Softfile Guide: Appendix E

Appendix E: Fatal Errors

Fatal errors prevent Softfile from continuing. The program prints a message and stops running. This section presents a list of such messages and, for each message, a number in brackets to indicate the proper recovery procedures. Here are the recovery procedures:
  1. Softfile may not be installed correctly. Try the program again. If the same thing happens, re-install Softfile. If the problem persists, see [2] below.

  2. This is a problem with the operating system. Your computer may be too busy to perform the operations requested by Softfile. Try again when fewer processes are running. If the problem persists, report it to RTG for analysis.

  3. This problem is within the Softfile program rather than in the files or the computer system. Try to determine whether the problem is connected with specific database records or a certain sequence of Softfile commands. Report such problems to RTG for analysis.

  4. To recover, restart your computer. Then back up your database. Be sure you don't erase your previous backup, since you may need it if these recovery procedures are unsuccessful. Finally, do the Reset command in the Softfile Utilities program, sfutil.

  5. Your database is corrupted. Follow the procedures in [4] above, but after the Reset command also do the Compress command. If this does not solve the problem, go to [6] below.

  6. This problem indicates your database is corrupted or your hard disk is not working properly. Follow the procedures in [4] above. Then try Softfile again. If you get another fatal error, you have two choices: (1) restore the database from a backup, or (2) re-index the database. The first choice means you will lose data entered after that backup was made. The second choice, re-indexing, takes a long time, and success is not guaranteed.

    If you decide to re-index the database, repeat the procedure in [4] to reset the database. This time, after you do the Reset command, also do the Compress command and the Index command in the Softfile Utilities program. These steps should fix any problems with the database. If you continue to have problems, suspect a problem outside of Softfile (such as a problem with your computer).

The fatal error messages are listed below in alphabetical order. N represents a number, F represents a file name, and W represents a word.

Bad header for record N [5]

Record N in the database is corrupted.
Cannot allocate string space [2]
Softfile ran out of memory. This record will not be indexed properly.
Cannot change terminal settings [2]
Softfile could not set your terminal properly. (Unix)
Cannot communicate with F [1]
Softfile ran the named program but now cannot communicate with it. (Unix)
Cannot delete record [5]
The database is corrupted.
Cannot find entry for terminal T [2]
No entry was found describing the terminal T, which is the type of terminal the TERM variable says you are using. (Unix)
Cannot get terminal settings [2]
Softfile must be able to read the terminal settings so they can be restored when it exits. (Unix)
Cannot lock data file [2]
Softfile must lock the data file temporarily before it can use it. The system would not lock the file, possibly because too many other programs had locked files.
Cannot open file F [6]
Cannot open stream for file F
Softfile could not access one of the index files for your database. Most likely a file has been erased.
Cannot open index file F [5]
One of the index files for this database is missing or cannot be read.
Cannot open pipe A [2]
Cannot open pipe B
These are internal errors, which may result if too many processes are running on the computer. Try again. (Unix)
Cannot open terminal database [2]
Softfile uses the system's terminal descriptions to determine how to talk to the terminal. Softfile could not access that database. (Unix)
Cannot read data file header line N [5]
Softfile could not read the beginning of the main database file, although it was able to open the file. This could occur if the file is empty (or nearly so), or if a disk error occurs.
Cannot read TERM variable [2]
The environment variable TERM is not defined, so Softfile cannot determine what type of terminal you are using. (Unix)
Cannot reread file header [4]
Most likely a disk problem.
Cannot seek to end of data file [4]
Most likely a disk problem.
Cannot unlock data file [2]
The system let Softfile lock a file but then would not unlock the file.
Child cannot close pipe A [2]
Child cannot close pipe B
These are internal errors which should not occur. (Unix)
Could not run F [1]
Softfile tried to execute the program F, which is part of Softfile itself, but could not. The named program may be missing, or the system may be too busy to run another program.
Dictionary file in use [2]
This database is currently being used by another user. Try again. If you get the same message, you may have a problem with the operating system. You may need to restart the computer to fix this.
edit: no NULL after text lines [1]
edit parameter error: rows=N, cols=N
An internal error probably due to a corrupted program file. If it recurs, try to re-install Softfile.
End of file reading data file [5]
End of file reading record N
Part of the database is missing, possibly due to disk problems.
ERROR: Cannot seek to end of word file [6]
ERROR: Cannot seek to end of reference file
ERROR: End of file reading dictionary word (W)
These are fatal errors caused by a problem with the database's index files.
Error reading pipe [1]
Softfile cannot communicate with one of its programs. Other messages may give more information. (Unix)
Error resetting terminal [2]
Softfile cannot reset your terminal to the way it was before Softfile ran. You may have trouble logging out after Softfile finishes. (Unix)
File F is not a Softfile data file [6]
The named file does not have the proper format for a Softfile database. The database is corrupted and should be restored from a backup copy.
Internal error N [3]
This follows an internal error from which Softfile cannot recover. The number N and the preceding error message should be noted and reported to RTG.
Next record (N) deleted [5]
A chain of attached records is corrupted. If the standard recovery procedure (which uses the Softfile Utilities Compress command) does not solve the problem, you may have to Output the records to disk, delete them, and Import them.
No memory to save string [3]
Softfile ran out of memory and cannot continue.
No response from dictionary program [1]
No response from printing program
Softfile expects to find certain programs in the Softfile directory. One of those programs is not working correctly.
Offset of record N is N [5]
The database is corrupted.
Output is not to a terminal [2]
Softfile's standard output cannot be directed to a device which is not a terminal, because Softfile needs to know what type of terminal it is talking to. (Unix)
Parent cannot close pipe A [2]
Parent cannot close pipe B
These are internal errors which should not occur. (Unix)
Previous record (N) deleted [5]
A chain of attached records is corrupted. If the standard recovery procedure (which uses the Softfile Utilities Compress command) does not solve the problem, you may have to Output the records to disk, delete them, and Import them.
Printing error [1]
The Output command failed, possibly because the program "softprint" was not found in the Softfile directory.
Record N was deleted [5]
The database is corrupted.
Record numbers don't match [5]
The database is corrupted.
Seek error on data file, offset N [5]
Seek error on index file 0
The database is corrupted.
Too many words [3]
This record contains more words than Softfile can handle. Contact RTG for assistance.
Write error in data file [6]
Softfile cannot write to the main data file.

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