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Q183522: FIX: Divide by Zero Creates Err with Third-Party Print Drivers

Article: Q183522
Product(s): Microsoft FoxPro
Version(s): WINDOWS:5.0,5.0a,6.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbservicepack kbvfp600 kbvfp600fix kbVS600sp2 kbVS600SP1 kbVS600sp3fix
Last Modified: 16-JUN-1999

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The information in this article applies to:

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

SYMPTOMS
========

If certain third-party printer or fax drivers are loaded when one of several
commands, which invoke printer driver routines are used, and followed by
division by zero, Visual FoxPro 5.0 or 5.0a terminates with the following
error:

  This program has performed and illegal operation and will be shut down.
  If the problem persists, contact the program vendor.

When you click the Details button, the following information displays:

  VFP caused an exception 10H in module VFP.EXE at <address>.

Under similar circumstances, Visual FoxPro 6.0 may hang or cause Windows 95 or
Windows 98 to display a blue screen error similar to the following:

  A fatal exception 0D has occurred at 0028:c0038f07 in VXD VMCPD(01) +
  00002DB. The current application will be terminated.

  * Press any key to terminate the current application.
  * Press CTRL+ALT+DEL again to restart your computer. You will lose
  any unsaved information in all applications.

These errors can occur during report printing, report preview, or issuing one of
several other commands followed by a BROWSE with the KEY clause. This error may
also occur randomly. Please see the RESOLUTION section for more scenarios that
can cause the errors.

CAUSE
=====

Visual FoxPro sets the numeric coprocessor to handle exceptions in hardware. The
printer driver routines change this numeric coprocessor setting so that
coprocessor exception handling takes place in software, but fails to restore the
original setting when the printer driver routines have completed. When a
subsequent numeric coprocessor exception occurs in Visual FoxPro (division by
zero, for instance), the numeric coprocessor expects the exception to be handled
in software. Visual FoxPro is not able to do this, and an exception error, crash
or hang occurs.

RESOLUTION
==========

Here are three ways you can work around this error:

- Use a printer driver supplied with Windows 95.

-or-

- Disable the numeric coprocessor through Control Panel. Open Control Panel and
  double-click the System icon. In the System Properties dialog box, select the
  Device Manager tab. Scroll down the list and expand the System Devices
  listing. Double-click Numeric Data Processor and select the Settings tab.
  Make sure the option button "Never use the numeric data processor" is
  selected.

  NOTE: This change may result in the following error messages on reboot:

  A fatal exception 0D has occurred at 0028:c0038f07 in VXD VMCPD(01) +
  00002DB. The current application will be terminated. * Press any key to
  terminate the current application. * Press CTRL+ALT+DEL again to restart your
  computer. You will lose any unsaved information in all applications.

  If this happens, restart in safe mode.

  Enable the numeric coprocessor through the Control Panel. Open Control Panel
  and double-click the System icon. In the System Properties dialog box, select
  the Device Manager tab. Scroll down the list and expand the System Devices
  listing. Double-click Numeric Data Processor and select the Settings tab.
  Make sure the option button "Always use the numeric data processor" is
  selected. After restarting the computer, the preceding error is gone;
  however, either item 1 or item 3 is required to resolve the 10h error.

-or-

- Use the _fpreset function in the Microsoft Visual C++ run-time DLL to reset
  the numeric coprocessor. This is demonstrated in the following code:

       *-- Code begins here
        DECLARE _fpreset IN msvcrt20.dll
        =_fpreset()
        *-- Code ends here

This can be implemented within an application by adding this to the beginning of
your main program:

     DECLARE _fpreset IN msvcrt20.dll

The DECLARE statement only needs to be made once. You should use the call to
_fpreset() immediately after using any of the following functions or commands:

     GETPRINTER()
     REPORT FORM ... TO PRINTER
     REPORT FORM ... PREVIEW
     SET( "Printer", 2)
     SET( "Printer", 3)
     SET PRINTER TO NAME <printer name>
     SYS(1037)

You should also call _fpreset() after calling File/Page Setup from the Visual
FoxPro menu, or after clicking the "Print One Copy" button on the FoxPro
Standard toolbar.

It may also be necessary to add a call to _fpreset() to Dataenvironment
BeforeOpenTables and Destroy methods of each report. Under some circumstances,
you may also need to add _fpreset() calls to the end of the Load and Destroy
methods of forms, especially in, but not limited to, custom forms from which
your application does printing.

STATUS
======

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

This bug was corrected in Visual Studio 6.0 Service Pack 3. For more information
about Visual Studio service packs, please see the following articles in the
Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q194022 INFO: Visual Studio 6.0 Service Packs, What, Where, Why

Q194295 HOWTO: Tell That Visual Studio 6.0 Service Packs Are Installed

MORE INFORMATION
================

1. On a Windows 95 computer, install the Hewlett-Packard 6.0 printer driver.


  The Hewlett-Packard 6.0 printer does not have to be physically installed on
  the computer; just the print driver is needed.

2. Run the following code:

     *-- Code begins here.
     =GETPRINTER()  && Select the HP6 printer.
     m1 = 9/0 && Any division by zero will work.
     *-- Code ends here.

3. Alternatively, create a report, add a text field and set the expression to
  "m1/m2" without the quotes, or set the expression to 9/0 and then, click OK.
  Next, preview the report.

Additional query words: kbvfp600fix kbdse LaserJet LJ Lexmark

======================================================================
Keywords          : kbservicepack kbvfp600 kbvfp600fix kbVS600sp2 kbVS600SP1 kbVS600sp3fix 
Technology        : kbVFPsearch kbAudDeveloper kbVFP500 kbVFP600 kbVFP500a
Version           : WINDOWS:5.0,5.0a,6.0
Issue type        : kbbug
Solution Type     : kbfix

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