Unhandled Exception

[jeffemery]

Re: Unhandled Exception

As I mentioned in past posts, we run 40 workstations in a manufacturing environment. I took an informal 'departmental poll' today and found that, every day, every department gets one or more Unhandled Exceptions. Some get several. What is really sad is everyone now accepts it as a fact of life, and by inference, Alpha is an inferior piece of software. This is not a problem we experienced prior to V9, and I have been running Alpha software since A4, transitioning to A5 under V3.

So, it is a problem with V9, and it is discouraging that Alpha has been so quiet on the problem.

V9 has terrific features, and V10 looks to be more of the same, but the constant crashing pretty much makes it all irrelevant in the eyes of those that use the system.

I would not want to count the hours I have spent trying to fix the problem. Lets just say there are a lot more productive things I could have been doing with my time. It has been, and remains, discouraging.

All of our workstations run Network Optimized Shadow Data Bases. Their seems to be some who posted that believe the problem may be buried somewhere in the network optimization. I would be willing to reconfigure all of my workstations away from network optimization to see if that helps. I'll let you know.

[jeffemery]

Re: Unhandled Exception

One more thought. This problem is not related to complex routines, forms, etc. It occurs on a simple 'return to previous form' button, whose code has been generated by the genie. The button works 99 times, and on the 100th you get an Unhandled Exception.

This type of button would not need to access the server in a network optimized environment; which is why I've been sceptical that it is a networking type of problem. However, at this point I'm willing to try anything.

[Al_MacT]

Re: Unhandled Exception

Thankfully, "Unhandled Exceptions" seem to be a thing of the past for us.

1. OS = Vista with all updates. All desktops will have dual core processors and have at least 2GB RAM. 50 Users in total with a normal level of 15 to 20 concurrent users.

2. Networked, Windows Server 2003 on HP Quad Core 3GHz server.

3. A5 v9 Build 2095_3264 Platinum and Unlimited RunEngine. One or two copies of V8 still installed.

4. Sophos Antivirus.

5. Gigabit network with new switches and appropriate network cards.

6. Using only DBF at present.

To be fair, Unhandled Exceptions were a rarity on our old servers/network and PCs.

What I have noticed since moving to Vista is the occasional visit of the "spinning wheel" and a note to say that the "application has stopped responding".

A "stopped responding" incident can be brought on by, for example, "impatient, multiple clicking of a button. This is not usually fatal and order is usually restored after a minute or so. This is not restricted to Alpha 5 and I have seen it happen to Lotus Notes, Firefox and MS Word.

[jkletrovets]

Re: Unhandled Exception

As I mentioned in past posts, we run 40 workstations in a manufacturing environment. I took an informal 'departmental poll' today and found that, every day, every department gets one or more Unhandled Exceptions. Some get several. What is really sad is everyone now accepts it as a fact of life, and by inference, Alpha is an inferior piece of software. This is not a problem we experienced prior to V9, and I have been running Alpha software since A4, transitioning to A5 under V3.

So, it is a problem with V9, and it is discouraging that Alpha has been so quiet on the problem.

I agree Jeff and can sense/share your frustration. The users form a perception...software such as this has to just work...all the time. It sure would be nice if someone from Alpha would say one way or the other if they are working on this or if this is a non-issue to them.

V9 has terrific features, and V10 looks to be more of the same, but the constant crashing pretty much makes it all irrelevant in the eyes of those that use the system.

Very well said Jeff.

All of our workstations run Network Optimized Shadow Data Bases. Their seems to be some who posted that believe the problem may be buried somewhere in the network optimization. I would be willing to reconfigure all of my workstations away from network optimization to see if that helps. I'll let you know.

Since my earlier post on this subject, I had to abandon Network Optimization on the app in question because Network Optimization cannot deal with image reference fields properly (but that is another story).

Anyway, currently I am (luckily) experiencing hardly any unhandled exception errors. Here is a summary of the client's current configuration that is working satisfactorily at the moment.

1. Changed all network cards to 1GB. I believe network speed and the speed of the computers attached make a difference...but I could be wrong.
2. Make sure to do a Database Compact after any new development.
3. I rebuilt all indexes to their original specs using Cal Locklin's Index Rebuild Utility.
4. Make sure all spyware and antivirus software COMPLETELY ignores the Alpha Program Directory as well as the entire data directory.


Just thought I would throw it out as another piece to the pie...

Jeff

[Bonbon]

Re: Unhandled Exception

Pete,
I agreee. Just curious before you ran network optimize, and when you were running standalone, was your data file on your local harddrive or was it on a network drive?

It sems to me that this problem is indeed related to network usage as you suggest.

I wonder why nobody from ALPHA has chimed in yet.

Hi Dean, sorry for the delay. The data sits on my desktop machine's local hard drive, and is used stand-alone nearly all the time. In this instance, I guess the desktop's local drive took on the role of a network drive, as I was accessing it from the laptop, over our home wireless network.

I haven't had a problem with it since, fingers crossed, but the problem is obviously affecting many people. It would be nice to get a statement from Alpha as to whether or not they intend to try to sort it out, so that we know where we stand.

[jkletrovets]

Re: Unhandled Exception

Well..I spoke too soon. I had a customer get 2 of these so far today.....who knows.......

[Michael Humby]

Re: Unhandled Exception

I personally don't think it is a network problem, since I often see unhandled error appear on stand alone PCs and Laptops.

Michael

[dbuccheri]

Re: Unhandled Exception

I agree that it would be nice to have somebody from Alpha show some interested in this issue. I will say that my situation got much better when I moved my database from a SBS2008 server to a Windows 2003 server.

Looking at the last couple responses however, I don't think anything is conclusive other than many customers are having a problem, many of us have worked hard to help each other, and nothing from Alpha.

It seems that all the energey is being focused on V10, and the loyal customers of V9 are forgotten. I

Very Frustrating.

[Al_MacT]

Re: Unhandled Exception

I have just encountered the first of these in a long time.

The message:

"SCRIPT:UI_DLG_BOX:define Link line:206
Validate_data(vl)
An unhandled exception was generated"

What was I doing?

Changing a file in a Set but forgetting to delete the link prior to replacing it with a new file. The error appeared when I pasted the link into the expression builder (the link is a concatenation of fields).

Nothing much happened when I dismissed the error message other than getting a message to advise me of the error of my ways (i.e., delete the old link first). There was no immediate need to close the application or Alpha5.

Have tried to replicate the event but, on subsequent attempts, I am only told the "Child Key Expression is not valid".

Al

[Bill Warner]

Re: Unhandled Exception

I've seen this error on stand-alone computers, and on networks, so I don't think the network optimization is the sole culprit (although it might be contributing the the problem). I've seen it on XP and Vista computers, so no obvious help there, either.

What's worse, I've had the program completely lock on me (without the courtesy of the "unhandled exception" error message), sometimes repeatedly. One horrific example was when I was working with my customer using GoToMyPC - V9 locked about 30 times in one hour (this is NOT an exaggeration!). I suspect GoToMyPC was in part to blame, but then again I've used that program for years with no problems when using earlier versions of Alpha. There's something wrong if the memory resources used by GoToMyPC are such that V9 cannot coexist in the same memory environment (and, before you ask, I have a Quad-Core computer with 4 GB of RAM, which should provide more than enough resources).

Bottom line - if many of you have apps that worked well in V8 but have these problems in V9, there's not much doubt that V9 has a problem.

Alpha, I hope you're listening - the natives are getting restless.

[MikeC]

Re: Unhandled Exception

Bill,

if many of you have apps that worked well in V8 but have these problems in V9

That may be a key point/way to help figure it out...I do think it is memory related and not a conflict...but again, no proof. How would you go about proving this anyway?? May do a bit of research on just that but do not think there is a direct method to do so.

(BTW 4 gigs of memory, unless on a 64 system, can only utilize a bit over 3 gigs---which still should be ample I agree!)

[Richard Rabins]

Re: Unhandled Exception

Bill

Our development team is happy to assist you!

I just received this message from one of our developers
Thanks Richard

"Bill

We have repeatedly requested a copy of your application to test. However, you have not sent it - so we can't test it to determine what the problem may be.

The only memory related errors I have seen are on systems that are running on very low resources, either from a small amount of actual RAM or running many resource hungry application simultaneously. Then Windows resorts to page swapping, which can cause timing issues and other major slowdowns. But these are extreme cases.

If you want us to find your problem, we need an example so we can simulate your conditions. Otherwise, we are just guessing."

[CALocklin]

Re: Unhandled Exception

FWIW:

I personally don't think it is a network problem, since I often see unhandled error appear on stand alone PCs and Laptops.

I, too, have had customers with these issues when running on stand alone PCs. I've had more "weird issues" than I've had unhandled exceptions but I have had unhandled exceptions.

What I have noticed is that the issues generally seem to occur when usage gets heavier. I can't prove it but it seems to be related to how many forms are getting opened and closed. Many of my customers tend to be low usage most of the day then get busier about 3:00 in the afternoon. Problems usually start around 4:00.

...The message:

"SCRIPT:UI_DLG_BOX:define Link line:206
Validate_data(vl)
An unhandled exception was generated"

This "UI_DLG_BOX" error has actually become so common that I've had to tell a number of users that the only solution when that happens is to shut down the application and restart it. Sometimes they can continue without restarting but, when they do, it isn't long before other strange things start happening.

One rather unusual solution I've verified is that simply logging in remotely with LogMeIn will often (but not always) solve the problem. I use LogMeIn with many of my clients and began to see the pattern so I finally did a couple "tests" with one particular client. She made sure she could repeat the error (whatever error happened to crop up that day) by doing "it" 3 times in a row, called me, and I simply logged in but did not do anything else - not even move my mouse - once I could see her screen. As soon as I was logged in she tried to create the error the same way she had before but now it was "fixed". I've now done this twice with her. I'm trying to convince her to move back to v8 and see if that will solve her problems.

By the way, the customer mentioned above bought the computer just to run my program. It has 2 meg of memory, XP, and a decent processor. She has Office 2007 on the system but it is seldom used/running. Most times when I log in to her system, my app is the only thing in the Applications tab of the Task Manager. She does have a laptop networked in - hard wired - but it is seldom used unless her daughter is home from college and helping her out with the business.

[Michael Humby]

Re: Unhandled Exception

Likewise, I cannot pin point this or replicate the error and my customers are all using the same application, some get the error others do not. However during development I can see this a lot when making changes to custom menus and toolbars on reports. (I can live with the error during development)

My applications have been moved up from V4.5 so I have always assumed the error may be associated with the upgrade.

I am still using an earlier V9 build because of another related problem that occurs in the latest build so I have always assumed the error may be associated with the build.

I would like to know from any one out there who experiences this error so that I can eliminate the possible causes:

1. Are your applications moved up from V4.5?
2. Are you using the latest V9 build?
3. Does anyone else during development get a hang after closing with Alpha toolbar still showing on the desktop and the only way to get rid is ctrl-alt-del?

I personally think that the error may be connected to custom menus and toolbars

Michael

[dbuccheri]

Re: Unhandled Exception

The short answer to all three of your questions from me are yes.

RWe don't have wimpy computers here. All are XP pro with a miniumum of 2G, and 3 in most cases. Don't have a lot of resources running. MS-Office. MOA Accounting, A very small VOIP utility and that is it. Problem still occurs when all that stuff is off.

We are using active link tables which I am curious to know if other's experiencing the problem are. I have other posts out there with other issues with active link tables as well.

Again, I am amazed that switching from the SBS Server to the Win 2003 server reduced the problems by 80%. So while I don't exactly agree with that the problm is 100% resources, I do think that does play a little to exasperate the problem.

I do echo everyone else though that I NEVER (NEVER EVER) had this problem is V8. The only difference between V8 and V9 appliation was to convert passive links to active links.

Regarding the request for sending the application from Richard to Bill, sometimes that is easier said than done. This is especially try in my case where the entire appliation revolves around a SQL Server / Windows Server / MOA server that can not easily be compressed into a zip file and emailed. It seems with the number of people complaining that this problem is not isolated to Bill's mine or anyone else's application.