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Troubleshooting

This page provides solutions to common issues encountered during the installation or usage of WaLSAtools in IDL. If you encounter a problem not listed here, please refer to the WaLSAtools documentation or contact us for assistance.

WaLSAtools Not Recognized

Operating systems:

  • macOS
  • Linux
  • Windows

Error: Undefined procedure

IDL> WaLSAtools
% Attempt to call undefined procedure: 'WALSATOOLS'.
% Execution halted at: $MAIN$

If you encounter this error, it usually means that your IDL_PATH is not set correctly, and IDL cannot find the WaLSAtools package. Please check the Setting IDL PATH page for instructions on how to configure your IDL_PATH correctly.

Undefined Procedure or Keyword

Operating systems:

  • macOS
  • Linux
  • Windows

Error: Syntax error

IDL> WaLSAtools
...
  param[*,i] = example_function(bla[*,i],t=t[j])
                                 ^
% Syntax error.

If IDL reports a syntax error, the reason might not be immediately obvious. Here are some common causes:

If IDL doesn't recognize a function, it might interpret the function's name as an array. Make sure the function is compiled before the line where the error occurs. If you have installed WaLSAtools correctly, all its dependencies should have been added to your IDL_PATH.

If you have another function or procedure with the same name in your IDL_PATH, IDL might be calling the wrong one. To check the location of the function/procedure, use the which command in IDL:

IDL> which, 'example_function'
~/idlLibrary/WaLSAtools/codes/dependencies/example_function.pro

This will show you the path to the example_function.pro file. Ensure that the file is located within the WaLSAtools directory. If not, you might need to rename the conflicting function/procedure in your path.

Note that the which command is part of SolarSoft. If you don't have SolarSoft installed, you can search for the function/procedure manually in your IDL library or the directories included in your IDL_PATH.

In some older IDL versions, using parentheses to index an array, like x(i), might be interpreted as a function call. If you encounter this issue, use square brackets for indexing: x[i].

A simple typo or incorrect syntax can also cause a Syntax error. While WaLSAtools has been extensively tested, please let us know if you find any such errors.

Questions and Discussions

If you have any further questions or issues with WaLSAtools, please submit them on our GitHub Discussions page. We actively monitor this forum and will be happy to assist you.