[4.0] Warning: Progress Patch

Hi Ssanders.

I work in technical support and I go with the 'If it aint broke, don't try
to fix it' unless there is a problem which we can't solve. Then we often
have to recommend the upgrade as we can't get any further with the
developers until they are sure it really hasn't been fixed in that release.
Sometimes they don't note down all issues which are fixed too. If you come
off worse with the new patch, that is unfortunate but you will be heading
towards a patch which will solve all issues. With all patches you run the
risk of something going a bit wrong - and there are possible causes outside
the control of the developers such as difference hardware, software set-up
etc.

I can't change your view - but at least you can see what us techies face!

Cheers.

John.

-----Original Message-----
From: ssanders@...
[mailto:ssanders@...]
Sent: 14 July 2000 15:40
To: vantage@egroups.com
Subject: [Vantage] [4.0] Warning: Progress Patch


I'm with Wendy! If it ain't broke don't fix it.
And I don't agree with the statement, "Its always good to upgrade to the
latest patch."
This is very often the line that Tech Support will give you if they have no
idea what's causing your problem.
Shoot, I don't even like patching the program unless they can show me that
my specific error is fixed by that patch and that others are running with no
problems. On more than one occasion both Epicor and Progress have issued
patches that were worse than the existing problems.

Having said all that (this is the "do what I say, not what I do" part):

I have been having some odd errors with the Progress database running the
data collection gateway; I've been getting a low-level database error (Error
2: bfblnd - no ar active). You are NEVER supposed to be able to get this
error, but don't tell that to my data collection PC. Anyway, the techs at
Progress told me to download the latest Progress patch so last week I
installed 9.0B34 even though Epicor isn't recommending it yet.

Now I find out (the hard way) that any Progress patch greater than 9.0B30
will not let you open any existing Report Builder reports from Report
Builder. You can still run them from Vantage, and you can create new
reports in Report Builder - you just can't reopen them once they've been
closed. Progress is now working on a patch to fix this.

I did find a work-around: if you paid for AppBuilder (which allows you to
develop Progress programs) you can get to Report Builder from the Tools
menu. From there you can open one report before it stops allowing you to
open any reports. If you want to open a second report you have to end that
Report Builder session and start a new one (where you can open only one
report).

Bottom Line: don't install any Progress patch past 9.0B30 unless you know
that the Report Builder problem has been resolved.
================
Steve Sanders
Delta Centrifugal Corp.


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will work the next time you try it.)
Actually the report builder problem is simpler than that. We are on 9.0B33 and we can go into report builder, edit a report. BUT when we go to edit another report it won't let us. We have to close Report Builder and then reopen it. Then we can edit one report....
Vantage says Progress is aware of the problem but since they consider the memory leak problem bigger, report builder will be fixed in 9.1B due out this fall. I agree with your advice to not upgrade further than 9.0B30 at this time.

Sheryl Collins
I.S. Manager
Hannibal Carbide Tool, Inc.

ssanders@... wrote:

> Now I find out (the hard way) that any Progress patch greater than 9.0B30
> will not let you open any existing Report Builder reports from Report
> Builder. You can still run them from Vantage, and you can create new
> reports in Report Builder - you just can't reopen them once they've been
> closed. Progress is now working on a patch to fix this.
>
> Bottom Line: don't install any Progress patch past 9.0B30 unless you know
> that the Report Builder problem has been resolved.
> ================
> Steve Sanders
> Delta Centrifugal Corp.
Steve,

I also have been getting the bfblnd - no ar active error but was told that I
was the only one reporting this!!! I was not told to download the patch but
rather given new installation instructions to install the Gateway software.
I am doing that as I am typing. Ben Nixon has been working on this for
quite some time and they haven't came up with anything yet. I was told that
this was a Progress error, but what does "ar" indicate??

> I have been having some odd errors with the Progress database
> running the
> data collection gateway; I've been getting a low-level
> database error (Error
> 2: bfblnd - no ar active). You are NEVER supposed to be able
> to get this
> error, but don't tell that to my data collection PC.


Can you give me some details regarding your Gateway computer. I know we
have spoken before regarding data collection and TT5's but it has been
awhile. Mine is running on a SBS NT server with SP6a installed. Progress
version 9.0b29 and Vantage 4.00.811. The Gateway locks up randomly ranging
from weekends, early mornings - no pattern and nothing running or being
entered. But when it locks up I get that error and have to reboot to clear
after forcing down the Progress session.

Anyone else having this problem? I am sure that with the limited TT5 users
we really don't stand much of a chance to get this figured out. My problems
started with the 4.0 update and the rewrite/conversion from the Foxpro
Gateway to the Progress Gateway. I am lucky if I can go a week without this
happening and it is really hard to gain acceptance for data collection among
my users when it continues and I can't give them a reason why!!!

I will keep you informed of any changes in the situation as they develop,
please do the same.

Regards,
Darren Mann
Miller Products Co.
Darren,
If you go to the Progress online support page
(http://www.progress.com/services/support/cgi-bin/techweb-americas.cgi/lgmai
n2.w) and login (you can apply for a login online if you don't have one) go
to Update a Call and look for reference W006234100. I gave up on getting
Epicor to help solve this one. You're right - there are too few people
running this program for them to get too excited about resolving the
problem. I now have the source code and the people at Progress are helping
me to gather diagnostics to pinpoint the problem.
I'll let you know if I find anything interesting.
================
Steve Sanders
Delta Centrifugal Corp.
-----Original Message-----
From: Darren Mann [mailto:dmann@...]
Steve,

I also have been getting the bfblnd - no ar active error but was told that
I
was the only one reporting this!!! I was not told to download the patch
but
rather given new installation instructions to install the Gateway
software.
I am doing that as I am typing. Ben Nixon has been working on this for
quite some time and they haven't came up with anything yet. I was told
that
this was a Progress error, but what does "ar" indicate??

> I have been having some odd errors with the Progress database
> running the
> data collection gateway; I've been getting a low-level
> database error (Error
> 2: bfblnd - no ar active). You are NEVER supposed to be able
> to get this
> error, but don't tell that to my data collection PC.


Can you give me some details regarding your Gateway computer. I know we
have spoken before regarding data collection and TT5's but it has been
awhile. Mine is running on a SBS NT server with SP6a installed. Progress
version 9.0b29 and Vantage 4.00.811. The Gateway locks up randomly
ranging
from weekends, early mornings - no pattern and nothing running or being
entered. But when it locks up I get that error and have to reboot to
clear
after forcing down the Progress session.

Anyone else having this problem? I am sure that with the limited TT5
users
we really don't stand much of a chance to get this figured out. My
problems
started with the 4.0 update and the rewrite/conversion from the Foxpro
Gateway to the Progress Gateway. I am lucky if I can go a week without
this
happening and it is really hard to gain acceptance for data collection
among
my users when it continues and I can't give them a reason why!!!

I will keep you informed of any changes in the situation as they develop,
please do the same.

Regards,
Darren Mann
Miller Products Co.



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