The report includes a call stack, CPU registers, loaded modules, and system information. Why the Hyphen?
If you have a source code license for MadExcept (or are using the free "MadExcept for non-commercial use"), you can rebuild the BPL yourself. This resolves obscure version conflicts.
If you cannot identify which program is causing the error, perform a clean boot in Windows. This helps identify if a third-party startup program is causing the conflict.
Attempting to do so will result in a cryptic error: "Your exe tries to use madExcept_.bpl as a runtime package. That's currently not supported!". For madExcept to function correctly in a compiled application, its core units must be linked directly into the executable (EXE) or the runtime BPLs that depend on it. For runtime scenarios, the basic trio of madBasic_.bpl , madDisAsm_.bpl , and madExcept_.bpl suffices, but they must be configured and linked properly.
For developers building projects outside the Delphi IDE, madExcept provides a command-line tool called madExceptPatch.exe shipped with the package. This tool injects the madExcept debugging and exception-handling code into an already-compiled executable or .dll file. It processes the binary file and a corresponding .mes (madExcept settings) file, embedding the necessary information and enabling the exception handler without requiring a recompilation from the IDE. This is particularly useful for integrating madExcept into automated build scripts or continuous integration (CI) pipelines. madexcept-.bpl
You might wonder why a developer would use madExcept.bpl rather than statically linking the library directly into the EXE.
"The program can't start because madExcept_.bpl is missing from your computer."
If you see an error saying this file is missing or corrupted, it means an application you're using relies on it for error reporting and cannot start properly. For Developers: This package is part of the madCollection
In automated test pipelines, you can suppress the UI and write reports directly to disk: The report includes a call stack, CPU registers,
If you are a developer, madExcept is likely part of the package. Download the latest madCollection installer.
To avoid "DLL Hell" or missing .bpl errors for your users, go to your Project Options in Delphi/C++Builder and uncheck "Build with runtime packages." This compiles the madExcept logic directly into your executable.
: If an exception occurs inside a dynamic BPL, madExcept may not show the source line number by default. This is because madExcept needs the map file information for that specific BPL file. The solution is to also compile the BPL with madExcept enabled. This means the BPL must be configured to use madExcept_.bpl as a runtime package, which also requires madBasic_.bpl and madDisAsm_.bpl to be present.
| Layer | Description | Key Elements | |-------|-------------|--------------| | | Supplies component palette entries, wizards, and IDE integration. | Register procedure, property editors, IDE dialogs. | | Run‑time | Implements the core exception‑capture, stack‑trace generation, and reporting logic. | EMadExcept exception class, MadExceptionHandler hook, MiniDump creation. | | Resources | Icons, templates, and language files used by the UI and generated reports. | .res files, .xml templates, localized strings. | | Dependencies | Relies on Delphi RTL, VCL, and optionally on madExceptCore.bpl for advanced features. | rtl.bpl , vcl.bpl , madExceptCore.bpl . | This resolves obscure version conflicts
From an end-user's perspective, seeing an error that "madExcept_.bpl" or "madBasic_.bpl" cannot be found is often a sign of an incomplete or corrupted software installation. This issue is frequently reported after a Windows system restore or major update, which can break the file paths for some applications. In these cases, the only reliable solution is to reinstall the application that is generating the error, which will restore the missing madExcept components.
The filename madExcept-.bpl (specifically with a trailing hyphen before the extension) usually indicates a placeholder, a generic compilation target, or a dynamic naming convention used by the IDE package installer when it cannot determine the specific compiler version suffix (like madExcept_D11.bpl ). Common Symptoms of madExcept-.bpl Errors
MadExcept enhances Delphi’s default exception handling by generating detailed bug reports, call stacks, memory dumps, and system information when an application crashes. To integrate with the IDE and applications, madExcept can be compiled into the main executable or, for modularity, packaged into .bpl files. These .bpl files are loaded at runtime, allowing multiple projects to share madExcept’s code without duplication.
Ensure the directory containing your madExcept .bpl files (usually inside C:\Program Files (x86)\madCollection\madExcept\BPL\ ) is listed. 3. Reinstall madCollection
To avoid this error in your development and production environments: