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Invalid Pointer Operation - Categorized in: Report a ProblemReport a Problem

7 posts. Started 7 May 2006 by MaxHaiflichJr. Latest reply 17 Mar 2007 by lkessler. RSS 2.0 feed for this topic RSS
1. Max Haiflich (MaxHaiflichJr)
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Joined: Sun, 7 May 2006
0 blog comments, 13 forum posts
Posted: Sun, 7 May 2006 Permalink
When loading a certain GEDCOM file downloaded from LDS (a pedigree file) I get a "Invalid Pointer Operation" alert and Behold locks up and won't close itself. I have to use the Windows Task manager to close it.

I have checked the GEDCOM and found that it has two INDI Pointers(tags) to individuals not encluded in the file. This has been a constant problem with many other programs.

Could your program add an Unlisted or Unknown ro etc, listing for that missing individual or warn and reject that file without locking up? Short of veiwing each and every GEDCOM that I download for that and other minor glitches, I see no other way of avoiding this problem.

It is very annoying to have a program lock up while importing these GEDCOM files. Especially since LDS insists on downloading only small pieces of large GEDCOM Files (either single family groups or 4-generation pedigrees).

Max Haiflich, Jr.
2. Louis Kessler (lkessler)
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Joined: Sun, 9 Mar 2003
288 blog comments, 245 forum posts
Posted: Sun, 7 May 2006 Permalink
Thanks for reporting this. Any Invalid Pointer Operation or Lock Up is a very bad bug that needs an immediate fix.

I went to familysearch.com and downloaded a pedigree and tried it in the current version (0.98.3) of Behold and when I tried to exit the program, it gave me the Invalid Pointer error and would not allow me to exit, just as you report. I'm not sure if it is the missing individuals that is causing this, but it is definitely something different about the familysearch GEDCOMs, because none of my other test GEDCOMs do this.

Behold is reporting the GEDCOM correctly (I believe). The trouble appears to be when closing, it is trying to release memory incorrectly. When I try it in my current development version, I don't get that error. So the problem may have been fixed while I was making my latest changes to the data structure.

I would like to check to ensure it is indeed fixed. Would you be able to send me one or two GEDCOMs that cause this for you (or tell me whose tree on familysearch I should get it from)?

If the new version works okay for those files as well, then I'll package it up and send a fix for you that you can use until the next version come out.

Louis
3. Louis Kessler (lkessler)
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Joined: Sun, 9 Mar 2003
288 blog comments, 245 forum posts
Posted: Mon, 8 May 2006 Permalink
Further research into this bug: I am now able to make it occur in my current development version with that Familysearch GEDCOM I downloaded. It does look like the problem may be exactly what you thought it might be.

I'll keep you posted.

Louis
4. Max Haiflich (MaxHaiflichJr)
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Joined: Sun, 7 May 2006
0 blog comments, 13 forum posts
Posted: Mon, 8 May 2006 Permalink
I had a total of 5 gedcoms out of close to 100 that had that problem. I loaded them into NoteTab Lite and inserted an data entry for each missing MARR reference, whether HUSB, WIFE, or CHIL, and reloaded them into Behold with no problem.

Since the original GEDCOM had the INDI AFN in tghe FAM listing, all I had to add was an INDI listing with NAME, GIVN, SURN, AFN, SOUR, and FAMS or FAMC. I just put "Unlisted" as the NAME, and GIVN, and left the SURN blank or added the family surname.

With those changes, it worked just fine.

Max Haiflich
5. Louis Kessler (lkessler)
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Joined: Sun, 9 Mar 2003
288 blog comments, 245 forum posts
Posted: Tue, 9 May 2006 Permalink
Max:

I believe I found the problem regarding the crash. It was due to cleaning up memory that wasn't allocated because of the missing references.

I've also added missing people and families into the report and used a default name of --unlisted--, similar to what you suggested. I use the dashes around the name to set it off, and the first dash will cause it to sort so that it is at the end of the Name Index.

I have temporarily put a version up for you to try. Click on this link and your browser should ask you if you want to run or save the program. Click on "save" and save it over the "behold.exe" file that should be in your "program files/behold" directory.

Please see if it works okay with your GEDCOMs and let me know.

Louis
6. Max Haiflich (MaxHaiflichJr)
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Joined: Sun, 7 May 2006
0 blog comments, 13 forum posts
Posted: Thu, 11 May 2006 Permalink
Louis

It worked fine except that it sorted the --unlisted-- as a 'U', not at the end of the name index. No big deal there.

I have found some other problems, some large and some small. I'd best start a new thread on them so others can follow it.

Max
7. Louis Kessler (lkessler)
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Joined: Sun, 9 Mar 2003
288 blog comments, 245 forum posts
Posted: Thu, 11 May 2006 Permalink
Well I outsmarted myself there. I completely forgot that I was using my "smart search", which ignored the leading hyphens, placing it alphabetically under "U". I'll definitely fix that!

Louis

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