We have a very old DLL that is no longer supported by a vendor, that we need to try and get working via a new piece of software as part of transitioning away from it. It was written in 2000 (!) and we have a fair bit of documentation for it, telling us that it is an ActiveX iSAEDataObject component and has a number of services within it.
I've googled just about everything I can think of on the topic, and have seen there is a lot of references to making sure it is set to build as x86 (I have); I'm just trying to run it in the simplest of VB console applications to try and interact with it.
It registered successfully using regsvr32, and I can import it as a reference into my solution. From there, there are 5 classes, but two have methods showing underneath them in Object browser, and the other three don't - only New().
But... even if I select one that does have a method and try to run it, it gives me this error:
System.Runtime.InteropServices.COMException: 'Retrieving the COM class factory for component with CLSID {FDF93D0E-1D17-11D4-8F41-00C04F566282} failed due to the following error: 800a801d Exception from HRESULT: 0x800A801D.'
I'm desperate to get this going, and have googled and googled; but can't seem to find much else other than the 32 vs 64 bit info. Any help would be gratefully accepted :)
Have been working on it all day today, and have got a little further. In the Object Explorer within Excel, I can see the methods - so hopefully inching forward; I just need to understand why I can't see them from within the iDE.
I also got rid of an error by downloading and registering MSRDO20.dll; so now am only left with (no doubt the most important!):
Could not determine the dependencies of the COM reference "iSAEDataObject". Error loading type library/DLL. (Exception from HRESULT: 0x80029C4A (TYPE_E_CANTLOADLIBRARY))
Related
Hope you could assist me with this problem. I am maintaining an existing application. The problem is it using a dll CGZip.dll for unzipping archive folders. I downloaded the dll from the net and tried to add it as reference but got this error:
A Reference to '../CGZip.dll' could not be added. Please make sure
that file is accessible and that it is a valid assembly or COM
component.
Can anyone please help me in the right direction? Thank you.
UPDATE:
Ok So i found out that this problem is because you have to register the dll first in System32. So I registered both dll and no longer getting the error problem on run time.
But when it hits this code block:
Dim oUnZip As New CGZipLibrary.CGUnzipFiles
It displays this error:
Retrieving the COM class factory for component with CLSID
{293364AE-43F8-11D3-BC2D-4000000A2806} failed due to the following
error: 80040154.
made comment to answer -
Ok, then my assumptions were wrong. Next Question: Are you working with VB6 or VB.NET. VB6 ist strict 32bit, while VB.NET allows 32 and 64 bit. And then you have to register the correct OCX. When you are on 64 bit Windows, and you registered the 32 bit OCX, it will not work, unless you set the cpu type to 'x86'
I'm trying to recreate a program that uses javascript to open a connection to a PLC and then display all sorts of information on a web page. I'd rather have it in a form in MS Access for various reasons, and have spent forever trying to find the right dll to use (Jet32X.dll, if anyone is curious). I finally tracked the CLSID called out in the javascript back to a registered class for the PLC, and I'm trying to create that object in VB code. It won't get any further than the Dim As New line, however, throwing runtime error 429: "Active X Component Cannot Create Object." Really wish I had some more information about why.
I know the class is registered, since that's how I found it in the first place. I know the DLL file isn't corrupted, since the program runs fine from the JS version. I have a sneaky suspicion that there's some sort of incompatibility going on here, since the PLC and supporting software is pretty old, and I'm working in Microsoft Access 2013 (and its associated VBA). I can't really think of a good way to verify this, however. Does anyone have any other ideas? Could anything else be causing this problem?
Figured it out; in case anyone else runs into this sort of issue:
32bit COM dlls will not run in 64bit applications. If you don't want to go back and reinstall 32bit versions of whichever application you're using, one of the easiest workarounds is using dllhost.exe as a surrogate.
You can read a little about it here, but I found this tutorial easier to follow.
I send a new reply just to recap the information and avoid anyone that stumbles in the same problem again after me wasting precious time. All the steps involved assume that you already correctly registered the dll you are trying to use.
How to make a 32bit COM Dll work in a 64bit application
The "easy" solutions involve using the Dll Surrogate method, which runs dllhost.exe and as an intermediary process in 64bit to expose the underlying 32bit dll. When done correctly this works seamlessly without any special measure needing to be taken in neither in the 32bit dll nor in the 64bit application.
There are two main approaches to this:
Using Oleview.exe (i.e. using a GUI)
Oleview can be obtained downloading the Window 10 SDK.
In order to use Oleview it you have to:
Download the Window 10 SDK at the following link:
https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/downloads/windows-sdk/
Go to C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\bin\10.0.19041.0\x86 to find the 32bit version of oleview.exe
ONLY THE FIRST TIME: run it as administrator to avoid see the message related to the impossibility to load iviewer.dll
In the left pane, Object Classes -> All Objects and find your dll name.
WARNING: you may find many entries for your dll. In particular each class has got its own entry such as YourProjectName.YourClassName
In the right pane, go to Implementation -> Inproc Server, and tick Use Surrogate Process. Leave the Path to Custom Surrogate empty to use the system default surrogate, that is dllhost.exe.
You can check the procedure went correctly by returning to the Registry tab, always in the right pane of the Oleviewer and make sure that now under CLSID = {yourAppIdHere} [DllSurrogate] = is listed among the entries.
Edit manually the Windows Registry
The Oleview method is recommended, but the manual method may be ok if you need to do this only once. The tutorial that NickGlowsinDark mentions was moved to https://techtalk.gfi.com/32bit-object-64bit-environment/ .
In order to avoid problems in the future with the page going offline I copy and paste here the most important steps involved. All credit goes to Emmanuel Carabott that is the original author of the tutorial, I added the first two steps in order to facilitate you in the process.
Open the Registry Editor (Windows+R -> regedit), and follow the following steps:
You first need to find your dll GUIDs. You will probably have many GUIDs, one for each of the classes that your dll exports. I find it's easier to find the GUIDs if you go to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\YourProjectName.YouClassName. It is the (Default) String Value you find under the Clsid key.
I recommend you find all the GUIDs first and make a note of them in order to have an easier time with the steps after this one.
Then, as Emmanuel Carabott kindly explains in his article, you have to do the following for each of the GUIDs you found:
Locate your COM object GUID under the HKey_Classes_Root\Wow6432Node\CLSID\[GUID]
Once located add a new REG_SZ (string) Value. Name should be AppID and data should be the same COM object GUID you have just searched for.
Add a new key under HKey_Classes_Root\Wow6432Node\AppID\
The new key should be called the same as the com object GUID
Under the new key you just added, add a new REG_SZ (string) Value, and call it DllSurrogate. Leave the value empty.
Create a new Key under HKey_Local_Machine\Software\Classes\AppID\
Again the new key should be called the same as the COM object’s GUID. No values are necessary to be added under this key.
That’s it, your COM Object should now be accessible from a 64bit environment and can be used like a regular COM Object.
I have an application which relies on several libraries built by other people in my organization, one of which has stopped working. I get this error in the command-line:
Unhandled Exception: System.IO.FileLoadException: A procedure imported by 'XXX.dll' could not be loaded.
I opened up Dependency Walker to try and track down the source of the problem, although I should say that I am brand-new to Dependency Walker and I don't really know what I'm doing. Here's what I see in the log window:
Error: At least one module has an unresolved import due to a missing export function in an implicitly dependent module.
Which seems straightforward, except:
Due to my unfamiliarity with DW, I can't seem to find what module this error is actually referring to
The same DLL that ships with old version of the application, which still works, shows the same thing in Dependency Walker
The only difference I can find between the old and new DLL is that KERNEL32.DLL shows up as red in the newer one, and the function K32EnumProcessModules appears as red (not exported). This same function does not appear at all (green or otherwise) for the old DLL.
To summarize so far: one DLL works and the other doesn't; both show up as 'bad' in Dependency Walker, but in only one does the function K32EnumProcessModules appear as no good. I do not know if this function is what is causing the "unresolved import" error and would like to find out.
The only change in the application I have made that I think could've caused this is upgrading the runtime from .NET 2.5 to .NET 4. This upgrade was made for reasons unrelated to this DLL, and should not affect it: the DLL does not make any calls to .NET components higher than 2.5, and other people in my organization using the same library have reported that it works fine with .NET 4.
I realize I'm providing sparse information, mostly because I'm not sure what information will help troubleshoot this problem. Please let me know if there are tests you'd like me to perform to find out more.
Probably releated to this https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/vcblog/2009/08/27/windows-sdk-v7-0v7-0a-incompatibility-workaround/
Defining PSAPI_VERSION=1 might help.
I have a Microsoft Word template with some code and some references, that has been working fine for months but has just started throwing up a spurious "User-defined type not defined" error whenever I open it or try to compile it.
I know it's a spurious error because I haven't made any significant changes to the code. In fact, I've rolled the code back to the last deployed version (which I know works fine) and I still get the error. I've also commented out all the code in the template and I still get the error. I've also removed and re-added all references (same error), and removed all the references and added them back, one by one, until the resultant compile errors are resolved, at which point I'm left with the spurious "User-defined type not defined" error. (I'm going to call this a UDTND error, from now, to avoid driving you all mad.) I think the error started popping up after I rebooted my PC. It only happens with this template, but I don't see how it can be anything to do with this template.
Interestingly, the error is subtly different from a genuine UDTND error in the following ways:
No code is highlighted when the error is displayed.
The dialog is titled "Microsoft Visual Basic", and contains the error message but, unlike a real UDTND error, doesn't contain the text "Compile error:";
It happens when the template is opened, not just when it's compiled (at least, I think that's different from a normal error).
I've tried Googling it but I just get a bazillion results from novice developers asking why they get this error, with responses telling them that they either need to declare the missing type, correct the spelling of the offending variable type, or add a reference to a missing library. I've been banging my head against my screen all afternoon, and that's helped about as much as all the other things I've tried (i.e. not at all). I have a feeling that this is something to do with a messed-up reference, but afaict they're all fine, and I've removed and re-added them, which I would expect to resolve that sort of problem.
Any ideas...?
Your trouble-shooting on References is sound. Once upon a time (and I don't recall the precise error) I was at the same point, and the reference ordering was the key. When you're designating References, you'll notice a "Priority" adjustment feature. Experiment with that and you may solve this.
I have had "User-defined type not defined" problem on several occasions when compiling Microsoft Visual Basic 6 (MSVB6) code that was compiling without a problem earlier. It seems to happen after I have had a long coding session without rebooting the computer. As you can guess, I have been using Microsoft operating systems. I currently am using Windows XP. Rebooting the computer usually fixes the problem as it so often does on Microsoft operating systems.
I have read that fully qualifying declarations also can help, e.g., "Dim oBar as Foo.Bar" instead of "Dim oBar as Bar". I have not tried this approach however.
I had a very similar problem.
My problem appeared (I think) just after I made a Search and Replace that I canceled (Ctrl+Z). There was not highligting of the problem, only the ""User-defined type not defined" error message when I compiled.
I tried:
1) restarting computer
2) changing reference ordering
3) removing functions/procedures, modules one at a time.
Didn't work. My project was written in Excel VBA and here was the solution I found.
THE SOLUTION:
I opened a new Excel file and opened the Visual Basic Editor. I then copied all Forms, Modules, and Class Modules one by one into the new file. I then Copied the Control Objects (3 Commandbuttons) from the old sheet into the new one. Now the new file was identical to the old project - only the ""User-defined type not defined" had gone and problem was solved.
Yea references would be the first step in troubleshooting this problem as already stated, but failing that id start commenting out the code in any event procedures running at start up (my experience is only with Access VBA though)
I had the same problem with Excel 2013.
It started when I did a search and replace on the name of a Custom Class.
I changed the name of the Class after I did the search and replace on all references to it and the spurious error started immediately after that.
I reverted to an earlier version ad confirmed that the problem was not there and then did the same search and replace and re-name and got the exact same behaviour again.
The Custom Class that I changed the name of only had one consumer and it was also a custom class.
I exported, removed and re-loaded the sole consumer class and the problem was fixed.
Check out this link for a Microsoft bug that might be related.
TLDR:
The reference to a package/addin/whatever probably needs to be re-referenced. Check Tools -> References in the Menu.
Also it appears that if you install Microsoft Security Advisory 960715, that certain controls are killed. There are fixes which may or may not work for you. A good article is on this blog:
VSOD Blog
I've got a really strange error and any light that anyone can shed on this would be greatly appreciated.
I made some changes to some VB6 source which builds a COM object. The automated build which builds our app returned an error. No problem I thought--I'll just back out my changes. Well backing out my changes isn't making the problem go away.
Specifically when I attempt to build the app via a .vbg file, with a command line like path\to\vb6\vb6 ProjectFile.vbg /make
I get a message
"Compile Error in File '', Line : Object library
invalid or contains references to object definitions that could not be
found."
As I said, I reverted the source code so I'm really stumped as to why this error is still occurring. Any VB6 gurus around who might be able to point me at an answer?
I can post the exact code in question but the fact that it was building correctly, stopped building correctly and now refuses to build correctly makes me think this is not a problem with my code but rather some problem in the environment. Like something got put in the registry as a result of the previous build error.
Any tips, hints, or suggestions greatly welcome. I realize my question is a bit sketchy but I'm not even sure what's important to include and what isn't.
EDIT 1:
Thanks for the excellent suggestions guys. I think it is something to do with VB6 doing some sort of auto-registration.
Just to add a bit more detail: this problem does not occur when I build the referenced vbp file from the IDE. It only happens on the make on the .vbg which contains the vbp. Also the build tool in question automatically pulls latest source and the error happens on both my local box and the dedicated build box.
EDIT 2:
Hi again all,
The release engineering fellow figured out how to get this to build in his build environment so it's currently ok. Once we're past this crunch, I'll try to interrogate him about what he did and share the details with everyone.
Thanks again for all the great suggestions. This is what's so great about SO; that is, I asked about a 10-year-old technology and I got several great and on-point ideas.
Make sure that the VBG and all the VBP's got rolled back as well. That error is consistent with a project trying to reference a CLSID that is no longer valid for the dependency. Have you tried loading up the project group and building from the IDE, if that works and you save and check in all the changes to the group and project files, you might be fixed up.
I'm guessing the fact that you mention that it was a COM component might be the source of the problem. If any of the public method's or properties have changed then I seem to remember that VB6 will change the interface GUIDs and auto register the new ones.
My suggestion would be to check the registry to look for any mention of the component name, make a note of any associated CLSIDs, back up the registry, and then delete the references.
As cmsjr mentions it could also be a bad CLSID reference in your .vbp files.
The other option is that the failure has caused a problem with some .tlb (type library) or olb (object library) files.
The best thing to do is move all your compatibility DLL to a separate and combined directory. The reason for this is control over what VB6 is using to check for binary compatibility. In addition the Typelibs that are generated IMPORT the references. So if you using Binary DLL Ver 10 for compatibility however the import is pulling in Binary DLL Ver 9 you will have issues. By keeping all the libraries in a single folder and pointing your projects to the DLLs in that folder you ensure that the respective TypeLib Import the correct version.
Finally if you have multiple levels of DLL reference each other. You may run into mysterious error where the VB6 is unable to compile using binary compatibility. In such cases you need to compile the lowest DLL in the hierarchy (Utility DLL perhaps) copy it over into the compatibility folders. Work your way up the chain until everything compiles in one shot again.
This is because if have DLL A reference DLL B which Reference DLL C. VB6 will get sometimes get confused if you make a change to A and C. will compile fine but A will not until the compatibility libraries are updated.
Hunt down and delete any .obj and .exp files that may be lying around from the previous failed build.
You will have to open the project & re-type in the lines that you changed.
Save the project alongwith VBG and re-compile after that.
I think that will fix it.
EDIT: The idea is that the cls/bas file remember the class (CLSID) that you used. So, if you change the references but don't change the lines in the cls/bas - it is a mismatch of type (what was referenced vs what is typed in cls/bas file).