This article also applies to the following legacy products:
Pro | Architectural | Suite
DESCRIPTION
I keep seeing an error message that says something about an exception.
Two such common errors are SEH Exceptions and Assertion Failures, which also state: "Please contact Chief Architect Technical Support with steps to reproduce."
What is wrong, and what should I do about it?
CAUSE
There are a number of different types of exception errors including:
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SEH exceptions
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Assert exceptions
- Bad reference exceptions
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Bad pointer exceptions
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NULL pointer exceptions
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Invalid parameter exceptions
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Loop cancel exceptions
Exception errors can be caused by a variety of factors, some known, and some as of yet unknown.
Common causes of exception errors include:
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Unsupported system specifications
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Driver problems
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File corruption
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Hardware issues
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Software issues
RESOLUTION
Since there are a number of possible causes for assertion and exception errors, some basic troubleshooting is required in order to identify the reason for the issue. Please make sure to follow all of the steps listed below in order until the error message is resolved. If you complete all of the troubleshooting instructions and the error message persists, please see the instructions on files required to report the error to Chief Architect Technical Support.
To troubleshoot these errors
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The first step to troubleshooting an error in any program is to make sure that your computer meets the minimum system requirements for running the software. These can be found on our Chief Architect System Requirements page or Home Designer System Requirements page.
Discontinued version System Requirements can be located in the Knowledge Base:
See Knowledge Base article: System Requirements for Prior Versions of Chief Architect or System Requirements for Prior Versions of Home Designer.
If you discover that your computer does not meet the minimum system requirements, you should consider upgrading the computer hardware, or purchasing an alternate system that does fulfill the requirements.
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If your computer does meet the minimum system requirements but you're still receiving an error, update your video card drivers to the most recent version compatible with your operating system.
See Knowledge Base article: Troubleshooting 3D Camera View Display Problems in Chief Architect or Troubleshooting 3D Camera View Display Problems in Home Designer.
After updating the driver, test to see whether or not the error continues to occur after updating the driver, shutting down the computer completely, and then restarting your system.
- If you continue to receive the Assertion, Exception, or SEH error message after verifying your computer does meet the system requirements, and updating your video card's driver, then download and install the most recent update available for your software by selecting Help> Download Program Updates from the program menu.
- If you already have the most recent update installed, or if installing it still does not resolve the error, try running a repair on the program. For instructions on this process, please see the appropriate link below.
- If none of the above steps have resolved the error, bear in mind that these types of errors can sometimes indicate that the file itself is corrupt. File corruption and data loss can be caused by a hard drive failure, power outage, or forced system restart while working on a file, or even with working in an unsupported fashion, such as working on files saved on a network server, external hard drive, or USB flash drive.
If you have been working on files when they are saved anywhere other than your local machine's hard drive, then we recommend that you always copy plan, layout, and/or project files to your local hard drive beforeyou open them in the software. When you're finished working, exit out of the program and then copy them back to your preferred location.
If this only occurs in one particular file, rather than all files, and if the error is a result of file corruption, access your Archives to see if a recent copy of the file exists which does not generate the error message.
See Knowledge Base article: Accessing Your Archive Files.
- If none of the prior steps resolve the error, then it is likely caused by something either with regards to the computer's operating system, hardware, or in the file itself. If this is the case, please report the problem to our Technical Support team, and submit all of the requested information below.
To report an error to Chief Architect Technical Support
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If you are receiving an error or warning dialog box, make sure to first search this Knowledge Base for the exact wording of the error, or click on the Check Knowledge Base button in the message if one is present, as there may be specific information relevant to that error recorded in another article. If a Send Report button is present, select this option, then take note of the date and time.
If you are unable to locate any additional information on the error, make sure to attach a screen capture image of the message.
See Knowledge Base article: Creating a Screenshot.
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If the issue only seems to occur in one particular file, use the Export Plan/Layout as Project
tool, Backup Entire Plan/Layout 
tool, or one of the other supported Export functions to create a backup of your project with all referenced files.
See Knowledge Base article: Exporting Projects and Disconnected Files.
See Knowledge Base article: Using the Backup Entire Plan/Layout Tool to Send Files to Another User.
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In X17 and newer, export all of the necessary log files using the Export Logs function:
See Knowledge Base article: Exporting Log Files to Send to Technical Support.
In X16 and prior, export the Message Log and Rendering Log:
See Knowledge Base article: Locating the Message Log.
See Knowledge Base article: Locating the Rendering Log.
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Export your System Information.
See Knowledge Base article: Retrieving System Information to Send to Technical Support.
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Sign in to the Technical Support Center and create a new support case to send to Technical Support.
See Knowledge Base article: Using the Technical Support Center.
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Give the case a short but descriptive title.
In the text of the case, type a detailed description of the problem, including the exact steps that cause the behavior. If you submitted a report, be sure to reference the date and time the report was sent. The more detailed you are, the more likely we will be to reproduce the issue and identify the problem.
Click the Browse button and attach the files mentioned above, then click Submit.
It is possible that Technical Support may need additional information regarding the issue, which they will request via a reply in the Technical Support Center.
