Error Message

An errror message is a message that is written to SYS$ERROR to provide information about successful execution of the previous command (if requested) or, usually, an error condition that has occurred. An example of an error message is:

%TYPE-W-SEARCHFAIL, error searching for DKA0:[000000]NOTHHERE.LIS;
-RMS-E-FNF, file not found

Syntax

Error messages consist of the following parts:

• FACILITY: the facility or command that has issued the error message. In the example above, facilities are TYPE and RMS.
• SEVERITY: the severity code for the error message.
• IDENTIFICATION: the abbreviation of the error message that can be passed as an argument to HELP/MESSAGE to find out more about this error.
• TEXT: an explanation of the error: in the example above, the "file not found" and "error searching for DKA0:[000000]NOTHHERE.LIS" strings constitute the text part of the respective error messages.

Any or all of these parts can be obtained with the F$MESSAGE() lexical given the $STATUS of the error condition.

List of error messages

Error code	Identification	Facility	Explanation	User action
%x0000001	NORMAL, success	LIBRAR, LIBRARY Command	This message is associated with a code returned by the Librarian utility or generated by the DCL command LIBRARY. The operating system does not normally display this message.	None
		LBR, Librarian Routines	This message is associated with a code returned by the Librarian utility or generated by the DCL command LIBRARY. The operating system does not normally display this message.	None
		Shared by several facilities	The operation completed normally.	None
		ACME, ACME SYS$ACM[W] Codes	The operation completed successfully. The ACME callback was successful.	Choose the proper role-based action as follows: End User: None. ACME Programmer: Continue processing.
%x0000002 %x0000003 %x0000004 %x0000005 %x0000006 %x0000007 %x000000A %x000000B %x000000C %x000000D %x000000E %x000000F %x000002A %x000002B %x000002C %x000002D %x000002E %x000002F	NOMSG, no messages defined	MESSAGE, Message Utility	No messages have been defined in the message source file.	Ensure that at least one message definition appears in the message source file.
%x0000008 %x0000009 %x0000010 %x0000011 %x0000012 %x0000013 %x0000014 %x0000015	ACCVIO, access violation, reason mask='xx', virtual address='xxxxxxxx', PC='xxxxxxxx', PSL='xxxxxxxx'	TPU, DEC Text Processing Utility (DECTPU)	An internal DECTPU failure occurred.	Contact VSI customer support
		SYSTEM, System Services	An image attempted to read from or write to a memory location that is protected from the current mode. This message indicates an exception condition and is followed by a register and stack dump to help locate the error. The reason mask is a longword whose lowest 5 bits, if set, indicate that the instruction caused a length violation (bit 0), referenced the process page table (bit 1), attempted a read/modify operation (bit 2), was a vector operation on an improperly aligned vector element (bit 3), or was a vector instruction reference to an I/O space address (bit 4). This message is also displayed when an attempt has been made to make the user stack larger than the user's virtual address space permits. For example, the automatic user stack expansion algorithm reports an access violation with the following two conditions (which should serve as hints that automatic expansion has failed): The reason mask has the low-order bit set. This indicates a memory reference that is not described in any page table. The relatively small P1 address space virtual address is referenced.	Examine the PC and virtual address displayed in the message. The virtual address is often the address to which the access attempt was made. However, in the case of vector-related access violations and in some processor implementations, the reported virtual address may be some other address in the same page as that address to which the access was attempted. Check the program listing to verify that instruction operands or procedure call arguments are correct. If this message is displayed because of insufficient virtual memory for automatic user stack expansion, reduce the user stack requirements of the image or increase the virtual address space available to the process in which the image is executed.
%x0000016 %x0000017 %x0000018 %x0000019 %x0000020 %x0000021 %x0000022 %x0000023	BADPARAM, bad parameter detected	DVR$ Facility (CDA Viewer)	An invalid parameter was passed to a routine.	Ensure that you call the routine properly. Some parameters must be passed by value, and some must be passed by reference. Check the documentation to ensure that you correctly pass the right number of parameters.
	BADPARAM, unable to find load assist parameter	VAXCLUSTER, OpenVMS Cluster Software	Parameters defined in the MOP downline load database or the satellite's SYSGEN parameter file, VAXVMSSYS.PAR, were not set properly.	Check the MOP database using the NCP command SHOW NODE 'node-name' CHAR and check the SYSGEN parameters for the satellite with the SYSGEN command SHOW/CLUSTER.
	BADPARAM, parameter to DECthreads operation is invalid	CMA, HP POSIX Threads Library for OpenVMS	A parameter passed to a DECthreads routine is improper; for example, the value is of the wrong type or is out of range.	Determine which routine raised the exception. Then consult the documentation to determine the correct parameters and value ranges. Update your code accordingly and retry the operation.
	BADPARAM, insufficient shared memory to create specified data structures	SYSGEN, System Generation Utility	The sum of all the data structures specified is more than the available amount of shared memory.	Recalculate memory usage and reenter the command.
	BADPARAM, bad parameter value	SYSTEM, System Services	A value specified for a system function is not valid. Several conditions can cause this error: If this message occurs as a result of a call to a file system ACP function, it indicates that parameter list options are not valid. If this message occurs as a result of a call to the Formatted ASCII Output ($FAO) system service, it indicates that a control string contained an unknown directive. If this message occurs as a result of a call to a network ACP control function, it indicates that one of the function parameters is out of range or has an invalid format. If this message is associated with a status code returned by a request to a DR32 interface, an attempt is made to set the data rate higher than the rate allowed by the SYSGEN parameter /XFMAXRATE. If this message is associated with a status code returned by a request to a standard XADRIVER, an odd transfer count is specified by the P2 argument. If this message is associated with a status code returned by a request to a DMP11 interface, the rejected parameter code is given in the second longword of the IOSB. The parameter could be rejected because it is not recognized, the parameter value is not legal, or the state is inconsistent with the requested parameter value. If this message is associated with turning on fallback, fallback may not be loaded or the virtual terminal may be disconnected. Reconnect the virtual terminal and enter the request again. If the FB driver is not loaded, ask your system manager to enable fallback. This message can be generated by the device driver interface of the QIOserver when a bad parameter is passed to the QIOserver new unit routine under one of the following circumstances: The driver does not support QIOserver (that is, the DPT$M_QSVR bit is clear). Both the DEV$M_QSVD and DEV$M_QSVBL bits are set in the device characteristics or both are clear. Either the DEV$M_CLU bit is clear or the DEV$M_NOCLU bit is set in the device characteristics. This message can be generated by the device driver interface of the QIOserver when an incorrect parameter or argument is passed to the SYS$QIOSERVER system service. This could include an incorrect item code or an incorrect item descriptor such as an illegal size or a missing buffer address.	Using the debugger, if necessary, determine the system service call that returned the error. Verify that the call to the service is coded correctly. Refer to the OpenVMS System Services Reference Manual Vol. I (A-GETUAI) and OpenVMS System Services Reference Manual Vol. II (GETUTC-Z) for coding specifications. In the case of a QIOserver device driver interface error, correct the error in the device driver or in the item list and retry the operation.
BADPARAM, bad parameter	LBR, Librarian Routines	An illegal value is passed to an LBR routine.	Correct the illegal value.
%x0000024 %x0000025 %x0000026 %x0000027 %x0000028 %x0000029 %x0000030 %x0000031	EXQUOTA, registry file quota or page file quota exceeded	REG, Registry for OpenVMS	A request to create a key or value could not complete successfully because a Registry for OpenVMS database file exceeded its quota.	Increase the quota for the file by modifying the Registry value HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\Registry\File Quotas\'file name'. For more information about using Registry for OpenVMS or the $REGISTRY system service, consult the "COM, Registry, and Events for OpenVMS Developer's Guide" or the "OpenVMS System Services Reference Manual".
	EXQUOTA, process quota exceeded	SYSTEM, System Services	An image could not continue executing or a command could not execute because the process exceeded one of its resource quotas or limits. If this message is associated with a status code returned by a request to a DR32 interface, a DR11-W interface, or an LPA11-K driver, the AST quota for the requesting process is exceeded. In the latter case, an AST cannot be queued for a buffer full/empty AST. Normally, a start data transfer request can require no more than three AST blocks at a time. If this message is associated with a vector disabled (VECDIS) status code, the process's paging file quota prohibits the allocation of sufficient process memory for storing its mainline vector state. If this message is associated with a status code returned by a request to a DUP11 interface, a request cannot be queued because the buffered I/O quota is exceeded. This message can indicate failure to create a subprocess because deductible quotas, when subtracted from the current quotas of the creator, would not leave the minimum required quotas for the creator. This message may also occur if the size of a buffered I/O request exceeds the value of the SYSGEN parameter MAXBUF.	Use the DCL command SHOW PROCESS/QUOTAS to determine the current quotas and to determine which quota is exceeded. Determine whether any subprocesses are hibernating and are no longer performing useful functions; delete any such subprocesses. If a program fails consistently because of insufficient quotas, ask the system manager to increase your quotas.
	EXQUOTA, maximum number of users exceeded - try again later	LOGIN, Login Procedure	The installation-defined maximum number of users has been reached.	Wait and try to log in later, after other users have logged off.
%x0000032 %x0000033 %x0000034 %x0000035 %x0000036 %x0000037 %x0000038 %x0000039	NOPRIV, Insufficient privileges: (SET,STOP,START & TRACE commands require SYSPRV)	SCACP, Systems Communications Architecture Control Program	The process does not have sufficient privileges to execute the indicated commands.	Ask the system administrator to grant the SYSPRV privilege to the process.
	NOPRIV, No privilege for attempted operation	GCMSRV, Graphical Configuration Manager Server	You do not have the privileges required to perform the attempted operation.	Contact your GCM server administrator to request the necessary privileges.
	NOPRIV, No privilege for attempted operation	GCMSRV, Graphical Configuration Manager Server	You do not have the required privileges to start a GCM server.	Contact your GCM server administrator to request the necessary privileges.
	NOPRIV, user denied privilege to write to volume on 'device-name'	MOUNT, Mount Utility	The user requested initialization of a volume but does not have the privilege to write to it.	Mount either a tape that the user has write privilege to, or a blank tape. Request initialization of this tape when replying to the next mount request.
	NOPRIV, operation requires SYSPRV privilege	CAF, Cluster Authorization File Service	Access to the cluster authorization file requires SYSPRV privilege.	Enter a SET PROFILE/PRIVILEGE=SYSPRV command, then reenter your original command.
	NOPRIV, insufficient privileges for this operation. CMKRNL, SYSNAM, and SYSPRV are required	LICENSE, License Management Utility	An attempt was made to enter a LICENSE command for which you need CMKRNL, SYSNAM, and SYSPRV privileges.	See your system manager.
	NOPRIV, insufficient privilege to display complete information	SHOW, SHOW Command	You do not have sufficient privilege to see all the users of an Activity license.	See your system manager. You must obtain GROUP privilege to see license users in the same group and WORLD privilege to see license users outside your group.
	NOPRIV, insufficient privilege or queue protection violation	JBC, Job Controller	The queue protection denies access to the queue for the specified operation.	None.
	NOPRIV, insufficient privilege or object protection violation	SYSTEM, System Services	This message can occur under any of the following conditions: A command or program requested a system function that requires a specific user privilege or privileges that the current process does not have. A program image attempted to access, modify, or delete a control area created and owned by a more privileged access mode. Such areas include pages in memory, I/O channels, or timer queue entries. A command or program requested file or volume access that is denied. The requesting process does not have the privilege to read or write to this mailbox. (The protection mask is defined when the mailbox is created.) The flags parameter to $SUSPND has requested suspension of kernel mode, but the caller is not running in executive or kernel mode.	If the message is in response to a command entered interactively, verify that the particular command or qualifier does not require a specific user privilege or privileges. If the message occurs during the execution of a program, determine the system service call that resulted in the error. Verify that a service or an argument was not used for a particular service that requires a user privilege that you do not have. Or, verify that you are not attempting to modify an RMS file system or system-owned data area or memory page. If this message is associated with a vector disabled (VECDIS) status code, an ACL on the system's vector capability has prevented the process from executing vector instructions. In each case, correct the command or program so that you do not request the privileged function. If you determine that you need the privilege for an application, ask your system manager to give you the necessary privilege. Verify the file or volume name. Have the owner of the file or volume change the protection value.
	NOPRIV, insufficient privileges for the requested operation	ACME, ACME SYS$ACM[W] Codes	The calling process does not possess the necessary privileges to issue the requested SYS$ACM[W] service or perform the requested SET SERVER ACME operation.	Choose the proper role-based action as follows: System Manager: evaluate whether privileges should be granted if this is an exceptional circumstance. ACM Client Programmer: review the arguments provided to the SYS$ACM[W] system service to determine which ones are causing the status code.