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What is a .DBG file??

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    What is a .DBG file??

    Hi folks,
    I created an application in an earlier version of alpha (I think Alpha4) at least 5 years ago. I used runtime to keep the people here out of trouble. I converted it to alpha 5 version three and it ran both peer to peer and then on a server. When alpha5 ver 4 became available with network optimization I converted it to that. That must be at least a year ago. It has run without problems all this time.
    Last week we started to get error messages when trying to add a record to a small table, about 500 records in it.
    The message said �unable to add key to tag�. I researched here and found solutions. I got rid of all the $$######.XXX files in the application and runtime folders on the PC�s and then tried to run a rebuild index, which I had created a button for on a maintenance Form.
    I got a message that it couldn�t find file �lb.dbg. LB being the application name. I can�t find this file anywhere. What is it??
    I was able to successfully run a pack, but I don�t know if it ran the index rebuild. As of now, we still can�t add records to that table, and I haven�t worked with Alpha in a Looooooooooooong time.
    Any help, or reasonable advice, would be appreciated.
    Thanks in advance
    Vince

    #2
    RE: What is a .DBG file??

    Searching the message board for ".dbg" I found....

    Msg ID: 2576
    Subject: Another misterious file
    Author: Peter Wayne
    Date: 02-17-2000 9:00 PM
    File:

    It saves your debugger watch variables.
    There can be only one.

    Comment


      #3
      RE: What is a .DBG file??

      Stan,
      should I be able to rebuild indexes through the shadowed files? Or should I go on the server and run the same application that resides with the real tables?
      Vince

      Comment


        #4
        RE: What is a .DBG file??

        If I understan correctly, shadowing/network optimizing brings down copies of the data dictionaries, etc to the local machine to speed loading of forms, reports and other layouts.

        The tables and their indexes reside on the server. Reindexing performed on a shadowed machine should affect the index files on the server.
        There can be only one.

        Comment


          #5
          RE: What is a .DBG file??


          Got any ideas as to how I can determine why I might get the error message when I try to rebuild the indexes instead of success or get the "unable to add key to tag" message when trying to add a record, after all this time of no problems?
          Thanks again for your insight.

          Comment


            #6
            RE: What is a .DBG file??

            Packing does rebuild indexes. (It removes any deleted records and once it has done this, the indexes have to be rebuilt - no check is done to see if there really records to be deleted)

            Why can't you use index rebuild from the workstation and add records?

            - What version Windows? How much ram? Run any diagnostics on the network interface card or swapped it out? Any recent changes to the network since the app was last used? Tried the app from a physically separate network connection point?
            There can be only one.

            Comment


              #7
              RE: What is a .DBG file??

              Vincent,

              You could post a copy of the table the index here, so we could check it on our systems. Might turn up the cause for your problem.

              Have you upgraded to vers 4.5? The step from A5v4 to A5v4.5 included some fixes and enhancements to the indexing routines Alpha Five uses. Don't know if it will help in your case, but thought I'd mention it.

              You should search this forum for other threads discussing 'unable to add key to tag'. It's an error message that pops up when Alpha is unable to insert the next index key in the an index list. Can be triggered by anything which is locking the index file itself. Can be triggered by faulty expressions. Can be triggered by faulty data and simple corruption in the data.

              If this were happening to me, one of the first things I'd do is to shut down alpha five on all workstations and reboot the server to release any file locks that might be in place.

              -- tom

              -- tom

              Comment


                #8
                RE: What is a .DBG file??

                Vincent,

                One more idea.

                A table reindex requires exclusive read/write privileges to the table and its indexes. You don't say how you're doing the reindex (from a script, from the control panel, with other forms open, while others are working with the table... etc. and so on), so I thought I'd mention this too.

                -- tom

                Comment


                  #9
                  RE: What is a .DBG file??

                  Tom,
                  It has been 5 years since I did any work on this thing except converting it several times to upgraded Alphas.
                  The last conversion was to A5V4.03 build 221.
                  I was running the index rebuild from a button on a form (I took all control panel function away from them in the App.) so I think it must have a script behind it.
                  I was on the only PC running. I guess I could have gone to the copy of the Application on the server through normal network mapping and run the copy of the App. on the server to see what happens.
                  I've brought a copy of everything home, over the weekend, to run on a fullblown version of Alpha rather than the runtime. I'll have to learn the App. and Alpha all over again.
                  What files of the table do I need to Post with the table, in case it isn't like trying to learn to ride a bike again ??
                  Vince

                  Comment


                    #10
                    RE: What is a .DBG file??

                    Stan,
                    The workstation I was using only had the runtime application on it. Can't get to that control panel function. Built with A5V4.03 build 221. It fails same way from three different workstations. Which to me points back to stuff on server.
                    Vince

                    Comment


                      #11
                      RE: What is a .DBG file??

                      Vincent,

                      A patch was released in January, 2000. Current build for A5v4 is 230. Suggest you get it from the Tech Support page.

                      Suggest also you buy the upgrade to A5v4.5.

                      In the meantime the easiest thing to do here would be to zip the entire database if it's not terribly large. If you decide to send it to me by e-mail please include a 'readme.txt' file explaining which form and button is misbehaving.

                      -- tom

                      Comment


                        #12
                        RE: What is a .DBG file??

                        Tom,
                        I'm going to try running without the network on my PC at home, with the full blown Alpha tomorrow. I'll post my results.
                        I'll download the patch you recomend and discuss A5v4.5 with the folks who have the money.
                        I'll check the file size to see if it is realistic to send
                        Thanks Tom for the help.
                        Vince

                        Comment


                          #13
                          RE: What is a .DBG file??

                          Tom,
                          I installed the database application and runtime peice that I had copied from the server to a standalone PC here @home.
                          I tried to add to the table that had failed on the server and it failed here too. However, I was able to rebuilded the indexes, which I wasn't able to do via a workstation to the server. That fixed the problem.
                          I tried it peer to peer with runtime on one pc and database on other. That worked also including rebuild index with no error.
                          I also tried it network optimized without a hitch.
                          I then applied the runtime build 230 patch to the runtime peice and tested.
                          I copied both application and runtime to CD and copied to server. When I tried to access the database on the server from the runtime on the server, I got a nasty message about a multi user file.
                          I reinstalled the original files on the server applied the build 230 patch, rebuilt indexes with no multi user message, and it worked from the server. Updated the runtime on four workstations with the build 230 and they also worked.
                          I don't know how the multi user file got lost or where it resides, so I don't know how to make a standard method to fix this in the future.
                          It's working NOW though.

                          A big THANKS to You and Stan for getting me out of trouble and going in the right direction, and your offer of support with attached database.
                          Vince

                          Comment


                            #14
                            RE: What is a .DBG file??

                            "application and runtime to CD and copied to server" - depending on the windows version and software used to copy the files to and from the CD, the files may wind up marked as "read-only" and you will need to change that file attribute.
                            There can be only one.

                            Comment


                              #15
                              RE: What is a .DBG file??

                              vincent,

                              the muf (multi-user file) is created by Alpha Five. It's how Alpha prevents you from using more current instances of Alpha Five than you've licensed. The MUF file bears the same name as your database I believe, but has an MUF extension. You will encounter the error message if you try to start more copies of Alpha Five than you have licenses for. ... or if you crash during development and Alpha never gets a chance to erase the MUF file on the way out, during a normal shut down.

                              -- tom

                              Comment

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