TUFLOW crashing
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Introduction
From time to time TUFLOW simulations can crash. There are multiple reasons why this would happen. This page can be used as a guide to find and rectify the cause of the crash.
Troubleshooting Tips
- Restart the modelling machine.
- Use the latest TUFLOW release.
- Check the end of .tlf file for error message.
- Test running the model on a different machine.
- Save all outputs (checks, results and logs) to a local drive and use TUFLOW executable from a local drive to determine if network is causing the issue.
- Monitor if the issue is happening to a single model only or every model, at specific time during the simulation or randomly.
TUFLOW simulation DOS window only flicks and disappears
Problem might be in the filepath of TUFLOW executable in the batch file.
TCF does not exist message when the file is in the folder
A number of reasons could be causing this message and simulation not running:
- Check the name of the .tcf file is correct.
- TUFLOW doesn't currently support UNC paths. The folder with the model has to be opened with mapped drive.
TUFLOW crashes during model initialisation
- This crash might be connected to an erroneous input data or an error in the control files. It might be captured as standard TUFLOW error or as a Fortran compiler error leaving messages only in the console window:
- Insert "pause" at the end of the batch file to keep the DOS window open. The control file/GIS layer written just above the error should be the cause of the issue.
- Let the console window be written to a text file, e.g. “TUFLOW.exe my_model.tcf > dump.txt”. This will redirect console output massages as well as the standard error stream to the “dump.log” file, and likely it will record more error information than the normal TUFLOW log file.
- If multiple large models are initialising at the same time, this could cause a memory overload and stop the simulations. Try inserting "timeout xxx" in the batch file between the runs to spread them out, where xxx is a number of seconds to wait for the next run to start.
If there is no clear indication of what the cause might be, send a snapshot of the DOS window and .tlf to support@tuflow.com.
TUFLOW crashes randomly at any time during the simulation
This can happen when TUFLOW is writing results out to a network drive and the computer loses connection to the network. This applies to Windows 10, 8, 7 operating system. With Windows XP, the simulation would only pause and restart itself when the access to the network drive is back on. The difference in the behaviour is unfortunately based on the operating system and as far as we are aware we are unable to do anything within the TUFLOW code to handle this situation.
To prevent this from occurring, we recommend you set a local drive as the output drive using .tcf command such as “Output Drive ==”. If you wish to immediately have the results copied back to the network drive at the simulation end, Robocopy can be added to the end of the .bat file. Example of such batch file is in the attachment.
Should the cause for the crash not be due to the network failure, then please contact support@tuflow.com, attaching the .tlf file.
@echo off
set TUFLOWEXE_iSP=O:\TUFLOW\Releases\2020-01\2020-01-AB\TUFLOW_iSP_w64.exe
set RUN_iSP=start "TUFLOW" /wait "%TUFLOWEXE_iSP%" -b
set A=5m 2.5m
set B=EXG DEV
set source_results=D:\TUFLOW\results
set source_log=D:\TUFLOW\runs
set destination_results=O:\TUFLOW\support\results
set destination_log=O:\TUFLOW\support\runs
FOR %%a in (%A%) do (
FOR %%b in (%B%) do (
:: Run model
echo Running Cell Size %%a Model Scenario %%b
%RUN_iSP% -s1 %%a -s2 %%b M10_~s1~_~s2~_003.tcf
:: Move results folder to different location
robocopy "%source_results%" "%destination_results%" /e /move
:: Move log folder to different location
robocopy "%source_log%" "%destination_log%" /e /move
timeout 5
)
)
pause
TUFLOW is crashing at the same/similar time of the day
This could be connected to the licence allocation. Something might be preventing the simulation from writing to network drive such as backup, deduplication or other scheduled processes. TUFLOW is not releasing the licence at the end of the simulation, rather CodeMeter system is determining that the TUFLOW application is no longer running and is therefore releasing the licence - this would show as “Handle xxx automatically released. The application is no longer available.” in the cmDust file.
TUFLOW crashes at the end of the simulation before writing out maximum results
Most likely the output drive doesn't have enough free space to write out the full results. If it does, insert "pause" at the end of the batch file to keep the console window open and send a snapshot of this window and .tlf to support@tuflow.com.
TUFLOW can't find a valid licence
Confirmation that licence is the issue can be mostly found in the .tlf.
Unmaintained dongle
Once a year around July a new TUFLOW release will need the licence to be updated. This will show in the .tlf file as (Unmaintained since <year>). Follow WIBU Licence Update Request to get the licence updated.
Running very old TUFLOW releases
When using an old legacy model with the original TUFLOW release there might be an error "Could not find standalone or network dongle server". Such version of TUFLOW can only run with the old softlok blue licence dongle. If you only have the metal Wibu dongle you should be able to run DB version of the same year release. We do have some of the old dongles still in possession and if you wish we can rent it out.
More information on TUFLOW licence dongles and which releases are affected: TUFLOW Licensing