How to decipher error codes

Error codes are reported in GoFiler whenever possible to aid in identifying where critical software errors occur and why they have occurred. For the most part, GoFiler provides users with message boxes that translate system error codes into plain language. For example, if the computer gives GoFiler the system error code 2, the user will see a message box that says the specified file wasn't found. (These messages usually contain suggested steps that can be taken to correct the issue.)

There are other times when the error code will be exposed to the user. In plain language message boxes, the error codes are often truncated to a simple number (e.g. error code 2, additional code 3, etc.). In other cases, you may encounter a complete error code or "extended" error code.

Extended error codes look intimidating. They are long strings of characters that are reported primarily for the benefit of our software developers. These characters identify the type of error occurred, the process or function that encountered the error, and finally the error itself. As the user of the software, you will be interested primarily in the final part of the code, which is the actual error. The actual error code is the last four digits of the extended error code.

GoFiler's extended errors are provided in the following format:

The first two components of the error code (that indicate the type of error and the location of the error) are documented internally by our developers. This information is of use to our team but may not help you correct the error. The last component of the error code (the Windows system error code) may help you resolve the error on your own.

So for example, the extended error code 0x85800005 indicates a non-fatal file error that was reported with the Windows system error code 0005 (or just error code 5). A non-fatal error means the function failed but the software can continue to operate (possibly at reduced capacity). Error code 5 means access was denied. Basically, this example error code would indicate that your function failed because you were not able to access a file, folder, or location due to insufficient user permissions.

Understanding how extended error codes work can help you resolve issues more quickly by giving you a starting place for your troubleshooting. In our above example, our support team would be able to provide limited help because the issue concerns the client's Windows user permissions, which we have no control over. If you recognize the error code, you can approach the appropriate resource to help resolve the problem.