What causes load errors and resynch errors?

[mgallardo]

Hello all!

First a bit of <background>:

I just started a new job and as a result have inherited an A5 desktop application developed by two other people that no longer work here. I am completely new to A5.

The database files are stored on a server and accessed via a network share. The users use Runtime to open the ADB. There are about 7 users that edit tables on a regular/daily basis and upwards of 15 with rights to do so. I figure about another 50-75 users use the DB in a "read only" fashion. I am still familiarizing myself with the tables but I suspect the largest table is ~150,000 KB with ~400,000 rows. The second largest file in the A5 directory is actually a .SEM file at 116,000 KB.

</background>

Recently the database has been complaining. "Error loading <set> the process cannot access the file b/c it is being used by another process. <file>" and, "Unable to resynch on Index."

• What are some approaches I can use to narrow down the causes of these bugs?
• Right now I am not able to recreate the errors on demand.
• Are there logs I can review? Traces I can initiate and review?
• Can anyone clarify what the Index error actually means?
• What operations lockup a file/table?

Speaking of the "Error Loading" topic - I was able to clear up the message by doing some detective work and tracking down the only user that had the file open and asking him to close a Form that is based on a Set that included the table. He had the form opened in the background and was actually working with another form in the foreground so I am not sure what could have caused the lockup.

After he closed the form I was able to open it up just fine. No error message. Good! Or so I thought. As I was annotating the issue I had forgotten that I had left the form open and about 10 minutes later 2 users let me know they were receiving the error again. I closed the form and asked them to immediately re-try. They were both successful in opening the form.

[Stan Mathews]

Re: What causes load errors and resynch errors?

Welcome to the message board. The board also serves as a knowledge base and is searchable. "Unable to resynch on Index" has been reported from time to time. At the moment I don't recall the suggestions to avoid it.

Pertinent thread: https://forum.alphasoftware.com/show...dex#post665644

Alpha operations (batch processing, Operations tab) generally will be unable to complete if a user has a record open in change mode, as in opening a form, beginning a change to a name. This is not considered a bug but rather the way Alpha manages things. Conversely a user will be unable to do anything other than view a record if a batch operation is processing.

[Al Buchholz]

Re: What causes load errors and resynch errors?

Marco

Please send me a private message or email so we can discuss your situation.

[mgallardo]

Re: What causes load errors and resynch errors?

Hi Stan,

Thanks for the reply!

I've looked at that thread before. I'm not sure I got anything from it. Currently the company re-indexes every morning or so but still occasionally get the error message. Right now when this error comes up they just kick everyone off the DB and re-index.

The unable to load error actually prevents users from loading forms when it pops up thus locking out the users from even a "read-only" mode.

I am wondering if these are performance related issues. The DB seems sluggish. Just now it took ~ 15s to load the A5 Username / password prompt. My current understanding is they are using the A5 Security framework and a startup script for usernames and passwords.

The copy of the DB I keep on my desktop is much faster and responsive

.



Hi Alan,

I am currently unable to send emails or PMs. My account appears to be restricted.

[Al Buchholz]

Re: What causes load errors and resynch errors?

Hi Alan,

I am currently unable to send emails or PMs. My account appears to be restricted.

email alb @ bookwood.com

[DaveM]

Re: What causes load errors and resynch errors?

do you have the master password for administrator?
is alpha using shadowed tables?

[mgallardo]

Re: What causes load errors and resynch errors?

do you have the master password for administrator?
is alpha using shadowed tables?

Hi Dave,

To the best of my knowledge shadows are not being used. Is there a quick and easy way to check for a shadow? I'll ask my users to verify weather or not they are running on a shadow copy.

EDIT:

Oh ya. Yes, I do have the Master password.

[DaveM]

Re: What causes load errors and resynch errors?

BY logging in as administrator, you can set yourself up as an administrator. May make things a bit easier.

have you done a workspace compact? checked the indexes for each table? checked the sets for proper connections to tables?

[Stan Mathews]

Re: What causes load errors and resynch errors?

Is there a quick and easy way to check for a shadow?

Probably the simplest is to look at the Alpha control panel on the user desktop, tables/sets tab, detail view. If the path to the tables is the server location, not shadowed. If the path references local tables (actually shadow aliases is what they would be) the database is shadowed.

[mgallardo]

Re: What causes load errors and resynch errors?

Hi Dave,

have you done a workspace compact?

I have not done a compact. I'll give that a shot.
Is this something I can do in a live environment without impacting the users?

checked the indexes for each table?

I am looking at Indices for a few of (what I think are) the heavily used tables. The problem is, I'm a bit out of my depth. I'm not quite sure what is best practices are and what should be avoided. I see some filters on some of the indices. I've read filters should be avoided but from what I can figure these filters were automatically created by A5 when the developer applied a filter to the "lookups" tab for the field rules.
Is there a way for me to track down where a specific Index is being used by a lookup or in other parts of the code?
I suspect there a few stray indices that are no longer even needed because they are not used by lookups anymore.

checked the sets for proper connections to tables?

I'm a little confused here. If I may ask a clarifying question; Do you mean the PK/FK associations between tables? I believe they are properly connected since the errors are transient but I can certainly verify the connections. What would constitute an improper connection?

Hi Stan,

Probably the simplest is to look at the Alpha control panel on the user desktop, tables/sets tab, detail view. If the path to the tables is the server location, not shadowed. If the path references local tables (actually shadow aliases is what they would be) the database is shadowed.

Would this be the same as looking at the System->data_source variable? If so, I think I will try to capture this variable in a table when the user launches the "starter" form. I think after a week I'll have a good idea if anyone is on a shadow copy.

Thank you both for taking the time to help me out!

[DaveM]

Re: What causes load errors and resynch errors?

COMPact.
need to be done with all out of the system, preferrably computers turmed off
indexes
I do not like filters in indexes
sets
Pk/FK is correct. if a connection is not field name to field name, it is not the best way.
if idnum is numeric 9 then the other fiel is best as numeric 9 also

[mgallardo]

Re: What causes load errors and resynch errors?

Probably the simplest is to look at the Alpha control panel on the user desktop, tables/sets tab, detail view. If the path to the tables is the server location, not shadowed. If the path references local tables (actually shadow aliases is what they would be) the database is shadowed.

I think I found a function I can use to audit for shadow copies: A5.GET_MASTER_PATH

it'll return the path to the Shadow, else it'll return null string. so for our starter form OnInit I'll have this snippet run

dim tbl as P
dim computername as C
dim datasource as C

computername = api_getmachinename()
datasource = a5.Get_Master_Path()

tbl = table.open("tempshadowaudit")
tbl.enter_begin()
tbl.computer_name = computername
tbl.data_source = datasource
tbl.windows_user = WinUser
tbl.a5_user = a5User
tbl.enter_end()
tbl.close()

[Al Buchholz]

Re: What causes load errors and resynch errors?

I think I found a function I can use to audit for shadow copies: A5.GET_MASTER_PATH

it'll return the path to the Shadow, else it'll return null string. so for our starter form OnInit I'll have this snippet run

dim tbl as P
dim computername as C
dim datasource as C

computername = api_getmachinename()
datasource = a5.Get_Master_Path()

tbl = table.open("tempshadowaudit")
tbl.enter_begin()
tbl.computer_name = computername
tbl.data_source = datasource
tbl.windows_user = WinUser
tbl.a5_user = a5User
tbl.enter_end()
tbl.close()

or use something like this..

if a5.Get_Master_Path() > "" then
    datasource = a5.Get_Master_Path()
    else
    datasource = a5.Get_Path()    
end if