Pipeline
3
APPENDIX C
- SYSTEM ERROR CODES
Errors entered by the operator are normally trapped
by the program logic and an appropriate error message is displayed (usually in
red if you have a colour screen). However, there is another class of errors
that Pipeline traps. These are called file errors. These errors can be
generated in several ways, eg power faults during updating, a completely full
hard-disk, a network error, virus infections, etc.
When a file error is detected, Pipeline will pass
control to an error handling routine. This program leaves the screen intact,
except for the bottom two lines that are used to displayed the name of the file
found to be in error, the error code and a short description of the error
condition. The computer will beep continuously to further alert you to the fact
that there has been an error. The beeping can be stopped by pressing any key,
eg. <Enter>.
The steps to
be taken by the operator are as follows:
Firstly, press any key (eg. <SPACE>) to stop the beeping. (Beeping is not always supported
if you are using Telnet.)
Next make a note of the error message and
explanation. Also, note the part of the program you were in so that a recovery procedure
can be initiated. In DOS/Windows you have the option to print the screen using
the <Shift> and <PrintScrn> keys. (If you press <Alt> and <PrintScrn> Windows will take a
snapshot of the current window. You must therefore have the Pipeline screen in
the foreground for this to work.) The snapshot will be held in the Windows
Clipboard. It can be pasted into a wordprocessor or email program and then
printed or stored. It is often useful to email the screen snapshot to our
support team, as this gives us more information as to how the error may have
occurred. You can also use the Window Snipping Tool. As the saying goes: a
picture is worth a thousand words.
The program can be terminated by pressing <Ctrl><K> or <Ctrl><C>, depending on the exact version of Windows
you have. Under Unix, the program can usually be terminated by <Ctrl><break> or <Ctrl><\>, but this depends on how your profile is
specified by your System Administrator.
Recovering
from a system crash.
Generally, the safest way to permanently correct the
fault is to restore your files from your latest backup. This will, of course,
remove any transactions entered since the last backup was taken. It is thus
useful to firstly print your AUDIT TRAIL,
if possible. Any other course should not be attempted without reference to your
dealer.
If the error is due to a disk full situation, check
that you have not filled the disk with word-processing files or games. If you
have indeed exceeded the limit of your hard disk, you will need to either
increase the hard-disk capacity of your computer or delete some files. In
either case, restoring your files will not directly solve your problem and you
should contact your dealer for advice.
