FROG and Windows DEP

It has come to our attention recently that an incompatability exists between FROG and Windows operating systems that have DEP (Data Execution Protection) enabled for all applications. When DEP is enabled for all applications and FROG is not added to the exclusion list FROG will either crash upon startup or have limited functionality (i.e. running SQL statements may not work).

DEP is a Windows component that protects your computer by not allowing programs to execute scripts that might contain malicious code. Click here to learn more about DEP. To see your system’s DEP access the System Properties window:

  1. To open System Properties, click Start, click Control Panel, and then double-click System.
  2. Click the Advanced tab and, under Performance, click Settings.
  3. Click the Data Execution Prevention tab.

FROG is written in Euphoria which is an interpreted language and being interpreted, is subject to being blocked by DEP. A future version of Euphoria will add support for DEP enabled systems.

There are several workarounds to choose from:

  • Quit using FROG (yeah, right!)
  • In the Data Execution Prevention tab turn off DEP for all but essential Windows programs and services. However realize that this increases your system’s vulnerability to malicious code.
  • In the Data Execution Prevention tab add an exception for FROG. Under the exceptions list click “Add” and locate the “frog.exe” executable. This is normally in “C:\Program Files\F.R.O.G. for IBM i5″. Click Okay to add FROG as an exception.