PRB: COPY TO ARRAY Causes Insufficient Memory Error

• Microsoft Visual FoxPro for Windows, versions 5.0, 5.0a, 6.0

SYMPTOMS

Using the COPY TO ARRAY command to copy fields to an array can cause an insufficient memory error in Visual FoxPro 5.x and 6.0. If the number of fields copied to the array multiplied by the number of records in the database is greater than 65000, then an insufficient memory error occurs if the array is not previously defined.

CAUSE

The array was not dimensioned prior to use.

RESOLUTION

Here are three workarounds for this problem:

• Instead of using the COPY TO ARRAY command, use a SELECT statement. For example:

  
        SELECT * FROM mytest where name2 = "WY" INTO ARRAY myarray 




• Dimension the array, prior to use, so that it is large enough to contain the data. For example:

  
        DIMENSION myarray(30,10) 

  If the array is already defined, an error will not occur. If the dimensions of the array do not match the data, the array will not be re-dimensioned to match the data by the copy command and data can be lost.



• Use an ON ERROR handle to check for Error 43 and ignore the error message.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article.

MORE INFORMATION

If you ignore the insufficient memory error message, the array is created anyway.

Steps to Reproduce Behavior

1. Create a program (.prg) file.



2. Place the following code in the .prg file:

   
         CREATE TABLE mytest (name1 c(10), name2 c(2), name3 c(5),;
                           name4 c(5), name5 c(5))
   
         FOR i = 1 to 40
            INSERT INTO mytest (name1, name2, name3, name4, name5);
            VALUES (SYS(2015), "WA", "WORLD", "HELLO", "TEST" )
         ENDFOR
   
         FOR i = 1 to 20
            INSERT INTO mytest (name1, name2, name3, name4, name5);
            VALUES (SYS(2015), "WY", "WORLD", "SMITH", "TEST1")
         ENDFOR
   
         FOR i = 1 to 15000
            INSERT INTO mytest (name1, name2, name3, name4, name5);
            VALUES (SYS(2015), "MA", "WORLD", "SMITH", "TEST1")
         ENDFOR
   
         INDEX ON name2 TAG name2
         SET ORDER TO name2
         SEEK "WY"
         IF FOUND()
            WAIT WINDOW "RECORD FOUND" NOWAIT
            COPY TO ARRAY myarray WHILE name2='WY'
         ELSE
            RETURN
         ENDIF 




3. Save and run the program.

There is not enough memory to complete this operation.

REFERENCES

Microsoft FoxPro Help, serach on: "COPY TO ARRAY" Microsoft FoxPro Help, search on: "DIMENSION"

Additional query words: kbXBase kbVFp600 kbVFp500a kbVFp500

Keywords :
Version : WINDOWS:5.0,5.0a,6.0
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type : kbprb