Diagnostics : Error Messages
Error Messages
This section summarizes the most common error messages and solver messages generated
by COMSOL Multiphysics. All error messages are numbered and sorted in different categories
according to the following table.
TABLE 2-1: ERROR MESSAGE CATEGORIES
NUMBERS
CATEGORY
1000–1999 Importing Models
2000–2999 Geometry Modeling
3000–3999 CAD Import
4000–4999 Mesh Generation
5000–5999 Point, Edge, Boundary, and Subdomain
Specification
6000–6999 Assembly and Extended Mesh
7000–7999 Solvers
8000–8999 Postprocessing
9000–9999 General
For error messages that do not appear in the following lists, contact COMSOL’s support team
for help.
2000–2999 Geometry Modeling
TABLE 2-2: GEOMETRY MODELING ERROR MESSAGES
ERROR
NUMBER
ERROR MESSAGE
EXPLANATION
2118
2119
2120
2138
2140
2141
2146
2147
Negative output from
empty input
Incorrect Geometry M-file.
Non scalar output from
empty input
Incorrect Geometry M-file.
Normal directions are
inconsistent
Incorrect input data from STL/VRML import.
Self intersections not
supported
Curves resulting in self-intersections are not
supported.
Singular extrusions not
supported
Error in input parameters.
Singular revolutions not
supported
The revolved mesh has a singularity at the z axis. If
possible, create the cylinder using a 3D primitive or
by revolving the geometry before meshing.
Subdomain must
bounded at least four
boundary segments
Subdomain must bound
one connected edge
component only
Incorrect geometry for mapped mesh.
Incorrect geometry for mapped mesh.
2190
Invalid radius or distance Incorrect input parameters to fillet/chamfer.
2197
Operation resulted in
empty geometry object
Geometry operation resulted in an empty geometry
object which is not allowed. Make sure an empty
geometry object is not created.
2209
Geometry to revolve may
not cross axis of
revolution
The axis of revolution and the geometry intersect.
Check the dimension of the geometry and the
definition of the axis for the revolution.
4000–4999 Mesh Generation
TABLE 2-3: MESH GENERATION ERROR MESSAGES
ERROR MESSAGE
EXPLANATION
ERROR
NUMBER
4002
A degenerated
tetrahedron was
created
4003
A degenerated
triangle was
created
The mesh generator ran into numerical difficulties while
creating tetrahedrons with a size based on user-controlled
parameters. Causes could be too small and narrow
subdomains relative to the rest of the geometry or
exceedingly short boundary segments. Try to avoid
creating small and narrow subdomains and very short
boundary segments that are adjacent to longer boundary
segments.
The mesh generator ran into numerical difficulties while
creating triangles with a size based on user-controlled
parameters. Causes could be too small and narrow
subdomains relative to the rest of the geometry or
exceedingly short boundary segments. Try to avoid
creating small and narrow subdomains and very short
boundary segments that are adjacent to longer boundary
segments.
4012
Cannot create
mapped mesh for
this geometry
The geometry does not fulfill the topological requirements
for a mapped mesh. Changes in input parameters or further
subdomain division can possibly help this.
4026
4029
4031
4032
4044
4054
4055
Failed create
matching edge
discretizations
Cannot make mapped mesh with the given input
parameters.
Failed to insert
point
Problems inserting point at given coordinate. Manually
inserting a point there may help.
Failed to respect
boundary element
on geometry edge
The mesh generator failed in making the elements
compatible with the geometry object’s edges. The reason
for this could be that the face mesh is too coarse or
contains adjacent elements with large differences in scale.
Another reason can be that some subdomains in the
geometry are too narrow with respect to the rest of the
geometry.
See Error message 4031.
See Error message 4031.
Failed to respect
boundary element
on geometry face
Internal error
boundary
respecting
Invalid topology of
geometry
The geometry object cannot be used for creating a mapped
mesh. It must be subdivided.
Isolated entities
found
Entities that are not connected to the boundaries of a
geometry objects is found. The mapped mesh generator
does not support such isolated entities.
4119
Singular edge
detected
The geometry object contains an edge of zero length.
6000–6999 Assembly and Extended Mesh
TABLE 2-4: ASSEMBLY AND EXTENDED MESH ERROR MESSAGES
ERROR
NUMBER
6008
ERROR MESSAGE EXPLANATION
Circular
variable
dependency
detected
A variable has been defined in terms of itself, possibly in a
circular chain of expression variables. Make sure that variable
definitions are sound. Be cautious with equation variables in
equations.
6063
Invalid degree
of freedom
name
The software does not recognize the name of a degree of
freedom. Check the names of dependent variables that you
have entered for the model. See also Error 7192.
6139 Wrong number
of DOFs in
initial value
The current solution or the stored solution has for some
reason the wrong number of degrees of freedom, sometimes
due to a change of the implementation of elements between
two versions of the software. To overcome the problem, go to
the Initial value area in the Solver Manager, and select
Initial value expression. Then the initial value expressions
is evaluated without using the current or stored solution.
6140 Wrong number
of dofs in
linearization
point
The current solution or the stored solution has for some
reason the wrong number of degrees of freedom, sometimes
due to a change of the implementation of elements between
two versions of the software. To overcome the problem, go to
the Value of variables not solved for and linearization
point area in the Solver Manager, and click the Use
setting from Initial value frame button or the Zero button.
6163
Divide by zero A property in the model contains a divisor that becomes zero.
Check to make sure that division by zero does not occur in
any expression or coefficient.
6164
Duplicate
variable name
A variable name has two different definitions. For instance,
the same variable name appears two or more times for a
dependent variable, a constant, an expression variable, or a
coupling variable. Remove or rename one of the variables.
6170
Failed to
evaluate
variable
An error occurred when evaluating the variable. The domains
in which COMSOL Multiphysics tried to evaluate the
variable are indicated. Also, the error message shows the
expression that COMSOL Multiphysics was unable to
evaluate. Make sure that you have defined the variables
correctly in the indicated domains.
6176
Attempt to
evaluate real
logarithm of
negative number
An expression contains log(a), where a becomes negative
or zero. To make the logarithm well-defined, make sure that
a>0. Often, a becomes only slightly negative (due to
approximations in the solution process). Then, a possible
solution is to use log(a+e), where e is a small constant.
Another remedy is to use log(abs(a)). If you do want to
have a complex logarithm, go to the Advanced tab of Solver
Parameters and select the Use complex functions with
real input check box.
6177
Matrix has zero
on diagonal
When the equations have a structure such that the stiffness
matrix (Jacobian matrix) has zeros on the diagonal, it is not
possible to use the following linear system
solvers/preconditioners/smoothers: all versions of SOR and
Diagonal scaling (Jacobi). Try the Vanka
preconditioner/smoother instead.
6188
Out of memory
during assembly
The software ran out of memory during assembly of the finite
element model. See error 7144 regarding general
memory-saving tips.
6194
Attempt to
evaluate
non-integral
power of
negative number
An expression contains a^b, where a becomes negative and
b is not an integer. To make the power well-defined, make
sure that a>0. Often, a becomes only slightly negative (due
to approximations in the solution process). Then, a possible
solution is to use (a+e)^b, where e is a small constant.
Another remedy is to use abs(a)^b. If you do want to have
a complex number a^b, go to the Advanced tab of Solver
Parameters and select Use complex functions with real
input.
6199
Attempt to
evaluate real
square root of
negative number
The model contains a sqrt (square root) function that takes
the square root of a negative number. Either make sure that
the square-root argument is nonnegative or select the Use
complex functions with real input check box on the
Advanced tab in the Solver Parameters dialog box.
6204
Undefined
function call
An expression contains an undefined function name. Check
that the function name is correct and that the function is in
COMSOL Multiphysics’ or MATLAB’s path.
6206
Internal
evaluation error:
unexpected NaN
encountered
Not-A-Number (NaN) appears unexpectedly. A possible
cause is improperly defined coupling variables. As a first step,
check that the definitions of the source and destination
domains of any coupling variables or periodic boundary
conditions are correct.
6245
Unsupported
integration order
Integration order is too high. For triangular elements the order
can be up to 10, and for tetrahedral elements the order can be
up to 8. Find more information in the section “Numerical
Quadrature” on page 505.
6259
Failed to
evaluate
variable
Jacobian
An error occurred when evaluating the Jacobian of the
indicated variable. The domains in which COMSOL
Multiphysics tried to evaluate the variable are indicated.
Make sure that you have defined the variable correctly in the
indicated domains.
7000—7999 Solvers and Preconditioners
TABLE 2-5: SOLVER ERROR MESSAGES
ERROR MESSAGE
EXPLANATION
ERROR
NUMBER
7001
Adaption only
implemented for
It is only possible to use adaptive mesh refinement in
3D for models using tetrahedral mesh elements.
tetrahedral meshes
Either turn off adaptive mesh refinement or switch
from brick or prism elements to tetrahedral elements.
7002
Adaption only
implemented for
triangular meshes
It is only possible to use adaptive mesh refinement in
2D for models using triangular mesh elements. Either
turn off adaptive mesh refinement or switch from
quadrilateral elements to triangular elements.
7022
Segregated solver steps
do not involve all of
solcomp
The groups for the segregated solver do not include
all dependent variables. One reason for this error
could be that some boundary conditions (for example,
for laminar inflow in fluid-flow models) add
dependent variables that are not initially in the model.
7043
Initial guess leads to
undefined function value
7067
System matrix is zero
7069
Maximum number of
linear iterations reached
This error message usually appears when you have
set up an expression that returns “not a value,” that is,
it is undefined, for the initial condition you have set.
For instance, this happens if an expression contains a
divisor that becomes zero or a logarithm of a negative
value. To solve the problem, change the expression or
the initial value so that the expression is well-defined
when substituting the initial value of the variables.
Also, watch out for warnings in the Log window.
This error message appears if there are no volume
elements in the mesh. In the case that you have a
mapped surface mesh, try sweeping or extruding the
surface mesh to get a volume mesh.
The iterative linear system solver did not converge
due to a bad initial guess or a bad preconditioner.
Increase the limit on the number of linear iterations
or use a better preconditioner. If possible, use a direct
linear system solver.
7081
No parameter name
given
The parametric solver does not find a name for the
parameter. Check the Name of parameter edit field
on the General page of the Solver Manager.