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Corrupted Indexes

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    Corrupted Indexes

    The Index names in two tables of my database continually get truncated to 10 Characters every time I compact the database. Renaming then rebuilding the index names allows the indexes to work fine until the next time the database is compacted.

    I've tried the following things but still have the same problem.

    -Packed all of the tables.
    -Re-evaluated all of the field Rules.
    -Opened every form, Browse, Report, label and operation in the database to test and corrected any references to fields/groupings that have been renamed or deleted.

    I created a new database and brought over one of the tables with corrupted Indexes. I deleted all of the field rules and all other forms, reports, operations etc. but still had the same problem. It wasn't until I started editing the structure and had removed all but the first 4 fields in the table that the index problem went away.

    I tried creating a new table from scratch (I didn't duplicate or cut and Paste)but at some point that got corrupted too.

    I also am getting a message about "Invalid Tag Name" when recreating the long names for the indexes.

    Any Ideas,

    Thanks,

    Mike Becker


    #2
    RE: Corrupted Indexes

    It seems fairly obvious that there is something in Alpha that doesn't care for index tag names longer than 10 characters. Is that a limitation you can't live with? It might be clearer to be able to name a tag customer_last_name_plus_middle_initial, but is it necessary?
    There can be only one.

    Comment


      #3
      RE: Corrupted Indexes

      Thanks for the Response Stan.

      I'm sure that I could live with index names of 10 characters or less but I'm not ready to give up yet. I've been using Alpha 5 for several years now and have never had this problem. What kills me is that Out of the 22 tables in the Database only 2 of them are having this problem and in another database with more than 50 Tables the problem does not exist at all.

      I'll keep working on it for now.

      Mike Becker

      Comment


        #4
        RE: Corrupted Indexes

        Mike,

        I get an index truncated in this way every so often. I have never been able to pin down why. I have decided to leave any of my indexes which get truncated with the shorter name and edit code which references to it to suit the new name. Whenever I define a new index I give it a short name.

        There's enough to do in this life without having to chase ghosts.

        Bill
        Bill Hanigsberg

        Comment


          #5
          RE: Corrupted Indexes & long names

          Continuing what Bill said, I have not only kept index names shorter than 10, but have made sure that names for forms, custom menus, etc. are also shorter, for this reason:

          I had a custom menu called STANDARD (only 8 long), and assigned it to several forms. Then, during the app development, I created two more called STANDARD_SUPT and STANDARD_BROWSE. After doing this, some of the forms that had one menu now had another! I think it's because Alpha sorted them using the first 8 characters only, and this resulted it their being mixed up.

          Moral: If I use long names (which I try to avoid), I make sure the first 8 characters are unique.

          Comment


            #6
            RE: Corrupted Indexes & long names

            Thanks for the help guys,

            Bill, I like your Idea of making sure the first 8 characters are unique. I'm off to shorten the Index names now.

            Mike Becker

            Comment


              #7
              RE: Corrupted Indexes

              I have read of reports in the past where people have said that long index names were getting corrupted.

              I have never been able to duplicate this, and without being able to duplicate it, we cannot address it.

              If you have a situation that you can duplicate that truncates long index names, I would be most appreciative if you could send me files that demo the bug. We can then address it.

              Tahnks.

              Comment


                #8
                RE: Corrupted Indexes

                I think that if the developers of Alpha5 would include an object for index-description, just as they did in Aplha4, then the short index name would be not a problem. However, when using many indexes for one table, it becomes very difficult to remember what a short name index is for. I do not think that a long-name index is necessary. I also do not think that this problem should be solved by writing a script, for not all Alpha users are capable of writing scripts. It would also be helpful, if Alpha5 would include a field-description object, just like Access does, so that one would be able to enter some information as to what that field is been used for. Another suggestion is a modeless-entry option for every form and browse. Many offices have people working the computer who are not very familiar with Alpha5 and errors in entry of data can be very costly. I would also suggest to increase the size of the box for choosing an index, finding a record and for building an expression. Finally, I think Alpha4 had many advantages, and if some of those advantages could be retained in Alpha5, than do so.

                Comment


                  #9
                  RE: Corrupted Indexes

                  Once in a great while I too have this problem. My strategy is to leave the tag names truncated and adjust other code to suit. That way the situation is settled. Finished. Done with.

                  In general I use a long name when it is necessary but not merely because it is possible. Who needs the grief.

                  Bill
                  Bill Hanigsberg

                  Comment


                    #10
                    RE: Corrupted Indexes

                    Selwyn,

                    I have seen the problem enough times that I no longer use index names longer than 10 characters. Unfortunately, there seems to be no consistent pattern to the problem. The following conditions seemed to make the possibility more likely.

                    1. More that 10 indexes, at least some with more than 10 characters.
                    2. Duplicating or copying the table, either from the control panel or xbasic.
                    3. Tables being used in sets.
                    4. Compacting the tables.
                    5. Zipping up the tables for archiving and then restoring the files.

                    Usually, the problem doesn't occur unless there is some combination of the above and even then it is rare. Whatever is happening, the data dictionary seems to become corrupted or can't be found or opened temporarily.

                    I currently use a table I call idxdata for any action that needs the index name to be displayed. This table has fields for the saved index name, saved table name, index expressions, index filters, index flags, a display name up to 40 characters, and a logical field to indicate if the index can be displayed to the user. With this table I can recreate any corrupted index and create a list of indexes for the user using the long display name.

                    Jerry

                    Comment


                      #11
                      RE: Corrupted Indexes

                      Jerry,

                      Table fieldnames that are longer than 10 characters are stored in the data dictionary, not in the DBF itself. Table fieldnames that are 10 chars or fewer in length are stored directly in the DBF. It occurs to me that some of the situations you describe might cause you to move or copy just the DBF, and not the related dictionary files. In this situation the fieldnames in the table get truncated (I believe) because the longnames are not part of the DBF itself. Wonder if this is what you are seeing?

                      -- tom

                      Comment


                        #12
                        RE: Corrupted Indexes

                        Tom,

                        In addition, I think that in certain crashes the dictionary can become corrupt and the long names lost. I don't know this, just suspect it. Can't reproduce it; don't want to.

                        Bill
                        Bill Hanigsberg

                        Comment


                          #13
                          RE: Corrupted Indexes

                          I have found one of the problems with the "INDEX TRUNCATION", and I have been able to repeat it at will.

                          The problem is, that if you have a table already created, with "LONG INDEX NAMES", if you restructure you�re the table and change the name of an existing field, the indexes will be truncated.

                          I have repeated it many times, and on different tables and databases.

                          Robert

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