Error and Diagnostic Logs

Troubleshooting

ADS_ERR.DBF and ADS_ERR.ADT

For troubleshooting purposes, the Advantage Database Server and the Advantage Local Server maintain an error log. This log file is only created when an error occurs while executing an operation in the Advantage server code. Many times, a client workstation may encounter errors that the server is not notified of; therefore, nothing is logged in the server's error log file. The size of the file can be limited and its location can be set via Advantage configuration parameters. The most important fields are, Date and Time, Error Code, and Filename. Other useful information, such as the connect name, Advantage version, and OS type and version, can be found in the error log file.

Advantage will use either ADS_ERR.DBF or ADS_ERR.ADT as the log file. The default behavior beginning with v8.0 is to use ADS_ERR.ADT, which is the Advantage proprietary table (ADT) format. If Advantage cannot write to ADS_ERR.ADT, it will revert to ADS_ERR.DBF. In addition, the configuration parameter ERROR_LOG_TYPE=1 can be specified to force Advantage to use ADS_ERR.DBF. The default setting of ERROR_LOG_TYPE=2 specifies that Advantage should use ADS_ERR.ADT. The ADS_ERR.ADT error log format provides some additional flexibility in logging of errors. For example, error log includes a memo field named More_Info that may contain descriptive text for some errors. When viewing ADS_ERR.ADT, you should sort it by the ERROR_NUMBER index to view the errors in the order in which they were logged. Advantage Data Architect will, by default, select this index when ADS_ERR.ADT is opened.

Another benefit to using the ADS_ERR.ADT error log is that Advantage can write to the error log while it is open with Advantage Data Architect. If you have ADS_ERR.DBF open with any other application, Advantage will not be able to write to the error log.

If Advantage encounters any internal (9000 class) errors, it will still log them to ADS_ERR.DBF regardless of the ERROR_LOG_TYPE configuration parameter. Also, it is important to note that Advantage Local Server and Advantage Database Server cannot share the ADS_ERR.ADT log file. If the table is open, for example, by Advantage Local Server, then Advantage Database Server will not be able to open and write to it.

To force Advantage to use the ads_err.dbf log file, add the configuration parameter entry as follows:

For Advantage Database Server for Windows NT/2000/XP and for Windows 95/98/ME, add the parameter to the registry. Add a dword value of 1 with the name ERROR_LOG_TYPE.

The registry branch for Windows NT/2000/XP is:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Advantage\Configuration

 

WARNING Use the Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall the Windows operating system. If you are not familiar with the registry editor, allow an administrator to make the change for you. iAnywhere cannot guarantee that problems resulting from the incorrect use of the Registry Editor can be solved.

For Advantage Database Server for NetWare, Advantage Database Server for Linux, and Advantage Local Server, add the following entry to the configuration file (ads.cfg, ads.conf, and adslocal.cfg respectively).

ERROR_LOG_TYPE=1

Environment Check Log File

The environment check utilities are probably the most popular Advantage network troubleshooting tools. Perhaps the most valuable information is the output of a log file containing all of the pertinent network information for a client workstation.