The eXpress Error Checker is a special toolbar that can be used to check a design for possible mistakes. There are four Severity levels associated with the Error Checker with explanations of each level of errorshown below.
Definite Error - Indicates an issue that results in an invalid model. eXpress will not perform any study calculations for models containing definite errors.
Probable Error - Indicates an issue that results in an invalid entity in a model, but does not necessarily invalidate the entire model. By default, eXpress will not perform study calculations for models containing probable errors.
Possible Error - Indicates an issue that represents a circumstance that is valid, but may not have been intended. The Analyst should review possible errors and verify that the model is correct.
Warning - Indicates a minor issue that may have been intended by the Analyst and which is not likely to have an impact upon study calculations.
How do I run the Error Checker?
The Error Checker toolbar is found below the menu bar at the top of the eXpress application window. Error Checker Toolbar window
Finding the errors is made easier by some of the icons on the Error Checker toolbar. The entity that corresponds to a given error message will be centered in the main design drawing window and highlighted in the Explorer Tree whenever the Analyst performs one of the following actions on the toolbar:
Selects any error using the drop box
Presses the "Go to Error" button
Uses the << and >> buttons to scroll through errors
Once the entity that has the error is highlighted, it is up to the Analyst to find the exact source of the error. Since every error is slightly different, the technique for fixing each error varies from case to case. However, insight into the exact source of the error may be obtained by pressing the "Explain" button on the Error Checker toolbar, which will describe the error that is shown in the drop box in more detail.
At any time, especially after fixing several errors, it is a good idea to re-run the Error Checker, as the fixing of some errors often results in the removal of several others.
The Analyst has the abilty to turn off certain errors using the Error Checker Settings window. This window gives a list of all possible errors (over 100) with check boxes to enable or disable the error checker for each type of error. The Analyst is cautioned to use this feature judiciously as I can obscure errors that will cause poor or bad results in diagnostics.
Because the Error Checker runs as a background process, the Analyst can continue to manipulate the design while the Error Checker is running. While it is running, a progress bar will be displayed in the status bar of eXpress, and the green check mark will be replaced with a stop sign. At any time, the Error Checker can be interrupted by performing any of the following actions:
Pressing the stop sign icon
Switching focus to another document (design, diagnostics, fmeca, report, etc.)
Closing the design
Exiting eXpress
Regardless of whether it is interrupted or finishes completely, any errors found by the Error Checker will be displayed. The results are displayed in the second drop box (blank in the picture above), categorized into four categories (ordered from most to least severe):
