Finding errors: $

The **** GAMS compilation error line contains information about the nature of the error.  Error messages are numbered and placed below the place in the line they were encountered and begin with a $.  In the example above, error number 140 occurred in line 4 and was caused by GAMS finding the word ELAPSED when it was looking for an instruction.  In addition, a number 36 error was caused by the second incidence of the word ELAPSED and these errors were generated again by the same problem in line 5.  GAMS also includes a list of the error message numbers encountered and a brief description of the error at the bottom of the .LST file.  In the case above the following appears at the bottom of the LST file:

Error Messages

 36          '=' or '..' operator expected - rest of statement ignored

108          Identifier too long

140          Unknown symbol .

Messages also appear in the LOG file and in the IDE the content of the LOG file is used as a navigation aid.  Also in the IDE procedures are used to reveal exactly where in the source file the errors arise along with the offering up of the source file indexed to that position and ready for editing.