VM error - Printing - Dos 6.22 - Old Clipper Software

[LizL]

I am receiving a "vm error [5318]: dos memory error" while trying to print to a zebra printer. Recently had a software crash, had to rebuild one database (dbf) with a corrupt header. Used titanic to fix. Everything seems to work great except for printing to the zebra. I have been using the software for many years. The software company is out of business, and so is the retailer that sold it to us. I have no source code either. I have been browsing throught the .bat files to see what is set. Should I try a vmsize or another command, or am I looking in the wrong place?
Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you,
Liz L.

 

[rob444]

Give some more information.

What OS are you running?
If available list the autoexec.bat
Do you know what version of clipper was used to compile the application?

Rob.

 

[LizL]

Hi Rob,
I am actually running a Dos 6.22 machine.
It was my father-in-laws machine, he passed away,
so I'm now taking over the software and hardware support.
I plan on upgrading as soon as I check out the drivers.
The v5demo says it was compiled with Clipper 5
and Linker Exospace 1.x

autoexec.bat
LH /L:0;1,42384 /S C:\DOS\SMARTDRV.EXE c
@ECHO OFF
PROMPT $p$g
rem PATH C:\DOS;C:\QL2FAX;C:\RM4O;C:\LANTASTI;c:\
PATH C:\DOS;C:\RM40;C:\LANTASTI;c:\
SET TEMP=C:\DOS
call startnet
RM REG2

Thank you,
Liz L

 

[GriffMG]

Been a while since I've seen anything like that!

Looks like you had/have a Lantastic network, not that it is likely to be the problem, although you could remove the 'call startnet' line from the autoexec.bat

Do you have the config.sys file?

I'm a bit rusty (i.e. barely remember anything) on DOS 6 but this VM error sounds like it might be a 'Virtual Memory' error - which could be either a lack of 'real' memory or perhaps a file handles problem.

I'd try taking the line that starts with LH out of the autoexec.bat - it tries to 'Load High' a driver that speeds up hard disc access, if it fails you end up with less memory to play with.

Regards

Griff
Keep [Smile]ing

 

[LizL]

Hi Griff,
Yes, it's very old, but evidently ran well. I believe it is a Virtual Memory problem too. It started after the crash. I noticed the file handle differs in the config.sys and acct.bat files. I'm not familiar with clipper, so I'm learning it now. I'm trying to compare an earlier backup with the crash data. I did not find any physical disk errors. I've been copying the entire disk once a week for backup. Once I get the printing problem solved, I can work on upgrading the machine. Your help is greatly appreciated.
Thank you,
Liz L

config.sys
DEVICE=C:\DOS\SETVER.EXE
DEVICE=C:\DOS\HIMEM.SYS
DOS=HIGH,UMB
FILES=125
BUFFERS=24,0
LASTDRIVE=Z
FCBS=16,8
SHELL=C:\DOS\COMMAND.COM C:\DOS\ /p

acct.bat
cd \am
set clipper=f35,e0
call sis
set clipper=
cd \

rm.bat
@echo off
cls
mode lpt1:=com1
mode lpt1
cls
echo Wait -- loading Retail Manager 4.1...
cd \rm40
m %1
cd \
echo Thank you for using Retail Manager!
pause

startnet.bat
@ECHO OFF
SET LAN_DIR=C:\LANTASTI.NET
SET LAN_CFG=C:\LANTASTI
PATH C:\LANTASTI;%PATH%
SHARE /L:500 /f:5000
LH AEX IRQ=15 IOBASE=300 VERBOSE
LH AILANBIO
LH REDIR SERVER LOGINS=3
LH SERVER
NET LOGIN/WAIT \\SERVER SERVER
net USE LPT1 \\SERVER\@PRINTER
NET POSTBOX
net lpt timeout 10

 

[GriffMG]

Hi Liz

There are a couple of obvious things, firstly the acct.bat has a set clipper which sould probably have the two elements separated by a semicolon not a comma.

Secondly, what is in the sis.bat file?

Martin

PS do you need the Lantastic drivers? and did you try killing the smartdrv?


Regards

Griff
Keep [Smile]ing

 

[LizL]

Hi Martin,
Yes, lantastic drivers are needed. I will kill the smartdrv today, and edit the acct.bat file. The computer stays at my father-in-law's shop. I will update you on my progress today. Thank you so much!

Liz L

sis.bat
echo off
cls
rem Compiled AccountMate Batch File for multiuser programs or who want to
rem save 70k of memory used by sismenu.exe
rem SourceMate Information System 1988, 1991

:start
sismenu /batch
if errorlevel 20 goto printbatch
if errorlevel 10 goto jc
if errorlevel 9 goto mi
if errorlevel 8 goto po
if errorlevel 7 goto so
if errorlevel 6 goto fa
if errorlevel 5 goto pr
if errorlevel 4 goto ic
if errorlevel 3 goto ap
if errorlevel 2 goto ar
if errorlevel 1 goto gl
if errorlevel 0 goto finish

rintbatch
if exist jc.exe jc BATCH
if exist mioi.exe mioi BATCH
if exist mi.exe mi BATCH
if exist appo.exe appo BATCH
if exist po.exe po BATCH
if exist arso.exe arso BATCH
if exist so.exe so BATCH
if exist fa.exe fa BATCH
if exist pr.exe pr BATCH
if exist ic.exe ic BATCH
if exist ap.exe ap BATCH
if exist ar.exe ar BATCH
if exist gl.exe gl BATCH
if exist cl.exe cl BATCH
goto start

:jc
if exist jc.exe jc
goto start

:mi
if exist mioi.exe mioi
if exist mi.exe mi
goto start

o
if exist appo.exe appo
if exist po.exe po
goto start

:so
if exist arso.exe arso
if exist mioi.exe mioi
if exist so.exe so
goto start

:fa
if exist fa.exe fa
goto start

r
if exist pr.exe pr
goto start

:ic
if exist ic.exe ic
goto start

:ap
if exist appo.exe appo
if exist ap.exe ap
goto start

:ar
if exist arso.exe arso
if exist ar.exe ar
goto start

:gl
if exist gl.exe gl
if exist cl.exe cl
goto start

:finish
echo on


 

[GriffMG]

Well, sis.bat doesn't tell me anything exciting!

I *think* it's a menu program...

Let me know how you get on with smartdrv - good luck

Regards

Griff
Keep [Smile]ing

 

[TonHu]

Did you remove any stray temp-files from the app directory, there probably are a lot of files without extension, and totally ludacris filenames with lots of numbers and $ signs in them. Remove that (keep a backup ofcourse) and see if the errors disappear.
Clipper is known for not cleaning up very well after itself :-(

HTH
TonHu

 

[JockMullin]

Hi, Liz L

Coming into this thread at this late juncture it seems to me that if your configuration has been stable all these years with no changes then it is not likely a problem with config, autoexec or the Lantastic startup. Those look pretty much OK to me anyway.

As you say, this all started with a "software crash" which corrupted a database. This leads me to wonder what caused the crash:

- possibly you have a memory problem (not you personally, the machine). Likely it is an old 386-era box and running extra memory under DOS 6.22 means stuff gets paged in and out of memory between first megabyte and extended memory above the 1mb limit. I would consider swapping the memory around in the box - if you have some bad memory and move it into the low memory area likely it won't run at all. Or run a memory diagnostic.

- Likely there is more than one database in the application, and the crash may have implicated more than one, though in a non-catastrophic way. Bad data (garbage) in the database or indexes can cause memory problems. Are you able to reindex all the files OK? Have you tried restoring everything to a version that worked before the crash and see if that will run?

Looking at the menu .bat file, it appears there may be several different .exe's that can print, likely a separate one for each report. When you get the DOS error, do you also get a trace of the module name that actually crashed? Is the crash happening on all print functions or just a particular one? You mention a Zebra printer - is that a special-purpose printer of some kind, and do any other tasks also print on that printer? Do print jobs to other printers work OK? I'm thinking that printing to the Zebra may involve the use of a particular work file and that file may be corrupt.

Since it is running Lantastic, are there other stations that can run the program, or is the network just a relic of the past?

Jock

Jock

 

[ZoDra]

I have a problem:

our supplier sends a copy of his invoice in a text file which is read by my application and a .CSV file is formed; This allows us to create a list of goods that will enter application and a stock saldo will be increased; also a devclaration must be printed; it would be ideal if during creation of .csv file a hyperlink could be added; i know .csv files do not support this.

Is there a solution? I am still using summer '87 with blinker 2.0.

 

[LizL]

Hi All,
Update...memory error still present. Only a couple of stray files found, surprisingly clean. DBs have been reindexing without errors. Smartdrv solution did not work. (Have not used a previous backup for testing yet, I do not want to lose the data I have, need to remove the hd and backup.) The other printers work okay, zebra is the barcode printer. Have not isolated program running during error. Initially first thought it was a disk space or error problem, not so sure now, will try to find some more old "memory" this weekend. Tested the db on another, newer pc w/98, no memory error. Hope to add zebra, okismart, and epson drivers and test on newer pc. It's soooo much faster!
Thank you,
Liz L

 

[JockMullin]

Hi, LizL

If you're removing the HD anyway, why not swap it into the pc running win 98 and see if the same error happens there?

Finding memory for an old machine may not be easy except used and that may be dodgy, but if the HD is an IDE it should run in the other machine.

Jock

 

[LizL]

Hi Jock,
That's what I plan to do Fri or Sat. It's used 6 days a week, so I have only a few hours to work on it. I had it running in the 98 pc, but I need to configure their printers. After I finish building the replacement, I need to test it on site. I just want to make sure they do not lose any of their data. And it's inventory time for them. As for finding old parts, I know some real packrats, including myself.

Liz L

 

[GriffMG]

Good luck to you Liz

It is starting to look more and more hardware related

Regards

Griff
Keep [Smile]ing