15075 Why Am I getting "Conversion error?"

[chrisjj]

... on file format Sorted here:


on this portable install? Oddly no such error on a regular install of the same version:



This is Win XP SP3.

http://www.scootersoftware.com/vbull...07&postcount=8 says

The error means BC can't find one of the conversion utilities located in the Helpers subdirectory of the Beyond Compare 3 folder.

but I can see no utility referenced:

[Aaron]

The conversion error can also occur if the file returned by the conversion is completely empty, or if there is an Error Code passed back on the command line.

Is the Regular Install and Portable Install running on the same computer (the mentioned XP Sp3)?

The Sorted format is using "sort" on the command line. If you launch the command line on the trouble computer, does the command "sort /?" return the help of sort? Are you able to sort the file on the command line?

[chrisjj]

Note: I now find the portable behaviour is variable. No idea why.

The conversion error can also occur if the file returned by the conversion is completely empty, or if there is an Error Code passed back on the command line.

You've lost me there Aaron. Surely this conversion is supposed to be built-in BC functionality, not from some external converter utility.

Is the Regular Install and Portable Install running on the same computer (the mentioned XP Sp3)?

Yes.

The Sorted format is using "sort" on the command line.

The BC UI says "built-in".

If you launch the command line on the trouble computer, does the command "sort /?" return the help of sort?

Looks so:

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\Chris>sort /?
SORT [/R] [/+n] [/M kilobytes] [/L locale] [/REC recordbytes]
  [[drive1:][path1]filename1] [/T [drive2:][path2]]
  [/O [drive3:][path3]filename3]
  /+n                         Specifies the character number, n, to
                              begin each comparison.  /+3 indicates that
                              each comparison should begin at the 3rd
                              character in each line.  Lines with fewer
                              than n characters collate before other lines.
                              By default comparisons start at the first
                              character in each line.
  /L[OCALE] locale            Overrides the system default locale with
                              the specified one.  The ""C"" locale yields
                              the fastest collating sequence and is
                              currently the only alternative.  The sort
                              is always case insensitive.
  /M[EMORY] kilobytes         Specifies amount of main memory to use for
                              the sort, in kilobytes.  The memory size is
                              always constrained to be a minimum of 160
                              kilobytes.  If the memory size is specified
                              the exact amount will be used for the sort,
                              regardless of how much main memory is
                              available.

                              The best performance is usually achieved by
                              not specifying a memory size.  By default the
                              sort will be done with one pass (no temporary
                              file) if it fits in the default maximum
                              memory size, otherwise the sort will be done
                              in two passes (with the partially sorted data
                              being stored in a temporary file) such that
                              the amounts of memory used for both the sort
                              and merge passes are equal.  The default
                              maximum memory size is 90% of available main
                              memory if both the input and output are
                              files, and 45% of main memory otherwise.
  /REC[ORD_MAXIMUM] characters Specifies the maximum number of characters
                              in a record (default 4096, maximum 65535).
  /R[EVERSE]                  Reverses the sort order; that is,
                              sorts Z to A, then 9 to 0.
  [drive1:][path1]filename1   Specifies the file to be sorted.  If not
                              specified, the standard input is sorted.
                              Specifying the input file is faster than
                              redirecting the same file as standard input.
  /T[EMPORARY]
    [drive2:][path2]          Specifies the path of the directory to hold
                              the sort's working storage, in case the data
                              does not fit in main memory.  The default is
                              to use the system temporary directory.
  /O[UTPUT]
    [drive3:][path3]filename3 Specifies the file where the sorted input is
                              to be stored.  If not specified, the data is
                              written to the standard output.   Specifying
                              the output file is faster than redirecting
                              standard output to the same file.


C:\Documents and Settings\Chris>

Are you able to sort the file on the command line?

Yes.

[Aaron]

How variable? It is a consistent failure on specific files but not others? Or sometimes fails on files but othertimes not? If the later, how often does it fail?

Do you have a pair of sample files that you can email in to [email protected] that fail commonly, with a BCSupport.zip? Please include a link to this forum post.

[chrisjj]

How variable? It is a consistent failure on specific files but not others? Or sometimes fails on files but othertimes not? If the later, how often does it fail?

Sorry, I haven't collected sufficient data to answer those.

Do you have a pair of sample files that you can email in to [email protected] that fail commonly, with a BCSupport.zip? Please include a link to this forum post.

Will do, next time.

Meanwhile, could you please confirm that the UI's "built-in" is accurate, i.e. that this conversion does not use an external utility?

And is there some log that records any detail of the error?

Thanks.

[Aaron]

Hello,

It's "built in" in that we control the command line call, but it is using the Windows sort, with input and /output as the parameters.

[chrisjj]

It's "built in" in that we control the command line call, but it is using the Windows sort, with input and /output as the parameters.

Please pass on my suggestion that "Loading:" amended accordingly - to show the command-line that invokes the non-built-in sort executable. Thanks.

And is there some log that records any detail of the error?

[Aaron]

Only the log pane or the status bar message; there are no extra log locations. Usually, it is easy to reproduce an error by calling the same command line on the same pair of files that consistently throw an error in BC3.

[chrisjj]

Only the log pane or the status bar message

I don't recall seeing any detail of the error in those locations - just "Conversion error" - but I'll look more carefully next time.

Thanks.

Usually, it is easy to reproduce an error by calling the same command line on the same pair of files...

One reason why it would be useful for BC to show the command line.

Again, please pass on my suggestion that "Loading:" amended accordingly - to show the command-line that invokes the non-built-in sort executable. Thanks.

[may-bee]

Sort - Conversion Error

Hi,

I get the same result. Configuring Sort as conversion, I always get a conversion error. I also tried it plain in the command line and everythink worked fine.
Thus I created a new bat script encompassing the sort command with a higher REC byte parameter... same effect. Always getting the Conversion Error in BC.

My Setup:
Win7x64
BC3 (latest update)
User Account Control Settings level 3 (win default)

Please help.

[Aaron]

Similar to above, we would need to troubleshoot if the sorted result is returning a blank file. Otherwise, you can email us at [email protected] with a copy of your BCSupport.zip (Help menu -> Support; Export) and a pair of files that exhibit the issue and we can try to reproduce the problem in office.