NationalSecurityAgency/ghidra · error · CodeUnitInsertionException

Failed to resolve data type

Error message

Failed to resolve data type

What it means

Thrown by DBTraceDefinedDataView.create() when a FactoryDataType returns null from getDataType(buffer) — the factory could not determine a concrete data type from the bytes at the given address. Factory data types (like those used for auto-discovery) examine memory bytes to decide which type to instantiate; if the bytes do not match any known pattern, the factory returns null and no data unit can be created.

Solutions

1. Ensure memory bytes are written at the address before applying a factory type: trace.getMemoryManager().putBytes().
2. Use a concrete DataType instead of a factory type if the type is known.
3. Check the bytes at the address manually and choose the appropriate non-factory type.

Example fix

// before
view.create(lifespan, address, platform, factoryDataType); // factory returns null

// after — write bytes first, or use a concrete type
trace.getMemoryManager().putBytes(snap, address, knownBytes);
view.create(lifespan, address, platform, factoryDataType);
// OR use a concrete type:
view.create(lifespan, address, platform, DWordDataType.dataType);

// For factory types, pre-check if the factory can resolve the type
if (origType instanceof FactoryDataType fdt) {
    MemBuffer buffer = memSpace.getBufferAt(startSnap, address);
    DataType resolved = fdt.getDataType(buffer);
    if (resolved == null) {
        // Cannot resolve — use a fallback type or skip
        return;
    }
}
view.create(lifespan, address, platform, origType);

try {
    view.create(lifespan, address, platform, origType);
} catch (CodeUnitInsertionException e) {
    if (e.getMessage().equals("Failed to resolve data type")) {
        // Factory type could not resolve — fall back to a concrete type
        view.create(lifespan, address, platform, ByteDataType.dataType);
    } else {
        throw e;
    }
}

When it happens

Trigger: Calling create() with origType being a FactoryDataType (or subclass) where fdt.getDataType(buffer) evaluates to null because the bytes at (startSnap, address) do not match any factory-recognized pattern. This can also happen if the memory at the address is uninitialized (zeroed/unset).

Common situations: Applying a factory data type at an address where memory bytes are uninitialized or zero-filled; factory type's recognition logic does not match the actual data; using a factory type designed for a different architecture or byte pattern.

Related errors

• Failed to resolve data length for
• Zero-length data not allowed
• Code units cannot overlap
• Could unit would extend beyond address space
• Data table is corrupt. Data unit and its datatype disagree…

AI-assisted analysis of NationalSecurityAgency/ghidra@d5f144c24d (2026-08-14). Data as JSON: /api/errors/1cf868b5b198615e. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at Ghidra/Debug/Framework-TraceModeling/src/main/java/ghidra/trace/database/listing/DBTraceDefinedDataView.java:103

				// TODO: Figure out the conflicting unit?
				throw new CodeUnitInsertionException("Code units cannot overlap");
			}

			DataType dataType;
			int length;
			if (origType instanceof FactoryDataType) {
				MemBuffer buffer = memSpace.getBufferAt(startSnap, address);
				FactoryDataType fdt = (FactoryDataType) origType;
				dataType = fdt.getDataType(buffer);
				length = -1;
			}
			else {
				dataType = origType;
				length = origLength;
			}

			if (dataType == null) {
				throw new CodeUnitInsertionException("Failed to resolve data type");
			}
			DataTypeManager dtm = platform.getDataTypeManager();
			dataType = dataType.clone(dtm);

			if (isFunctionDefinition(dataType)) {
				dataType = new PointerDataType(dataType, dtm);
				length = dataType.getLength();
			}
			else if (dataType instanceof Dynamic) {
				// TODO: Should I consider no observations to be "uninitialized"?
				// If so, dynamic types cannot be applied here
				Dynamic dyn = (Dynamic) dataType;
				MemBuffer buffer = memSpace.getBufferAt(startSnap, address);
				length = dyn.getLength(buffer, length);
			}
			else {
				length = dataType.getLength();
			}

View on GitHub (pinned to d5f144c24d)