BIG trouble here

[gloala]

I can't open my database at all. One of the users said that when they were trying to find a record using a key they got an error message (they couldn't tell me what it was) When I tried to reindex the database, I got this error:

"Error, no such table occurred while trying to start application."

Then it says there is an unrecoverable error, unhandled exception, Alpha 5 will do a forced termination.

I just downloaded the latest patch, but this was happening before I did that. I was hoping the patch may help. Now I get a new error.

"Unhandled exception (access violation the thread tried to read from or write to a virtual address for which it does not have appropriate access)

Then it shuts down A5.

I have rebooted all the computers, including the server. Nothing changes.

HELP!

Linda

EDITED TO ADD: WHen I try to view the field rules, none of the fields show up - just gibberish. I opened the DBF file in excel and all the records are there. I just can't see them in A5. This looks really bad.

[Dan Blank]

Re: BIG trouble here

Hi Linda,

Sounds like something is corrupt in your database. What I would do is to copy the contents of the folder to another folder.Then create a new database based on the "copied" folder. The new database should have zero tables. Then Press the Green Plus symbol and add only one table. See if you incur any errors. Open forms etc. If it goes well add another table. Again test for errors. Continue adding one table at a time testing for errors. Then add sets, testing for errors. Eventually you will find the problem and can then start to work on finding and fixing the error.

If you don't have any errors after all that, go to the database properties and add the library from the original database. See if your error occurs then.


Have Fun,

[G Gabriel]

Re: BIG trouble here

Linda:
I am guessing:
You had your DB set to open to a certain layout.
You have since deleted or changed te name of the layout, or worse, changed the name of the table.

Go to the contorl panel, databse properties and re-assign the layout.

[gloala]

Re: BIG trouble here

Gabriel - I haven't touched the database in months. I've had some indexing problems and have to recreate the indexes - that's all I've changed. I don't delete or rename anything, as a rule, except the index names maybe because I couldn't remember them.

Dan - I tried what you suggested and I found the problem table, which, of course, has most of my data in it. I can add the table to the database, but can't do anything.

Opening the default form: "Not found obj:tables not found"
Running a report: "variable type mismatch"

When I try to duplicate the database structure:

"script:template line:16 tbl=table.open (table_name) variable type mismatch"

I can't add the other tables in the copied empty database. I get this message:

"Cannot be added to this database because it is secured and bound to another database."

I suspect I will have to restore this morning's backup, but I also suspect whatever is corrupt is in that backup and things just blew up today.

Yuck.

Thanks for your help.

Linda

[Al Buchholz]

Re: BIG trouble here

Linda

Try restoring just the .adb,.alx,.alm,.alb files and see if that clears up your problem.

The bound to another database message is because you had Alpha's security turned on....

[gloala]

Re: BIG trouble here

Thanks Al,

I tried just restoring those files and it didn't work. I can restore everything though and things work as well as they did this morning. So, that's what I'm going to do. I'm worried though. There's something bad in there.

My indexes were disappearing, so Gabriel suggested to me in another thread that I should compact the database and maybe that would fix the corruption. I've tried, and I can't do it. I keep getting the message:

"Could not update TABLE. Do you want to drop it from the database." NO

I've shut everything down, including the server, and it still won't compact.

What else can I do to find the corruption? I have a bad feeling that this will happen again if I don't find it and fix it.

Linda

[Al Buchholz]

Re: BIG trouble here

Linda

Not sure how to debug that problem other than brute force watching for the problem to occur as you do each step of the system.

Watch for table copies that overwrite the target table. Do the indices disappear completely or just truncate to a 10 character name?

[John Hertzler]

Re: BIG trouble here

Thanks Al,

I tried just restoring those files and it didn't work. I can restore everything though and things work as well as they did this morning. So, that's what I'm going to do. I'm worried though. There's something bad in there.

My indexes were disappearing, so Gabriel suggested to me in another thread that I should compact the database and maybe that would fix the corruption. I've tried, and I can't do it. I keep getting the message:

"Could not update TABLE. Do you want to drop it from the database." NO

I've shut everything down, including the server, and it still won't compact.

What else can I do to find the corruption? I have a bad feeling that this will happen again if I don't find it and fix it.

Linda

[gloala]

Re: BIG trouble here

Al, they completely disappear. Gabriel said that sometimes compacting the database will solve the disappearing index problem. After reading all the old threads on the compact problem, I was finally able to do it. Now, I hope the corruption problem is solved. Thanks for your help.

Linda

[John Hertzler]

Re: BIG trouble here

"Could not update TABLE. Do you want to drop it from the database." NO
this suggest that that table is open.

As for your problems:
There are program available that reportedly will repair corrupt data bases. Before learning to backup, backup, backup � I used one with success many years back. Do a Google search. A lot depends on how valuable the data is to recover, on whether it makes send to spend the money.

Since you can open the table in Excel, you might try saving from excel back as a db file.. Of course before you make any changes back everything up, so that things don�t get worse. Good luck.

[G Gabriel]

Re: BIG trouble here

Linda:
1-

Gabriel said that sometimes compacting the database will solve the disappearing index problem

To clarify: Compacting a DB, would not restore your indices. I was suggesting that as a resolution to corrupted records or files.

2-When You try to compact the DB, and get a message: "can not compact table so & so", that means an instance of that table is open. Since you do not see that table open, you cannot close it. You could:
a-Close and re-open the DB, or
b-run a script: A5_ForceCloseTables(). In fact, I suggested that you add this script to all your layouts OnExit event, so you never have to deal with this issue again.

3-To your current thread:
The good news is the data is intact. Really, you have to do something extra-ordinary to destroy your data. So there is no need to panic. Your data is there, you just cannot see it with alpha.

There are many ways to bring the data back to alpha. One of these, while it seems easy and the most hassle-free, is to open the tables in Excel, then save them as a dbf file. while this appears easy, it is very sinister though: if you do not save them properly, you will loose a great deal of the data. If you save in dbf format, then you could add them to alpha with no need for further actions, assuming the dictionary is intact.

The second best, is to open the tables in Excel, save them as 123 wk3 file then import them into alpha.

while this solves your problem, it does not explain it nor provide you with any suggestions as to how to avoid it in the future. Part of that is the fact that the initial error message is not known.

[gloala]

Re: BIG trouble here

Gabriel, I probably should have posted how I eventually solved the problem (well, at least temporarily) -

I deleted the .$$M file and reopened the database
I ran the a5_forceclosetables() command (thank you for that advice)
I packed the database

Then I was able to compact the database. I'm not sure which of those things did it, but I needed to all of them before it worked.

Everything seemed fine after that. Except this morning they were still having indexing problems. I reindexed and everything was fine again. Here's what I noticed. When I backup the database, I can see it compacting the file. After that, I look in the directory and the .$$M file has returned. Isn't it supposed to go away?

Linda

[G Gabriel]

Re: BIG trouble here

Linda:

Isn't it supposed to go away?

It' is, but it does not.

There is something in the help file about that, I can't get my hands on right now and I have to leave for an appointment. I will try to locate it for you later if you have not found it by then.

[G Gabriel]

Re: BIG trouble here

Linda:

MPX or .$$M are temporary file containing the indexing information generated by a query against a table. Alpha Five should delete them when exiting but does not always do.


The following script removes unwanted temporary files.
function RaysCleanup as V ()
thread_create(thread_name_create("Ray's cleanup"),<<%code%
dim self as P
dim files as C
self = thread.current()
self.set_priority(-2)
files = filefind.get(a5.Get_private_Path() + chr(92) + "$$*.*",0,"pn")
*for_each(x,file.remove(x),files)
files = filefind.get(a5.Get_private_Path() + chr(92) + "*.pdf",0,"pn")
*for_each(x,file.remove(x),files)
files = filefind.get(a5.get_path() + chr(92) + "$$*.*",0,"pn")
*for_each(x,file.remove(x),files)
%code%)
end function

"http://msgboard.alphasoftware.com/alphaforum/"]"http://support.alphasoftware.com/alphafivehelp/Functions/THREAD_CREATE().htm"]http://support.alphasoftware.com/alphafivehelp/Functions/THREAD_CREATE().htm  

[Tom Cone Jr]

Re: BIG trouble here

g,

I think there's a database setting that controls whether temporary query lists are deleted on exit. -- tom