Memo field data corruption 1

[RGJ]

A multi user program that I wrote in FP2.5 has been running quite happily for several years. Recently memo fields have started to be corrupted when a record is saved. Memos greater than about 500 characters start repeating themselves in blocks. (e.g. a field of say 2000 characters would be saved as the first 500 characters four times). The data files are served form a Netware 4.11 server, the program is run locally on each workstation.<br><br>I'm really not sure whether this is a FoxPro problem or a network OS problem. The server is operating normally as regards all other file serving requirements.<br><br>It doesn't matter which workstation is used - all are affected. Server memory should be ample (128Mb) upgraded last year.<br><br>Any suggestions anyone?

 

[dgrewe]

Soulds like the memo file header is corrupt.<br>Look at the size of the memo file, FPD can not access a file larger then 2.gig.<br><br>If the file size is not a problem and if you have enought drive space and if the memo header is not totally hosed, try this when you can get the file exclusive:<br>use xxx.dbf<br>copy with cdx to temp.dbf<br>use<br>delete xxx.dbf&nbsp;&nbsp;(and cdx and ftp)<br>rename temp.dbf to xxx.dbf (and cdx and ftp) <p>David W. Grewe<br><a href=mailtoave@internationalbid.net>Dave@internationalbid.net</a><br><a href= > </a><br>

 

[RGJ]

Thanks for the response David.<br>I resorted to backup files AND following your suggestion.<br>Worked OK, but only for a while - now back to corruption again.<br><br>I'm now trying rebuilding all tables from old backups, i.e. using old tables (&gt;3 years) zapping them, then appending all the latest records and rebuilding indexes.<br>I'll let you know...

 

[dgrewe]

As You know Rebuilding the files again is only treating the symptioms and not fixing the cause of the problem.<br><br>Cutting up the conversations I get the following.<br>&quot;I wrote in FP2.5 has been running quite happily for several years.&quot;<br>&quot;Recently memo fields have started to be corrupted.&quot;<br>What changed recently (Last several months) in the network enviroment. Not just the server I mean Workstations, hubs, routers ??? <br><br>&quot;I resorted to backup files.&quot;<br>&quot;Worked OK, but only for a while - now back to corruption again.&quot;<br>&quot;the program is run locally on each workstation.&quot;<br>By some chance did (&quot;A&quot workstation just get a new hard drive and FAT32 installed. Did a new computer come in with FAT32 or WinNT with HPFS&nbsp;&nbsp;installed.&nbsp;&nbsp;Are these workstations creating files on the local Hard drive replacing the memo field with that file?&nbsp;&nbsp;Remember Novell 4.x is a FAT has a 16bit translation table. It does not know what to do with a FAT32 or HPFS files. <p>David W. Grewe<br><a href=mailtoave@internationalbid.net>Dave@internationalbid.net</a><br><a href= > </a><br>

 

[patdempsey]

dSalvage works very well with FP 2.5 for memo fields.&nbsp;&nbsp;Their tech support is also very good.&nbsp;&nbsp;You can find them on the web.<br><br>Good Luck.<br>Pat<br> <p>Pat Dempsey<br><a href=mailtoat@climark.com>pat@climark.com</a><br><a href=

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[RGJ]

Thanks Dave & Pat,<br>interesting thought - but nothing new added to network recently. Anyway, it's operating OK now after last 'fix', just waiting now to see if (or more probably when) it goes wrong again - hopefully will get more clues then.<br><br>Perhaps I should invest in one of these file fixing programs, there seem to be many - but which is best? I wonder.<br><br>Bob Jackson.

 

[kubatk]

Hi Bob!
I wonder if you have solved the problem, because I have run into a similar one.
Since one moment, memo fields in newly appended records seem to be empty (in fact they are not, because if I copy the DBF and FPT to local drive, they have the correct contents)- the pointer into FTP in these records is valid (contains block number), but there is probably NULL on that position in FPT. It looks like problem in buffering of FPT files by FoxPro.
After deleting several unnecessary files from the directory on the network drive, backing the DBF a FPT files, deleting them and restoring again (so that they moved to a different location on the network drive) the problem disappeared (at least for some time).
The program is in FP 2.5 and run under DOS 6.22 and the file server is Novell 4.
Thanks for your answer.