Freechain errors

[Nancy Palmquist]

Don Coleman wrote:
> I have a client (fP v5.0.13, Windows 2000 & XP Pro. Clients, Windows 2000
> Advanced Server) who is having frequent freechain issues.  Unfortunately
> they occur most frequently at the worst time of the day, near their pickup
> time for their FEDEX carrier, which is crunch time.  An automatic freechain
> rebuild will occur in one of their *clerk processes and bring their system
> to a halt.  Standard resolution is to have everyone exit fP, kill the
> automatic freechain rebuild, rebuild the freechain manually, and they
> continue normally until the next occurrence.  Unfortunately the customer
> doesn't have the luxury of 5-10 minutes of down time during crunch time to
> have everyone finish their record, exit, execute freechain, and start again.
> 
> Several observations; first the automatic freechain rebuilds seem to
> increase in frequency the larger this file gets.  For example, this AM I
> compressed this file (copied the key to a mirrored file key, then ran a
> process to copy and write the "used" records back to my original file),
> effectively shrinking the file from 157,000 records to 16,000 records.  This
> file would normally grow to a maximum of 40,000 records on any given day.
> All "completed" records are then archived to another file each evening after
> the close of business.  So if I understand freechain correctly, this file
> should never grow larger than the max size of 40,000 records.  However,
> within a week or 10 days it will be > 100,000 records.  I assume this occurs
> because the application is "taking" new records when there are free
> (previously deleted) records available.  My understanding of the freechain
> function is it acts as a pointer for the next record to be used.  If there
> are previously deleted records available to be reused they would be reused
> first before the app. takes a new record.  
> 
> As mentioned above, the frequency of the freechain errors increases with the
> file size.  When the file was >150,000 records it was happening at least
> daily, if not twice daily.  Any suggestions? 
> 
> Don Coleman
> Donald G. Coleman, Consultant
> 402 Andrew Circle
> Indiana, PA 15701
> dcoleman at dgcreact.com
> (724) 349-6302
> 
> 
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> 
> 
Don,

Does this file use lookup - to move from record to record?  Does it 
start in add mode and then use lookup - to move to a real record?  Are 
there a lot of blank records in the index?

check that out.

Let us know.

Nancy

-- 
Nancy Palmquist 		MOS & filePro Training Available
Virtual Software Systems	Web Based Training and Consulting	
PHONE: (412) 835-9417		   Web site:  http://www.vss3.com