Microsoft Index Server Guide: Error Messages

Microsoft Index Server errors fall into several classes: query syntax errors, .idq syntax errors, .htx syntax errors, out-of-resource errors, and other system errors. They are also reported through two mechanisms: HTML pages and the Windows NT event log. The only errors a user is likely to see are query syntax errors, and even these can be minimized through use of HTML forms.

HTML Error Pages

The first three classes of error (query syntax, .idq syntax, and .htx syntax) always generate an HTML error page. The page returned for each class of error is specified in the Language-Specific Registry Settings on the “Registry” page. Registry keys are under the following path:

These pages are standard, completely customizable .htx pages. The variable CiErrorMessage contains a localized string describing the specific error, and CiErrorNumber contains the error code.

Windows NT Event Log Reporting

Index Server system errors are reported in the application event log under the Ci Filter Service category. System errors reported here include page filtering (indexing) problems, out-of-resource conditions, index corruption, and so on. See Event Log Messages later in this chapter for a complete list of messages.

Query Syntax Errors

These messages are returned by use of the CiErrorMessage variable, accessible from .htx error pages.

Message	Explanation
Expecting closing parenthesis ‘)’.	Occurs when parentheses are mismatched.
Expecting closing square bracket ‘]’.	An opening square bracket was not followed by a closing square bracket. Usually the result of an ill-formed weight.
Expecting comma.	Occurs when a reserved token or end-of-string occurs before the closing brace of a vector property. Example: `@VectorString = {A1, B@}`.
Expecting currency.	A currency value was expected but not found. Occurs when a property of type DBTYPE_CY is fed incorrect input. Correct format for currency is `#.#`.
Expecting date.	A date was expected but not found. Occurs when a property of type DBTYPE_DATE is fed incorrect input. Allowed formats for dates are `yyyy/mm/dd`, `yyyy/mm/dd hh:mm:ss`, and relative dates (`-#y`, `-#m`, `-#w`, `-#d`, `-#h`, `-#n`, `-#s`).
Expecting end of string.	A complete restriction has been parsed, and there is still more input. Example: `(@size = 100)` `sample`.
Expecting GUID.	A GUID (Globally Unique Identifier) was expected but not found. Occurs when a property of DBTYPE_GUID is fed incorrect input. Property format for a GUID is `XXXXXXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXXXXXXXXXX`.
Expecting integer.	An integer was expected but not found. Occurs when a property of an integer type (DBTYPE_I4, and so on) is fed a nonnumeric value, or a nonnumeric vector weight is entered.
Expecting phrase.	A textual phrase was expected and not found. This error occurs in a variety of situations where the query parser is expecting plain text and is given a special token instead.
Expecting property name.	Occurs when a correctly formed property name is not found after an @ sign.
Expecting real number.	A real number was expected but not found. Occurs when a property of a real type (DBTYPE_R4, and so on) if fed a nonnumeric value.
Expecting regular expression.	Similar to Expecting phrase. Used when in regular-expression parsing mode.
Invalid literal.	Occurs only when a query property is formatted poorly. Almost all conditions are covered by Expecting Integer, Expecting Date, and so on.
No such property.	Property specified after @, #, or $ does not exist. It is not a default property and is not specified in the [Names] section of the .idq file.
Not yet implemented.	An unimplemented feature of Index Server.
Out of memory.	The server ran out of memory processing the CiRestriction.
Regular expressions require a property of type string.	A property of a nontextual type (DBTYPE_I4, DBTYPE_GUID, and so on) was selected for regular expression mode. For example, `#size 100*` will cause this error.
The file <file> is on a remote UNC share. .Idq, .ida, and .htx files cannot be placed on a remote UNC share.	An .idq, .ida, or .htx file was found on a remote UNC share. None of these files can be on a remote UNC share.
Unsupported property type.	For future expansion. Will occur when a display-only property type is used in a query restriction.

.Idq File Errors

These messages are returned by use of the CiErrorMessage variable, accessible from .htx error pages.

Message	Explanation
DBTYPE_BYREF must be used with DBTYPE_STR, DBTYPE_WSTR, DBTYPE_GUID or DBTYPE_UI1 types on line <line> in file <file>.	DBTYPE_BYREF must always be used in conjunction with an indirect type in the [Names] section.
Duplicate property name on line <line> in file <file>.	The same property was defined twice in the [Names] section.
Expecting an equal sign ‘=’ on line <line> in file <file>.	Incorrectly formatted entry in the [Names] section of .idq file.
Expecting closing parenthesis on line <line> in file <file>.	Opening parenthesis in [Names] section is not followed by closing parenthesis in .idq file.
Expecting GUID on line <line> in file <file>.	Incorrectly formatted entry in the [Names] section of .idq file.
Expecting integer on line <line> in file <file>.	Incorrectly formatted entry in the [Names] section of .idq file.
Expecting property name on line <line> in file <file>.	Incorrectly formatted entry in the [Names] section of .idq file.
Expecting property specifier on line <line> in file <file>.	Invalid or missing property specifier in [Names] section. Property is named either by PROPID (integer) or string.
Expecting type specifier on line <line> in file <file>.	Incorrectly formatted entry in the [Names] section of .idq file.
Invalid GUID on line <line> in file <file>.	A poorly formatted GUID was found on the specified line.
The .htx file specified could not be found in any virtual or physical path.	The file specified in the CiTemplate parameter could not be located.
Invalid property found in the ‘CiSort=’ specification in file <file>.	A property specified in the CiSort parameter is not a standard property and is not listed in the [Names] section of the .idq file.
An invalid sort order was specified on the ‘CiSort=’ line in file <file>. Only [a] and [d] are supported.	A sort-order specification following a property name in the CiSort parameter was unrecognized. Only `[a]` (for ascending) and `[d]` (for descending) are allowed.
Invalid property found in the ‘CiColumns=’ specification in file <file>.	A property specified in the CiColumns parameter is not a standard property and is not listed in the [Names] section of the .idq file.
Duplicate column, possibly by a column alias, found in the ‘CiColumns=’ specification in file <file>.	The same property was named more than once in the CiColumns line. It may have been mentioned with different friendly names that refer to the same property.
One or more output columns must be specified in the .idq file <file>.	The CiColumns parameter is missing or empty. At least one output column must be specified for the query.
Read error in file <file>.	I/O error occured reading the file. Generally caused by hardware failure.
A restriction must be specified in the .idq file <file>.	The CiRestriction parameter is missing or empty. Every query must have a restriction. A restriction such as `#vpath .` will match all pages.
A scope must be specified in the .idq file <file>.	The CiScope parameter is missing or empty. Every query must have a scope. The scope / will match every page.
Failed to set property in file <file>.	A resource failure. Usually out-of-memory.
A template file must be specified in the .idq file <file>.	The CiTemplate parameter is missing or empty. Every query must have a template (.htx) file.
The template file cannot be found in the location specified by ‘CiTemplate=’ in file <file>	An attempt to open a .htx file at the location specified by the CiTemplate parameter failed. The path may be invalid, it may specify a directory, or it may resolve to NULL after parameter replacement.
The catalog directory cannot be found in the location specified by ‘CiCatalog=’ in file <file>.	The catalog location specified by the CiCatalog paraemeter did not contain a valid content index catalog.
The IDQ file <file> contains a duplicate entry on line <line>.	A parameter in the [query] section of the .idq file was given more than once.
Expecting TRUE or FALSE in .idq file <file> on line ‘CiForceUseCi=’	The CiForceUseCi parameter has a value other than `TRUE` or `FALSE`.
Expecting SHALLOW or DEEP in .idq file <file> on line ‘CiFlags=’.	The CiFlags parameter has a value other than `SHALLOW` or `DEEP`.
An invalid locale was specified on the ‘CiLocale=’ line in .idq file <file>.	The locale ID specified by the CiLocale parameter was not recognized as a valid locale ID.
Unrecognized type on line <line> in file <file>.	Type specifed is not one of the valid types (DBTYPE_I4, DBTYPE_GUID, and so on).
DBTYPE_VECTOR or DBTYPE_BYREF used alone on line <i> in file <file>.	The VECTOR and BYREF property modifiers must always be used with a type. Example: DBTYPE_I4 \| DBTYPE_VECTOR
You must specify ‘MaxRecordsPerPage’ in the .idq file <file>.	The CiMaxRecordsPerPage parameter is missing or empty. Every query must specify the number of records per page.

.Htx File Errors

These messages are returned by use of the CiErrorMessage variable, accessible from .htx error pages.

Message	Explanation
A `<%BeginDetail%>` section was found on line <number> in the .htx file <file>, without a matching `<%EndDetail%>` section.	The `<%BeginDetail%>` tag must be followed by a matching `<%EndDetail%>` tag.
An `<%else%>` or `<%endif%>` was found without a matching `<%if ...%>`.	An `<%else%>` or `<%endif%>` tag was found without a matching `<%if%>` tag.
An`<%EndDetail%>` section was found on line <number> in the .htx file <file> before the `<%BeginDetail%>` section.	The `<%BeginDetail%>` tag must precede the `<%EndDetail%>` tag.
An `<%EndDetail%>` section was found on line <number> in the .htx file <file>, without a matching `<%BeginDetail%>` section.	The `<%EndDetail%>` tag must be preceded by a matching `<%BeginDetail%>` tag.
An `<%if%>` was found without a matching `<%` `else%>` or `<%endif%>`.	The `<%if ...%>` tag must be followed by an `<%endif%>` tag, with an optional `<%else%>` tag in between.
An opening bracket “{” was found without a matching closing bracket.	A vector in an `<%if ...%>` tag is missing the closing brace.
An opening quote (“) was found without a matching closing quote.	A quoted phrase in an `<%if ...%>` tag is missing the closing quote.
Constants used in IsTypeEq conditions must be unsigned integers, not floats, GUIDs, and so on.	One or more of the constants in the IsTypeEq condition is not an unsigned integer, float, GUID, and so on.
Expecting an operator in `<%if%>` statement.	The operator in an `<%if ...%>` tag was missing. ‘If’ must be followed by one of EQ, NE, LT, LE, GT, GE, contains, or IsTypeEq.
One of the values in a IsTypeEq condition must be a variable. You used two constants.	One of the values in the IsTypeEq condition is not a variable.
The .htx file <file> contains an ill-formed include statement on line <number>.	Usually caused by a `<%include ...%>` tag without the closing `<%`.
The .htx file specified could not be found in any virtual or physical path.	The .htx file specified in an `<%include ...%>` tag could not be located.
The .htx file <file> uses too many includes on line <number>.	A maximum of 32 files can be included by use of the `<%include ...%>` tag.
The include file name is invalid in file <file> on line <number>.	Usually caused by a `<%include ...%>` tag missing the closing `<%`.

Other Errors

Message	Explanation
The query failed because the Web server is busy processing other requests.	There are too many queries waiting to be processed. This query has been rejected. The user can try again later when the server is less busy.

Event Log Messages

Message	Explanation
CI has started on <catalog>.	An informational message logged when Index Server is started successfully.
A content scan has completed on <catalog>.	A content scan of the catalog has been completed successfully.
A full content scan has started on <catalog>.	A complete rescan of the catalog has been initiated.
An error has been detected on <catalog> that requires a full content scan.	The catalog lost a change notification, usually due to lack of resources (disk space) or hardware failure. The complete scope of the catalog will be scanned, and all documents will be refiltered. This action is deferred until a suitable time.
Class for extension <extension> unknown. Sample file: <file>	This is a warning that files with the specified extension are being filtered with the default (text) filter. This can lead to addition of unnecessary data in the index. Consider turning off filtering for this extension. The full physical path of a representative file is included in the message. Generation of this message can be disabled by turning on a special flag in ContentIndex registry. See the Registry page for details.
Cleaning up corrupted content index metadata on <catalog>. Index will be automatically restored by refiltering all documents.	A catastrophic data corruption error was detected on the specified catalog. The catalog will be rebuilt. This is usually caused by hardware failure, but can also occur in rare circumstances because of abrupt shutdown or power failure. Recovery will occur automatically.
Content index on <catalog> could not be initialized. Error <number>.	Unknown, possibly catastrophic error. Please report the error number to product support. To recover, delete all files under <catalog> and re-index.
Content index on <catalog> is corrupted. Please shut down and restart Web server.	A catastrophic data corruption error was detected on the specified catalog. The catalog will be rebuilt. This is usually caused by hardware failure, but can also occur in rare circumstances because of abrupt shutdown or power failure. You must shut down and restart the Web server for recovery to occur.
Error <number> detected in content index on <catalog>.	Unknown, possibly catastrophic error. Please report error number to product support. To recover, delete all files under <catalog> and start over.
Master merge has been paused on <catalog>. It will be rescheduled later.	A master merge has been temporarily halted on the specified catalog. Often occurs when a merge runs out of system resources (disk space, memory, and so on).
Master merge has completed on <catalog>.	A master merge has been completed on the specified catalog. This is an informational message.
Master merge cannot be started on <catalog> due to error <number>.	A master merge cannot be started on the specified catalog. The error code gives the reason.
Master merge cannot be restarted on <catalog> due to error <number>.	A master merge cannot be restarted on the specified catalog. The error code gives the reason.
Master merge has restarted on <catalog>.	A paused master merge has been restarted.
Master merge has started on <catalog>.	A master merge has been initiated on the specified catalog. This is an informational message.
Master merge was started on <catalog> because more than <number> documents have changed since the last master merge.	A master merge was started because the number of documents changed since the last master merge exceeded the maximum threshold.
Master merge was started on <catalog> because the amount of remaining disk space was less than <number>%.	A master merge was started because the amount of free space on the catalog volume dropped below a minimum threshold. The total free disk space should be increased after the master merge completes.
Master merge was started on <catalog> because the size of the shadow indexes is more than <number>% the disk.	A master merge was started because the amount of data in shadow indexes exceeded the maximum threshold.
Notifications are not enabled on <pathname> because this is a DFS aware share. This scope will be periodically scanned.	If a virtual root points to a distributed file system (DFS) share, notifications are disabled for the entire DFS share because DFS does not support notifications.
One or more embeddings in file <file> could not be filtered.	The specified file was filtered correctly, but several of the embedded objects could not be filtered. This is usually caused by embedded objects without a registered filter. Text within unfiltered embedded objects is not searchable. Generation of this message can be disabled by turning on a special flag in ContentIndex registry. See Registry parameters for details.
Recovery is starting on PropertyStore in catalog <catalog>.	Corruption was detected in the property cache. Recovery is starting on the property cache. This can take a long time depending upon the size of the property cache.
PropertyStore inconsistency detected in catalog <catalog>.	Corruption was detected in the property cache. Recovery is automatically scheduled. Usually the result of hardware failure or abrupt shutdown.
Recovery was performed successfully on PropertyStore in catalog <catalog>.	Corruption was detected in the property cache. The errata has been fixed. Usually the result of hardware failure or abrupt shutdown.
<number> inconsistencies were detected in PropertyStore during recovery of catalog <catalog>.	Corruption was detected in the property cache during startup. Recovery is automatically scheduled. Usually the result of hardware failure or abrupt shutdown.
The CI filter daemon has prematurely stopped and will be and subsequently restarted.	The filter daemon (Cidaemon.exe) stoped unexpectedly. It will be automatically restarted. This can be caused by poorly written filters, or experimentation with the Windows NT Task Manager.
The content index could not filter file <file>. The filter operation was retried <number> times without success.	The specified document failed to successfully filter <number> times. This usually indicates a corrupted document or corrupted properties. In rare cases, filtering may fail because the document was in use for a long period of time.
The content index filter for file “<file>” generated content data more than <size> times the file’s size.	Filtering of the specified document generated more than the allowed maximum amount of output. This is usually caused by a poorly written filter, a corrupted document, or both.
The content index filter stopped while filtering “<file>”. The CI daemon was restarted. Please check the validity of the filter for objects of this class.	Filtering of the specified document was started, but did not finish before the timout period expired. This is usually caused by a poorly written filter, a corrupted document, or both.
The filter service could not run since file <file> could not be found on your system.	An executable or DLL required for filtering cannot be found, usually because Cidaemon.exe is not on the path.
The path <pathname> is too long for content index.	The content index detected a path that was longer than the maximum number of characters allowed for a pathname as determined by the constant MAX_PATH (260 characters). As a result, no documents from that path will be returned or indexed.
Very low disk space was detected on drive <drive>. Please free up at least <number> MB of space for content index to continue.	Free space has fallen below the minimum threshold required for successful merge. This is just a warning, but no merges will be initiated until space is freed up. Filtering will also stop.
File change notifications are turned off for scope “<scope>” because of error <number>. This scope will be periodically rescanned.	An error prevented reestablishing automatic change notifications for the specified directory scope. To determine documents that changed in the scope, periodic incremental scans will be done by Index Server. The rescan interval is specified in the registry.
File change notificationsfor scope “<scope>” are not enabled because of error <number>. This scope will be periodically rescanned.	An error prevented establishment of automatic change notifications for the specified directory scope. This usually happens with virtual roots that point to remote shares on file servers that do not support automatic change notifications. To determine which documents changed in the scope, periodic incremental scans will be done by Index Server. The rescan interval is specified in the registry.
<Process-Name> failed to logon <UserId> because of error <number>.	The specified process (Index Server SearchEngine or CiDaemon) failed to log on the specified user because of an error. The remote shares for which the UserId is used will not be filtered correctly. This can happen if either the password is wrong or the validity of the password could not be verified due to network errors.