set up client installations on a network as well as download the latest FactSage 7.3 Package (CD-FactSage73.exe).

  Each file was submitted to Microsoft and Windows Defender Notifications were quick in replying:

  User Opinion: Incorrect detection in both cases

  That is, Microsoft Windows Defender no longer considers FactSage.exe and FS-Copy.exe as security threats and have updated their malware definitions.

  But for some of our users the damage has been done. You can recover the files from FactSage73_2019-03-27.zip (approx. size 400 KB) for FactSage.exe and FS-Copy73_2019-03-03.zip (approx. size 46 KB) for FS-Copy.exe. Copy the files to your FactSage 7.3 installation.

  
  

• Issue with mixtures and [streams] when using kg and tonne (posted April 7, 2019)

  kg and tonne are new units introduced into FactSage 7.3. With mixtures and [streams] these units are not working as designed and may cause a crash.

  Avoid using kg and tonne and avoid mixing units when using mixtures and [streams]. We will post a patch at a later date.

  
  

• Some antivirus-vendors detect suspicious code\pattern in the file factsage.exe (posted March 29, 2019; revised April 8)

  All *.exe and *.dll files are vetted for viruses via www.virustotal.com. Some of the antivirus-vendors detected suspicious code\pattern in the one file factsage.exe.

  We know the file factsage.exe is virus-free since we created it. An arbitrary character string was modified in the source file and factsage.exe was recompiled. The 'suspicious' activity disappeared - it had turned out to be a 'false positive' as we had suspected.

  The updated file factsage.exe was stored in CD-FactSage73.exe on March 29, 2019. Although the previous CD-FactSage73.exe is 'Safe' you may wish to download the more recent file and 'refresh' your installation.

  Notes
  Alternatively as a quick fix you can download a small patch FactSage73_2019-03-27.zip (approx. size 400 KB) and copy FactSage.exe to your FactSage 7.3 installation.