Help! Can't start the program / error loading file / record

[Rory]

John,

I'm having a big problem starting the program. I can't get in at all.

Whenever I start the program, I get an error that says:

error loading file - record number 28 frmdonormain <or one of ...
Line number: 134
Line with error: do c:\donor5\donor.exe[] (with a little box behind it)
Module: dmmain

What should I do?

It seems as if my file is corrupt. How do I track down which one it is? Does anything in the error message tell me? Should I replace all the data files with the quikback files?

I'm asking because I'm trying to get out an (overdue) newsletter and am anticipating the day when you might not be as accessible when some glitch occurs. These sort of problems happen at the most inopportune times (which isn't too surprising, actually).

Again, the error message I get is:

This time the error is: error loading file - record number 28 frmdonormain <or one of ...
Line number: 134
Line with error: do c:\donor5\donor.exe[] (with a little box behind it)
Module: dmmain

Blessings and thanks again for your help,

Rory

[jmuehleisen]

Most of the time errors like this are caused by just one file getting messed
up: the monthstat.dbf file.

I'll email you a good copy of the monthstat.dbf. Save this into your Donor Manager data folder (default: c:\donor5\data) and see if that helps.

If it doesn't, then try this: Zip up the contents of your \data folder and send it to me so I can take a look and diagnose this for you.

[Rory]

John,

The monthstat.dbf did it. I'm back in business. I'll keep a fresh copy of that file just in case.

Thanks!

Rory

[jmuehleisen]

Ahhh.

Very good. I'm glad that you are back in. That's the only file that sometimes gets messed, up (and I'm not exactly sure why).

Just for future reference, here is some info that may help. Some of this you may already know.

The donor manager stores its data in a series of tables that are in the data folder (by default: c:\donor5\data, but this may change if you install the DM elsewhere). Each of the main data tables ends in .dbf, and their meaning is fairly clear by their name.

The main tables are:

• Donor
  Gift
  Event
  Touch
  Moreinfo
  Dotype
  Denom
  Region
  Pledgesource
  Monthstat

And a few other minor tables.

Now, when the DM fires up, it tries to open each of these tables. If it fails, you the the error message you got (which is actually rather unhelpful).

Now, this can help you troubleshoot.

When the DM installs on your computer, it also installs a program called "fox6command". It should be on your \Start\Programs\DonorManager menu, and exists as an exe program in the donor manager folder.

Run this, and you can issue FoxPro commands directly against your data. Here are a few common commands (with some explanation).

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set path to data

look in the data folder for the files

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use donor

the "use" command means "open this data file" so you can say "use <any data file here>". The extension of .dbf is assumed.

This can be helpful in identifying which table is causing problems. Just type "use ..." and put the table names above in one at a time. If it sucessfully opens the table, you just go to the next line, ready for another command. If it can't open the table (for whatever reason), it will give you an error message.

So, for example:

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use monthstat

this line would have probably reported an error "not a FoxPro table" or something like that. That's your clue that you have found the guilty party.


Here are some other useful commands:

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browse

pulls up your data in a spreadsheet format. Be careful! You are editing live!

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browse noedit

this pulls up your data, but "read only"

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edit

brings up your data, but one record at a time

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quit

get out of the command prompt program

You may never need this stuff, but it is helpful to know. See you later.

[jmuehleisen]

Just to update folks on the status of this.

Beginning with version 5.32.27, the Donor Manager now checks the status of the monthstat.dbf on start up, and fixes it "on the fly" if is finds a problem.

So, hopefully, these "error loading file .... record ..." problems will be over (at least those related to the monthstat.dbf!).

[andre.vw]

Hi John, I'm having the same problem that Rory had back in 2004. When I try to start DM, I get the same error message:

Error Message: error laoding file - record number 31. frmdonormain <or one of...
Line Number: 143
Line with error: do "c:\program files\donor manager\donor.exe"
Module: dmmain

I've tried the fixes in this thread, I've tried re-installing, but I keep getting the same message. The only thing that's been working for me for quite some time now is that instead of opening DM, I re-install it every time I want to use it -- it's the only way I can gain access to the software and my info. So I have it working for me but I have an error somewhere. Any ideas for a fix?

I'm running Windows Vista. I had updated to DM 5.39 but now I just keep re-installing 5.38 for each use, which seems to be working.

Andre

[andre.vw]

I just read elsewhere in the forum about an upcoming update:

Then, there will be another update coming out after that which will be a minimal upgrade of the program from a Visual FoxPro 6 foundation to a Visual FoxPro 9 foundation. This should address any Vista compatability issues and will be the foundation for the next "round" of significant new features.

Hopefully that will solve my problem...

[jmuehleisen]

Andre,

I don't think the error you are getting is related to a VISTA incompatability. Somewhere there is a data file that isn't getting opened properly.

Are you able to get into the program at all, or are you "locked out?"

[paxerit]

Hi John,
I am experiencing the same problem as the one Andre describes. After attempting the latest upgrade (5.39 I think) and importing the latest Wycliffe statement I got repeated errors and after forcefully shutting down the program it brings up the described error message every time i try to restart it. If I then go and uninstall it and reinstall it i am able to restore my data, but if I then close the program and reopen it, I get the same error message and have to reinstall again.
One thing that hasn't been mentioned above but that I see each time I hit the "try again to run the same code" button is a box in the top right corner that says "Error Number is: 2005". If I say to ignore the problem, I can access the menus, but if i select anything I just get more errors.
Thanks for this program! It's been a great help to us.
Tim

PS: i forgot to mention that i tried the "use xxx" command in the foxpro console for every dbf file in my data directory and got no errors.

[jmuehleisen]

Sorry you are having problems.

If you can, zip up your data folder and send it john@donormanager.com by email and I'll take a look.

As a general rule, errors like this don't respond to a program uninstall/ reinstall. The problem is not with the program. The problem is with the data.