39  Problems

This section discusses problems you might encounter with the T.O.V.A. .

39.1  Errors in the T.O.V.A.

Yeah, we’d prefer there weren’t any errors in our software too. But occasionally—sometimes even through no fault of our own—the unexpected occurs.

An Error window

Sometimes the error may make perfect sense to you. We try to generate meaningful error messages, but it’s not always possible.

If a message confuses or disturbs you, please contact T.O.V.A. technical support. The best way to alert us is using the T.O.V.A. ’s built-in tech support interface: Just click ‘Send to tech support...’ from most error windows or see section 29 for more information. If your need is urgent, you can call us at 1-800-PAY-ATTN (1-800-729-2886), or you can email us at support@tovatest.com. Best of all, our Tech Support is always FREE!

39.2  Database fails to open

There are a few different reasons why a database may fail to open:

WARNING! Storing data on a server or network share will most likely result in lost data! Many of the problems below can be caused by attempting to share a T.O.V.A. database over a network. This is NOT supported and will cause problems.

The T.O.V.A. database is locked by another user.

While you may share a T.O.V.A. database between multiple users on a computer, the T.O.V.A. application cannot be run by multiple users simultaneously. User 1 and User 2 may both run the T.O.V.A. application on the same computer, and they may either share a database or each have their own database (section 27.4), but User 1 must exit the T.O.V.A. application completely before User 2 may run it. The T.O.V.A. does not support simultaneous access by multiple users at this time.

The database path is not valid.

It may include characters that your operating system doesn’t allow for path names. The path may be to a drive that no longer exists or is unavailable.

You may not have full access to the T.O.V.A. database.

The T.O.V.A. database is a folder containing many other files and subfolders. Any user of the T.O.V.A. will need full access to all of those files and folders, even if they don’t intend to make changes. It may be that you have logged in as a different user than before, or that the permissions on the database files or folders have been changed. Examine the permissions on your T.O.V.A. database path, contact your IT department to correct the problem, or contact T.O.V.A. technical support for assistance (section 29).

Your database fails to upgrade after updating to 8.2.

This can be caused by minor database corruption—contact T.O.V.A. technical support for assistance (section 29).

The T.O.V.A. database may have become corrupt.

It is possible for problems to occur in the T.O.V.A. database: a computer might shut down unexpectedly or your computer’s hard drive could glitch or fail. The database automatically corrects many problems, but some issues cannot be fixed automatically. Note: Serious database corruption can be caused if you locate your T.O.V.A. database on a network server or shared drive.

The T.O.V.A. has built-in automatic backups (section 27.5), though we recommend you also perform your own computer backups to a secure location. If you have full access to the database path and the T.O.V.A. database still fails to open, please contact T.O.V.A. technical support (section 29). We can often help users recover some or all of their data.

39.2.1  Moving the database aside

If your T.O.V.A. database cannot be opened, the T.O.V.A. may offer to move the non-working database aside. If successful, the T.O.V.A. can then create a new, empty database where the former database was. That way, you can test new subjects, then contact The TOVA Company at a convenient time to recover your previous data, if possible. The original database that could not be opened will be preserved, renamed, in the same database folder.

39.3  The T.O.V.A. application is already running? (Windows-only)

If you try to run the T.O.V.A. and you get this message, it indicates that the T.O.V.A. is already running. If you were to run your Windows Task Manager, though, you would not find tova.exe and killing tova-pte-svc.exe would not help you.

The T.O.V.A. is a Java application (which is why it runs on both Windows and Mac computers) and runs on your computer as tova-jvm.exe. If you arrive at this window, click ‘Restart’ to tell the other T.O.V.A. instance to exit. On the other hand, if you perhaps forgot the T.O.V.A. application was already running, you can just click ‘OK’, and the new instance will exit.

If the T.O.V.A. encounters a serious problem and the previous instance will not terminate, reboot your computer or click ‘OK’ and end any other tova-jvm.exe tasks that are running. Or just contact T.O.V.A. technical support (section 29). We’re happy to help.

39.4  Problems saving a session

Find subject

If you encounter a message like this saving a session to your database, it can be confusing. It usually indicates that you are trying to save a session to a different database than launched it. This can happen if you are running the T.O.V.A. on multiple computers or from different logins on the same computer. If you can, exit the T.O.V.A. application and try to save the test data on the original computer and login.

If you cannot, click ‘OK’, and you will be prompted to either match the session to the same subject in this database or to create a new subject with the name, birthdate, and gender from the test data on the device. Any additional information you entered in the New Test Session window (Treatments, Tester, Comments, etc.) will need to be re-entered, but the critical information and test data will be saved.

39.5  Resolving duplicate subjects

Are these actually the same subject?

If the T.O.V.A. finds that a new or edited subject looks similar, but not identical, to another subject in the database, it will ask you to resolve the situation. Often this can happen if a subject has been entered as “John" and “Jack" or the name was just misspelled.

You are asked to decide if the two subjects are actually different people or not. If they are the same subject, choose either the new subject information or the existing information from the similar subject.