Can't separate funds into separate FrameMaker files

[brendag61244549]

We have an automated process that was internally created in FrameMaker that takes a FrameMaker Book file that contains a large number of individual mutual fund files and breaks out each mutual fund into an individual file using the fund’s unique product code, removes sector tabs, and removes page numbers, then creates a postscript file. The user selects the functionality from a menu choice within an internally created “Marketing” menu on the FrameMaker menu bar. It is not functioning properly.

Instead it is generating error messages.

Adobe FrameMaker (Structured): FrameMaker.exe - Application Error:
The instruction at "0x00cc1940" referenced memory at "0x00000000". The memory could not be "read". Click on OK to terminate the program.

and

Error:
Internal Error 8004, 6343116, 8 483344, 0. FrameMaker has detected a serious problem and must quit.

A file named "C:\Program Files\Adobe\FrameMaker8\FrameLog_11.10.17_07.52.51.txt" has been generated which contains information that may help Frame development improve the product for future release.

We have looked at the FrameLog_11.10.17_07.52.51.txt but it is not helping us diagnose the issue.

Can you help us determine what the problem is and how to resolve it?

Thanks for your help.

[Russ Ward]

blgeorge,

The problem is likely some bad code in a plugin you are using to do this processing. The error log won't help you... only a developer working in a debugger can. You'll need the original source code, a development environment, and somebody that knows how to use it all. Otherwise, you are out of luck, unless you can find some odd way to circumvent the crash.

FWIW, FDK code is very sensitive to memory violations. It is very easy to cause a crash. In many cases, a violation will not cause a crash on one computer but will on another, may not appear on one OS but will on another, etc., so it is likewise easy to write bad code and not know it right way. More than likely, it is a simple fix if you have someone with the expertise. As the end user, though, there isn't much you can do.

Russ

[Russ Ward]

blgeorge,

Late note... occasionally, the crash can be a FrameMaker bug (but rarely). In newer versions of FM, I've had plugins crash for no fault of their own, usually related to something funny going on with the new interface. If you are using FM 9 or 10, try resetting the workspace.

Russ

[brendag61244549]

I’m using FrameMaker 8.0p277.

[brendag61244549]

Will a reinstall of FrameMaker help?

[Russ Ward]

I don't think a reinstall would hurt, but I couldn't possibly speculate whether it will help. My suspicion is that it will not, but you seem to have some sense of urgency, so maybe you are willing to try anything. Do you have no access to the original source code?

[brendag61244549]

We do have access to the source code. The developer died a couple of months ago, and there is a contract employee who has replaced him.

[Russ Ward]

Well, there's a reply I've never heard before, but I don't mean to make light of this situation, especially if the individual was your friend. In any case, my condolences.

With the source code, it should be a simple matter to run this process through a debugger to at least identify the point where the memory violation is occurring. In my personal experience, problems are usually caused by a simple mistake and therefore corrected quickly once the errant code is identified. If you don't have someone on staff that could do this, I'd strongly recommend that you get somebody for a few hours or a day to figure this out. Otherwise, you are dealing with a ticking time bomb that will certainly blow up on you again sometime (at the worst possible moment), even if a reinstall or some other trick seems to fix it.

I don't know that there is much more that I can tell you. There is either a bug with the plugin or FM and I think somebody needs to get into the debugger to find it.

Russ

[brendag61244549]

Thanks for the input