Find your symptom, apply the fix. For exact exception meanings see errors; for anything unresolved, ask the assistant or email us.
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| pip install ./swc_runtime fails | The folder is not there or you are in the wrong directory. | Unzip swc_runtime.zip first, then run the command from its parent folder. Or skip pip: drop the swc/ folder next to your code. |
| ImportError: no module named swc | The package is not installed or not on the path. | pip install ./swc_runtime, or put the swc/ folder beside your script. |
| SWCAuthError | Blank or mistyped key. | Re-copy the full EVAL-... key from your email. |
| SWCLicenseExpired | The 90-day evaluation is over. | Convert from the pricing page to continue. |
| SWCSessionError | step() called before start(), or the session timed out. | Call start(x0) first; keep the session open across a round. |
| DECLINE / OutOfEnvelope | Your current method already wins on this problem. | Keep your method here. The client is being honest, not failing. |
| SWCOutdatedClient (warning) | A newer runtime version is out; your offline build is behind. Non-fatal — it still runs. | Reply to your license email for the updated build, or watch the /changelog page. The hosted endpoint updates automatically. |
| Not converging / stuck | Wrong mode, or the score does not reward better configurations. | Use optimization vs regulation mode correctly; make sure higher score = better outcome (negate a cost). |
| Worse than my baseline at high budget | You are past the budget crossover. | Expected: the edge is at tight budgets and under drift. Reduce the budget or use it where measurements are scarce. |
| Slow per round | One network hop per round dominates when the measurement is cheap. | Make sure the measurement is the expensive part; batch reads; for high-rate control use an on-premises build. |
| Results vary run to run | Stochastic measurements / unset seeds. | Fix seeds for reproducibility; for regulation, raise measurements per round. |