Numbered Errors

CAVEAT:  Don't expect too much here.  For now, use your browser's FIND IN PAGE to search for the error number.  Keep reading if the error is not numeric.

You might find better and more current information in our Knowledge Base.   Be sure to enter your query in a format that resembles the error you see.  Do not type the program extension "BAS".  For example: 

error ## line program

Please do not just FAX a screen print of an error message.  That message asks you to explain what you were doing and you NEVER do that.  Support will just send you back that FAX with this text circled: together with information of what you were doing.

Errors can be grouped into categories as follows.

BASIC errors have 1- or 2-digit numbers in the ranges 1 - 20, 22 - 27, 29 - 30, 50 - 55, 57 - 58, 61 - 64, 66 - 76.  There are also EXTENDED BASIC errors numbered 100 - 127.

Most text (non-numeric) errors indicate mistakes, hardware problems, setup / configuration issues, network rule violations, and so forth.

Windows errors are not discussed here.  They are meaningless, mindless garbage usually indicating the address in memory where the problem occurred.  But since programs have no control over where in memory they are loaded, there is no way to determine from these messages WBTH/WGTFTH and why Windows is complaining about it.  Errors starting with "0028:" are frequently the result of failing hardware (motherboard or memory).  If you want to know the real error, you must prevent Windows from starting and run CharterHouse from DOS.

CharterHouse numbered errors have 3 digits with values in the range 200 - 254.  These errors usually indicate problems accessing data stored in files.

In general, CharterHouse error messages are in the format 

    ERROR ### IN LINE ##### OF program.BAS
The "LINE ##### OF" portion of the message may not be present.  The program name always ends with ".BAS"; of course, your programs all have ".EXE" names, not ".BAS" names because the BASIC source code has been compiled into executable format - so don't go looking for "program.BAS" as it appears in the error message, it isn't there...

"SS" and "ZSS" =
BASIC programs use a file number, not a file name, to access data files.  Valid numbers in CharterHouse programs are in the range of 0 (zero) through 19.  Anything higher than 19 indicates corruption; either in memory or in your data files!  So any "SS = " or "ZSS = " that contains a number higher than 19 is just not possible.  Cold reboot and try again; this will usually take care of any memory corruption.  If the same (or a similar) error occurs, look for garbage in the data.

Record access problems are often "fatal", meaning that you are forced to reboot your computer because nothing else works.

In spite of any message on your screen to the contrary, if you can't <Esc>ape or <Enter>, this is deliberate!  If you were to proceed, you would do further damage to your data files and we will not allow that.  (DIG:  Programming wrote those error screens.  They don't know that the error is deliberately fatal.  But Support knows, and we're the ones that matter.)

Fixed Assets must be run using FA.BAT.  Delete FA.EXE.  (The correct EXEc is now FA1). A record in the specified file cannot be found because there is no pointer in the data file that says where it is.  It exists in the file; it just cannot be found.  Reindex that file. A record in the specified file cannot be found.  Reindex that file. A value exceeds the expected receiving field size.  (Send a data backup.  We can sometimes fix this by changing the program.)  One of the more common reasons for this error is that you have entered a YEAR value of 2068 through 2079 in some date field.  Multiplication can trigger this, especially when two large values generate a huge product; check WEIGHTs in Inventory. A numeric value was expected but some "punctuation" character exists in the data.  Remove the non-numeric value from the data.  Yes, this used to be OK, but it isn't now.

For example, a percentage value was requested for the sales tax rate.  You entered 8.25%.  The program is objecting to the "%" because it is non-numeric.  Your entry is wrong anyway; the entry should be .0825.  Use the <F10> HELP key when the cursor is in the RATE field to see what is the expected (and the legal) data for this field.
Numeric values are: 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 . -
Non-numeric values that you might expect to be OK but that are not are 
$ , + %
OK, where do I look to find whatever it is I'm supposed to change?
Try AR <F4> #7; look in the RATE field for each record there.  Look in AR <F4> #3.  Look in Payroll <F1> #1.  Use your brain; where are rates entered?  Where did you type one of those illegal characters? You are attempting to run a program that is the wrong version for your Master Menu.

If you have just installed software, reinstall.  If you are attempting to run a module you don't own or didn't update, "Don't Do That, Sir (Madam)!".

Either the printer number is not 1 2 or 3 or you left out the colon or you are typing the wrong word.
Use the <Tab> key to erase the field and enter 1:NORMAL (which may not be correct for your setup but will normally get rid of an Error 52).

Error 52 says "Bad file number" or "Invalid file handle" or "File access error".  If all else fails, Reboot, Retry.

You have the wrong MMDATE.EXE installed.  MMDATE.EXE must be dated on or after 03/25/99. Edit C:\CONFIG.SYS where you must have a line 
FILES=45
(and no other line beginning with "FILE").  The value after the equal sign can range from 45 through 127.  Error 67 says "Not enough file handles". You are attempting to OPEN EXCLUSIVE a file that is already opened.  At least 95% of the time, this is because YOU already have that file open.  You did that by running the program twice, so Reboot, Retry.  We deliberately left any line number or program name out of the error line above because it is usually not relevant.

Error 70 says "Write Protected" or " Permission Denied".  This is the equivalent of "File in use access error" except that access errors are applicable to files opened SHARED.

Zing out of Master Menu.  Type ATTRIB -R -A -S -H *.*/S (we call this "rash") and then type EXIT.

On a NetWare network, FLAG all files Shared.

Error 71 says "Disk not ready" or "Drive door open".  If this occurs during printing, wait until the printer catches up and hit <Enter>; enable print spooling.

Zing out of Master Menu.  Type ATTRIB -R -A -S -H *.*/S (we call this "rash") and then type EXIT.

Error 75 says "Path or File access error" or "READ-ONLY attribute".

Netware:  If a user was deleted or moved, put him/her back.

HEARSAY:  At least one user reports that using the FULL-ACCESS password fixes this.

COLD REBOOT
Turn your computer off.  Wait 10 seconds or so and turn it back on.  That's a COLD REBOOT.

If you run Windows 9x, you should first attempt to use the SHUT DOWN from the START BUTTON.  If that does not "happen", then hit the Big Red Switch!  What Bad Thing can happen as the result of turning off your computer (and possibly your printer) that is worse than what's already happened?!  Aren't you glad that you back up every day?

CSAM
Say "SEE Sam", an acronym for "CharterHouse Sequential Access Method".

An indexed file structure that allows rapid access to a specific record in a file containing a (potentially) large number of records.  CSAM is proprietary to CharterHouse Software.

In the absence of some method for finding the correct record quickly, a program must read every record in the file, starting from the first, until it finds the one you requested.  When a file contains a large number of records, it can take a long time to find the correct record.

CSAM allows the record to be found by employing  pointers into the file that say where the record is.  The pointers are called "keys", which error messages refer to as "zwi".

This becomes important when a record cannot be found ("read"), added to the file ("write"), changed ("update") or deleted because the key value is wrong.  In a perfect world, the keys would never be wrong, but this is a computer and computers are not perfect.

QUOTE:  Anything that can go wrong will go wrong, and at the worst possible time.
Murphy  (You know Murphy.  She's the gal who wrote Murphy's Law).

GARBAGE REMOVAL
In the Purchase Order module, the best method for finding and removing garbage is to run POCLEAN.  In the Order Entry module, the best method for finding and removing garbage is to run OECLEAN.

CharterHouse sells a "Data Recovery" package that is very effective in finding and removing garbage.  (If you have custom software, the package can be configured to recognize non-standard files so that what might otherwise be considered garbage is recognized as good data.)  If you can't find and remove garbage from your data files by using file maintenance, then you should buy this software.  Tech Support refers to this package as "MMCSAM"  (say "M M SEE Sam") because the batch file that runs the package is MMCSAM.BAT.

How to recognize garbage:  We are often asked this question and are always surprised by it.  Garbage is easy to recognize because data is missing.   Or it contains happy faces, musical notes or other characters that are neither letters nor digits.  Numeric fields are always "right justified", meaning that there must not be any character (including spaces) to the right of the last digit, and unused positions to the left must always be 0 (zero) (or perhaps a minus sign).  Alphabetic fields are "left justified".  If a record is not properly justified, then it is garbage.  (A value that contains both digits and letters is "alphabetic".)

Using File Maintenance, <F5> finds the first record in a file (even if this is not shown as an option at the bottom of the screen, it usually works anyway).  Often, your garbage record will be the "F5 record".  The <F6> key finds the last record in a file.  Occasionally, the "F6 record" is the Bad Boy.  The key sequence <F5> <F3> (First, Previous), in the absence of a "FIRST RECORD" message, shows you a garbage record.  Similarly, <F6> <F4> (Last, Next), in the absence of a "LAST RECORD" message, shows you a garbage record.  Delete any such record!

GIGO
I say "Guy GO", you say "Gee GO", let's call the whole thing off.
(Abject apologies to George and Ira Gershwin.)

The above is a long-standing "computerese" term for "Garbage In always yields Garbage Out".

In order to find out why you get GO, we must have the GI.  FAX us your "setup" screens and anything else that documents WBTH/WGTFTH.

REBOOT, RETRY
Cold boot your computer.  Try the operation again.
PRINT SCREEN or SCREEN SHOT or SCREEN-SHOT
Windows 9x will not print your screen unless the display is FULL SCREEN, you press <Shift> <Print Screen> and there is a printer attached to your computer.  Even then, it often takes 45 seconds or more to send the screen to the printer.  And with a laser printer, nothing is printed - so you must eject the page manually; if you don't, you can't tell that there is an unprinted partial page in the printer that is waiting to get full before the printer ejects the page.

If the screen is WINDOWED, your screen may print but will probably be illegible.

If there is no printer attached to your computer then it is unlikely that you can print your screen.  In the case where all your printers are on a network, then your chances of printing screen are dismal.

But remember, you can see your screen; we can't.

PROVE IT
Please remember, this is NOT combative.  When Support or Programming asks you to prove your claim that some Bad Thing Happens or that some Good Thing Fails To Happen, we really do NOT doubt your word!

What we want is for you to show us that the expected result should occur but fails to happen.  And that means that you must provide documentation from your data, explain what you expect and show us that your expectations are not met even though your data is correct.

WBTH/WGTFTH
The above is TM John
It means "What Bad Thing Happens or What Good Thing Fails To Happen?

Support expects you to be able to describe WBTH/WGTFTH and when - lucidly, please.

What is the exact error message?  What were you doing at the time?  If there is a report that shows the problem, FAX the page(s) that show the problem.  If you attempted to fix the problem, what have you already tried?  If the problem has a pattern, what steps are necessary to cause the problem to occur?  If it worked yesterday but fails today, what changed?


ZING
We say "zing" because the keystrokes are <Z> and <!> and Z! seems best described as "zing".

From the Master Menu, type <Z> into the PLEASE ENTER YOUR SELECTION prompt, press <Enter>, type <!> into the PROGRAM TO RUN prompt and press <Enter>.  When you have finished whatever it is you're doing from the DOS prompt, be sure to type EXIT and <Enter>.  If you changed directory (CD  dirname), be sure to return to the original directory before you EXIT; else you'll crash.

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