File Content Extraction 26.2
Filter SDK C Programming Guide

# Test Error Handling and Recovery

The File Content Extraction Filter SDK includes a testing utility, `poisonsr`, which you can use to test error handling and recovery. This utility can replicate various error conditions, such as crashes and hangs.

CAUTION: This reader is for testing purposes only. You must not redistribute it.

## Setup

The `poisonsr` reader is provided in the `poisonsr` directory of your installation.

To use poisonsr for testing

1. Add the `poisonsr` shared library binary to the `bin` directory.

2. Add the following entry to the `[Formats]` section of the `formats.ini` configuration file.

       -100=poison

When you add this line to `formats.ini`, any plain text file that begins `poisonsr_command_file` is detected as the format `KeyView_Poison_Fmt` (-100), and is sent to `poisonsr`. The reader then interprets the rest of the input file as a series of commands to run.

## Send commands to poisonsr

You send commands to `poisonsr` by using the input file. The first line of the input file must read `poisonsr_command_file`, followed by a Line Feed (\n, 0x0A). Each subsequent line must be a command, ending with a Line Feed. These commands have the following general syntax:

    operation_name poisonsr_command optional_arguments

NOTE: If an operation receives a command with a different `operation_name`, it either does nothing or returns a default value.

For example, if you set `getMetadata crash` in your input file, and run a filtering operation, the command does not run and `poisonsr` returns an empty text object.

### Operation names

You can use one of the following values for the `operation_name`, which map to public API calls:

- `autodet`

- `getMetadata`

- `filter`

- `openFile`

- `getMainFileInfo`

- `getSubFileInfo`

- `extractSubFile`

- `getSubFileMetaData`

In the case of the `autodet` operation, the command runs as part of file format detection. File format detection occurs retrieving document information, but also as part of other calls.

### Command names

The following table describes the commands that you can use for `poisonsr`.

`sleep milliseconds` | `Poisonsr` sleeps for the specified number of milliseconds. If the argument is missing, it sleeps forever. For example, `filter sleep 10000` sleeps `filter` for 10 seconds. `openFile sleep` makes extraction hang.
`crash` | Poisonsr dereferences a null pointer, causing a crash. This command does not take any arguments. For example, `autodet crash` causes file format detection to crash.
`throw KeyViewErrorNumber` | Poisonsr throws an exception corresponding to the given error code. NOTE: In some cases, the error might be transformed into a different error by the time it is returned by the public API, or in some cases it might not be reported as an error at all. For example, `openFile throw 4` causes extraction to trigger a `KVError_BadInputStream` error.

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Version 26.2 | Last updated April 2026

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Product: File Content Extraction 26.2

Topic Title: Test Error Handling and Recovery