IDL 5.3.1 (Windows) backing store problem

["Jason P. Meyers" <jpm7934(at)cis.rit.edu>]

Hello,

  I have been running into a problem with IDL not properly refreshing
the log window after some period of time.  After about an hour or so of
use, the log window in IDLDE refuses to update properly.  For example,
the contents of the window aren't redrawn when re-exposed and sending
any text to the window causes the window to go "blank".  Actually, it
doesn't go blank in the sense that I see a white screen.  Rather, it
blanks out to gray screen.  The text can be recovered by scrolling the
window up and down at least one full window height.  But it then gets
messed up as soon as the next bit of text is added or the display is
moved.  The problem goes away if I exit IDL and restart.  (Note:
resetting the session is not sufficient.)  I have tried running IDL with
default settings of Retain = 1 and Retain = 2 and the problem persists
under both settings.  Retain = 0 is not even an option because nothing
gets updated at all.

  Has anyone else experienced this behavior?  If so, is there a known
fix (other than upgrading to version 5.4)?

Thanks in advance,
-- 
Jason Meyers
Ph.D. Student, Center for Imaging Science
Rochester Institute of Technology
jpm7934@rit.edu