NationalSecurityAgency/ghidra · error · RuntimeError

Cannot convert '{address}' to address

Error message

Cannot convert '{address}' to address

What it means

Raised by eval_address() (commands.py:542-549) when util.parse_and_eval(address) either throws or returns a non-int. eval_address is the central resolver that turns a user-supplied string or int (a symbol, expression, or hex literal) into a numeric address via the dbgeng expression evaluator. Any failure is normalized to this RuntimeError, masking the underlying cause.

Source

Thrown at Ghidra/Debug/Debugger-agent-dbgeng/src/main/py/src/ghidradbg/commands.py:549

            if isinstance(count, Future):
                count.add_done_callback(lambda c: print(f"Wrote {c} bytes"))
            else:
                print(f"Wrote {count} bytes")
        if isinstance(count, Future):
            return {'count': -1}
        else:
            return {'count': count}
    return {'count': 0}


def eval_address(address: Union[str, int]) -> int:
    try:
        result = util.parse_and_eval(address)
        if isinstance(result, int):
            return result
        raise ValueError(f"Value '{address}' does not evaluate to an int")
    except Exception:
        raise RuntimeError(f"Cannot convert '{address}' to address")


def eval_range(address: Union[str, int],
               length: Union[str, int]) -> Tuple[int, int]:
    start = eval_address(address)
    try:
        l = util.parse_and_eval(length)
    except Exception as e:
        raise RuntimeError(f"Cannot convert '{length}' to length")
    if not isinstance(l, int):
        raise ValueError(f"Value '{address}' does not evaluate to an int")
    end = start + l
    return start, end


def putmem(address: Union[str, int], length: Union[str, int],
           pages: bool = True, display_result: bool = True) -> Dict[str, int]:
    start, end = eval_range(address, length)

View on GitHub (pinned to d5f144c24d)

Solutions

1. Confirm the symbol exists at the current break with the debugger's native evaluator (e.g. '? mysymbol' or 'x mymodule!sym') before issuing the command.
2. Verify a process is loaded and the debugger is in break state so the evaluator has context.
3. Pass a plain hex int (0x...) to bypass symbol resolution when you know the address.
4. Check the evaluator syntax matches the current mode (MASM vs C++).

Example fix

// before
ghidra_trace_putmem('mymissingmod!main', 0x100)

// after
# resolve/verify first:
# WinDbg> x mymodule!main
ghidra_trace_putmem('mymodule!main', 0x100)
# or pass a known address directly:
ghidra_trace_putmem(0x140001000, 0x100)

def resolve_address_safe(expr):
    try:
        v = util.parse_and_eval(expr)
    except Exception:
        return None
    return v if isinstance(v, int) else None

addr = resolve_address_safe(address)
if addr is None:
    raise ValueError(f'cannot resolve address {address!r}; check symbol/mode')

def address_resolves(expr) -> bool:
    try:
        return isinstance(util.parse_and_eval(expr), int)
    except Exception:
        return False

try:
    ghidra_trace_putmem(address, length)
except RuntimeError as e:
    if 'Cannot convert' in str(e) and 'to address' in str(e):
        # fall back to a literal int address, or verify symbol first
        raise ValueError(f'unresolvable address: {address!r}') from e
    raise

When it happens

Trigger: Calling ghidra_trace_putmem/ghidra_trace_delmem/ghidra_trace_putmem_state with a symbol that does not exist in the current module; passing an expression referencing an unloaded module; passing a malformed hex like '0xZZ'; passing a value when no process is loaded so the evaluator has no symbol context.

Common situations: Symbol not yet resolved because the target DLL/module is not loaded at the time of the call; typo in a symbol name; wrong radix ('#' MASM suffix in a C++ evaluator, or vice versa); calling before the process is in a break state.

Related errors

• Cannot convert '{length}' to length
• Value '{address}' does not evaluate to an int
• Failed to read memory
• Cannot read memory at {start:x}
• Cannot convert '{address}' to address: {e}

AI-assisted analysis of NationalSecurityAgency/ghidra@d5f144c24d (2026-08-14). Data as JSON: /api/errors/bea129dbd9715889. Report an issue: GitHub.