Data expression error

Whittall, Conrad Conrad.Whittall@Cognos.COM
Thu, 16 Oct 2003 14:35:09 -0400


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Another alternative might be to compile the screen with debug and then use
the QUICK debugger to step through the execution of the screen until you hit
the error. That will at least help narrow down the processing phase that you
need to look at (INITIALIZE, EDIT, PREUPDATE, etc.), and possibly even
pin-point the actual statement that is generating the error.
Best regards,
Conrad 

Conrad Whittall
Solutions Architect, Global Customer Services, Cognos Incorporated
3755 Riverside Drive, Ottawa, Ontario, K1G 4K9, Canada

-----Original Message-----
From: Guy Werry [mailto:guy.werry@hbms.ca]
Sent: Thursday 16 October 2003 14:24
To: Powerhouse List (E-mail)
Subject: RE: Data expression error


In the absence of any sophisticated tricks, get back to basics.  What has
changed?  I'm guessing that if there are thousands of lines of code then
this isn't a brand new screen.  Therefore, something has probably changed.
It may even be that if the screen was operating properly yesterday and blew
up today without any CODE changes, that will still enable you to say "this
body of data has some invalid data".
 
It MAY also help, because we're dealing with Quick, to see what field you
are returned to after the error.  With a "regular" error, Quick goes back to
the last field in the entry sequence - I can't remember if it does that with
the data conversion.  If it acts that way then you should be able to
pin-point to the processing around a particular field.
 
Thanks,
    Guy L. Werry

-----Original Message-----
From: Johnson, Harold A EDUC:EX [mailto:Harold.A.Johnson@gems1.gov.bc.ca]
Sent: October 16, 2003 1:11 PM
To: 'Deskin, Bob'; Powerhouse List (E-mail)
Subject: RE: Data expression error


yes, thnx, I do understand this.   What I was hoping for was if someone knew
of some "trick" that would let me track down the offending bit of code (in
amounst thousands of lines of code) without having to put in info statements
all over the place.

-----Original Message-----
From: Deskin, Bob [mailto:Bob.Deskin@Cognos.COM]
Sent: 2003 October 16 10:26 AM
To: Johnson, Harold A EDUC:EX; Powerhouse List (E-mail)
Subject: RE: Data expression error



Sorry if this is obvious but this message comes from the expression
processor. So look at the expressions in the screen which includes all data
sources, not just things that use functions. For example, if you have a LET
verb (LET A = B), the source (B) is treated as an expression. If A is
numeric and you've substructured B (or B is in a substructure) such that B
has non-numeric data, you'll get a data expression error. Other than that,
things like division by zero, nested functions where the function result is
invalid, etc. are the things I'd look for. Note that if your message verbs
use the = option, the source is an expression.

Hope this helps. 

Bob Deskin              
Product Manager, Application Development Tools, Cognos Inc. 
bob.deskin@cognos.com (613) 738-1338 ext 7268 FAX: (613) 727-1178 
3755 Riverside Drive P.O. Box 9707 Stn. T, Ottawa ON K1G 4K9 CANADA 

-----Original Message----- 
From: Johnson, Harold A EDUC:EX 
[ mailto:Harold.A.Johnson@gems1.gov.bc.ca
<mailto:Harold.A.Johnson@gems1.gov.bc.ca> ] 
Sent: Thursday, October 16, 2003 12:55 PM 
To: Powerhouse List (E-mail) 
Subject: Data expression error 


Hi all.  Does anyone know of an easy method of tracking down these "Data 
Expression Errors" in a quick program?  The message only seems to come out 
when either an Info/Warning/etc statement is issued or the quick program 
ends. 

thnx 

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = 



Join us at Cognos' biggest event of the year Enterprise 2003, The Cognos
Business Forum.  Taking place in over 25 cities around the world, it's an
opportunity for Business and IT leaders to learn about strategies for
driving performance. Visit http://www.cognos.com/enterprise03 for more
details. 

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<TITLE>RE: Data expression error</TITLE>

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<DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=2><SPAN class=274113318-16102003>Another 
alternative might be to compile the screen with debug and then use the QUICK 
debugger to step through the execution of the screen until you hit the error. 
That will at least help narrow down the processing phase that you need to look 
at (INITIALIZE, EDIT, PREUPDATE, etc.), and possibly even pin-point the actual 
statement that is generating the error.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Verdana color=#000080 size=2><SPAN class=274113318-16102003>
<P><FONT face=Verdana color=#000000 size=2>Best regards,</FONT><BR><B><I><FONT 
face="Times New Roman" color=#000080 size=6>Conrad</FONT></I></B> </P>
<P><FONT face=Verdana color=#808080 size=1>Conrad Whittall</FONT><BR><FONT 
face=Verdana color=#808080 size=1>Solutions Architect, Global Customer Services, 
Cognos Incorporated</FONT><BR><FONT face=Verdana color=#808080 size=1>3755 
Riverside Drive, Ottawa, Ontario, K1G 4K9, Canada</FONT></P></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
  <DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Tahoma 
  size=2>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B> Guy Werry 
  [mailto:guy.werry@hbms.ca]<BR><B>Sent:</B> Thursday 16 October 2003 
  14:24<BR><B>To:</B> Powerhouse List (E-mail)<BR><B>Subject:</B> RE: Data 
  expression error<BR><BR></FONT></DIV>
  <DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN class=210421318-16102003>In 
  the absence of any sophisticated tricks, get back to basics.&nbsp; What has 
  changed?&nbsp; I'm guessing that if there are thousands of lines of code then 
  this isn't a brand new screen.&nbsp; Therefore, something has probably 
  changed.&nbsp; It may even be that if the screen was operating properly 
  yesterday and blew up today without any CODE changes, that will still enable 
  you to say "this body of data has some invalid data".</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
  <DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN 
  class=210421318-16102003></SPAN></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
  <DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN class=210421318-16102003>It 
  MAY also help, because we're dealing with Quick, to see what field you are 
  returned to after the error.&nbsp; With a "regular" error, Quick goes back to 
  the last field in the entry sequence - I can't remember if it does that with 
  the data conversion.&nbsp; If it acts that way then you should be able to 
  pin-point to the processing around a particular field.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
  <DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN 
  class=210421318-16102003></SPAN></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
  <DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN 
  class=210421318-16102003>Thanks,</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
  <DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN 
  class=210421318-16102003>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Guy L. Werry</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
  <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
    <DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Tahoma 
    size=2>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B> Johnson, Harold A EDUC:EX 
    [mailto:Harold.A.Johnson@gems1.gov.bc.ca]<BR><B>Sent:</B> October 16, 2003 
    1:11 PM<BR><B>To:</B> 'Deskin, Bob'; Powerhouse List 
    (E-mail)<BR><B>Subject:</B> RE: Data expression error<BR><BR></DIV></FONT>
    <DIV><SPAN class=337540718-16102003><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff 
    size=2>yes, thnx, I do understand this.&nbsp;&nbsp; What I was hoping for 
    was if someone knew of some "trick" that would let me track down the 
    offending bit of code (in amounst thousands of lines of code) without having 
    to put in info statements all over the place.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
    <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
      <DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Tahoma 
      size=2>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B> Deskin, Bob 
      [mailto:Bob.Deskin@Cognos.COM]<BR><B>Sent:</B> 2003 October 16 10:26 
      AM<BR><B>To:</B> Johnson, Harold A EDUC:EX; Powerhouse List 
      (E-mail)<BR><B>Subject:</B> RE: Data expression error<BR><BR></FONT></DIV>
      <P><FONT size=2>Sorry if this is obvious but this message comes from the 
      expression processor. So look at the expressions in the screen which 
      includes all data sources, not just things that use functions. For 
      example, if you have a LET verb (LET A = B), the source (B) is treated as 
      an expression. If A is numeric and you've substructured B (or B is in a 
      substructure) such that B has non-numeric data, you'll get a data 
      expression error. Other than that, things like division by zero, nested 
      functions where the function result is invalid, etc. are the things I'd 
      look for. Note that if your message verbs use the = option, the source is 
      an expression.</FONT></P>
      <P><FONT size=2>Hope this helps.</FONT> </P>
      <P><FONT size=2>Bob 
      Deskin&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
      </FONT><BR><FONT size=2>Product Manager, Application Development Tools, 
      Cognos Inc.</FONT> <BR><FONT size=2>bob.deskin@cognos.com (613) 738-1338 
      ext 7268 FAX: (613) 727-1178</FONT> <BR><FONT size=2>3755 Riverside Drive 
      P.O. Box 9707 Stn. T, Ottawa ON K1G 4K9 CANADA</FONT> </P>
      <P><FONT size=2>-----Original Message-----</FONT> <BR><FONT size=2>From: 
      Johnson, Harold A EDUC:EX</FONT> <BR><FONT size=2>[<A 
      href="mailto:Harold.A.Johnson@gems1.gov.bc.ca">mailto:Harold.A.Johnson@gems1.gov.bc.ca</A>]</FONT> 
      <BR><FONT size=2>Sent: Thursday, October 16, 2003 12:55 PM</FONT> 
      <BR><FONT size=2>To: Powerhouse List (E-mail)</FONT> <BR><FONT 
      size=2>Subject: Data expression error</FONT> </P><BR>
      <P><FONT size=2>Hi all.&nbsp; Does anyone know of an easy method of 
      tracking down these "Data</FONT> <BR><FONT size=2>Expression Errors" in a 
      quick program?&nbsp; The message only seems to come out</FONT> <BR><FONT 
      size=2>when either an Info/Warning/etc statement is issued or the quick 
      program</FONT> <BR><FONT size=2>ends.</FONT> </P>
      <P><FONT size=2>thnx</FONT> </P>
      <P><FONT size=2>= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = 
      =</FONT> <BR></P></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>
<BR>

<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Join us at Cognos' biggest event of the year<I> Enterprise 2003, The Cognos Business Forum</I>.  Taking place in over 25 cities around the world, it's an opportunity for Business and IT leaders to learn about strategies for driving performance. Visit<U> http://www.cognos.com/enterprise03</U> for more details. </FONT></P>
<BR>

<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">This message may contain privileged and/or confidential information.  If you have received this e-mail in error or are not the intended recipient, you may not use, copy, disseminate or distribute it; do not open any attachments, delete it immediately from your system and notify the sender promptly by e-mail that you have done so.  Thank you.</FONT></P>

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