Error Messages

Error messages come with four levels of severity.

The lowest level is simply information you may wish to know (such as which calibration curve you are using) these are prefixed with the label INFORM. The next level up are warning error messages which may give rise to misleading or incorrect results these are given a label WARN. In both of these cases you are presented with a message box (unless the system option `Quiet' has been chosen) and you can continue by clicking on the [Retry] button. Using the [Abort] button will end the operation as soon as possible and the [Ignore] button will send the program into `Quiet' mode in which any errors are printed to the log file but do not generate message boxes.

Error messages at the next level up FATAL will result in the program finishing and you should close any windows left open and restart the program. System errors are errors which have not been trapped by the program and may be more generally associated with your system - you may need to restart your computer.

The following is an exhaustive list of the error messages produced by the program in alphabetical order.

X-Test fails at 5% - chi squared test has failed with a less than 5% chance of this being a good combination
X-Test value estimated - For very large number of items an estimate is used for the test level - check with tables if you want
Cannot be sure of range - A distribution is to be generated in a MCMC sample for which it may not be possible to predict the limits
Cannot extract numerical data - The program cannot understand an attempt to enter numerical data in a command like Year or Dose
Cannot find range - A distribution is to be generated in a MCMC sample for which it is not possible to predict the limits
Cannot find relationship - Relationship cannot be found for a MCMC sample
Cannot make array - Either a Windows problem or program attempted to make a very large array - reduce resolution if working on very long time scales
Cannot resolve order - While MCMC sampling - indicates that an order which obeys all the constraints has not been found - if this persists for a long time reconsider constraints
Command line active - You are trying to compile two command files at once or do so while a command line is active - not really relevant to this version
Conflicting gaps used with a reference - References have been made to a file with a gap associated with it - the same gap will be assumed for the second occurrence
Confused boundary setup - It is not clear which groups of dates this boundary is supposed to be at the edge of
Curve already defined - cannot set Delta_R or Reservoir - If no filename is defined the program will read back in the previously defined version of this curve; Delta_R and Reservoir should not be set again
Date may extend out of range - Radiocarbon date that may extend beyond the calibration curve
Date out of range - Radiocarbon date well beyond range of calibration curve
Date probably out of range - Radiocarbon date near but probably beyond end of calibration curve
Dose rate undefined - An attempt has been made to enter a date in terms of a dose without defining the dose rate first
Duplicate names - While preparing for calculation names have been found which will give rise to identical file names - make first three or last four characters unique for each name
Error in relation - While reading in a relationship file a relationship could not be parsed
Extensive use of cross referenced boundaries can cause problems - If you cross reference too many boundaries this can put unexpected biases on the data; try to reformulate the model with fewer cross references
File not found - A file cannot be found in your working directory
Files not found - While performing a MCMC sample files were not found
File not renamed to - The program tried but failed to rename a file - check protection
Help file not found - Help file not found - not relevant to this version
Improbable value - While MCMC sampling indicates that the sampler has been forced to choose a very unlikely value - this will slow the sampling down - if it continues throughout the sampling reconsider the constraints
Inappropriate command - An inappropriate command has been issued - consult the command summary for syntax details
Inappropriate gap error - Gaps are only allowed errors in some types of group and must have them in others - refer to command summary
Inappropriate nesting - An attempt has been made to use a command within a group in which it is inappropriate
Incompatable non-linear resolution - When using inverse-square medelling on a 1/t timescale the resolution of the data files must be the same for all items
Long log file - clear contents - Log file is getting long for the editor - select yes to purge the log file contents
MCMC sample aborted - The MCMC sample was stopped before results could be obtained
MCMC sample completed - The MCMC sample was allowed to finish completely
MCMC sample failed - The MCMC sample failed to produce meaningful results
MCMC sample terminated - The MCMC sample was stopped by the user but results were produced
Negative value - Some values (such as errors) must be positive
No boundaries used - check manual - No boundaries have been used in this model; this could lead to unrealistically scattered results; see explanation of boundaries
No data found - No probability data found in what should have been a data file
Not a calendar date - You have tried to combine a non-calendar date with the calendar date combination function
Not a date - The value given was not a date
Not a radiocarbon date - You have tried to combine a non-radiocarbon date with the radiocarbon date combination function
Not calculating range - Due to form of distribution the range cannot be calculated
Not enough memory - Either a problem with Windows or your option files have been altered - re-install program
NULL distribution - The program failed to produce a distribution - probably due to inappropriate values
Number out of range - A number has been entered or calculated which is beyond the range of the program - increase the system resolution
Numbers not found - While reading in relationship file inconsistencies were found in the numbering
Only possible for linear modelling - If you are using the inverse square modeling on a 1/t timescale, spans, differences and intervals etc cannot be used.
Options Saved - The options have been saved to disc
Parameters not found - A command which requires parameters has not been given them
Plot only window - This window is only for plotting
Poor agreement - Poor agreement detected (roughly equivalent to chi squared test failure at 5%) - may be due to chance but re-evaluate evidence for constraints
Poor convergence - Poor convergence detected - convergence values (see mathematical methods) are normally above 95% - they are reported for all passes in the special convergence log file - ; see details in Program operation for further tests.
Program active - You are trying to perform an action which is not allowed during calculation or printing - wait until it has finished
References - Information on the calibration curve and program option references
Self referential relationship - A relationship has been defined such as t_1 > t_1
System resolution changed - A run file has been opened which was saved with a different resolution - the system resolution has been altered accordingly - this will affect all subsequent calculations
Too many distributions - Too many distributions have been entered for a MCMC sample
Unable to open - A file could not be opened - check protection
Value for function redefined - The Error or Factor should only be defined once for a function as they will only be applied once - to the resultant
Values undefined - At start of MCMC sampling indicates that constraints cannot be applied - should clear fairly quickly
Window active - The window is already performing some action - wait until it has finished
Wrong file type - Only files with appropriate extensions can be read in - see appendix on file formats
ZERO distribution - A distribution has been produced with zero probability