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Q149325: BUG: Can’t Load VB 3 Binary Form with Some Extended Characters

Article: Q149325
Product(s): Microsoft Visual Basic for Windows
Version(s): 4.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbVBp400bug kbGrpDSVB
Last Modified: 02-NOV-2001

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Visual Basic Standard Edition for Windows, version 4.0 
- Microsoft Visual Basic Professional Edition for Windows, version 4.0 
- Microsoft Visual Basic Enterprise Edition for Windows, version 4.0 
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SYMPTOMS
========

Adding a Visual Basic 3.0 form that contains code with some extended characters
to a Visual Basic 4.0 16-bit or 32-bit project causes the following error:

  The basic code in <filename> was corrupt, and couldn't be loaded.

The problem has been confirmed with the ANSI characters 196/228, 197/229,
214/246, 201/233, and 220/252. It may occur with other extended characters also.
The problem only occurs if actual code contains these extended characters; it
doesn't happen if a property is set to a string with one or more of the problem
characters. This problem does not occur if the Visual Basic 3.0 form is saved as
text rather than as binary, and also does not occur if the file name of the form
does not contain any of the problem characters.

RESOLUTION
==========

Use one of the following workarounds to avoid this problem:

- Load the form(s) into Visual Basic 3.0 and save them as text before loading
  them into either bitness of Visual Basic 4.0. This is the preferred solution
  and should work in all cases.

- It may be possible to work around the problem by changing the file name of
  each problem form to one that does not contain any of the problem characters.
  This can be done with File Manager or Explorer after saving the form in
  Visual Basic 3.0 but before loading the form into Visual Basic 4.0 16- or
  32-bit. Once the form has been loaded, it can be saved from Visual Basic 4.0
  with the original filename.

STATUS
======

Microsoft has confirmed this to be an issue in the Microsoft products listed at
the beginning of this article. Microsoft is researching this problem and will
post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes
available.

MORE INFORMATION
================

Steps to Reproduce
------------------

1. Start an utility that can output characters of any ANSI value (the Character
  Map utility that ships with Windows NT performs this function). Select and
  copy to the clipboard the ANSI characters numbered 196 and 197.

2. Start Visual Basic 3.0. Form1 is created by default.

3. Add this code to the Form_Click event of Form1:

        Sub Form_Click()
           Form1.Caption = "[ASCII 196][ASCII 197]"
        End Sub

4. Save the form file from Visual Basic 3.0 with a name of [ASCII 196][ASCII
  197].FRM. Ensure that the Save As Text check box is NOT selected so the form
  will be saved as binary.

5. Shut down Visual Basic 3.0 and start either Visual Basic 4.0 16-bit or Visual
  Basic 4.0 32-bit.

6. Select Remove File from the File menu to remove the default Form1.

7. Choose Add File from the File menu and choose to add the file saved in step
  4. After clicking OK to dismiss the previous version message, the error
  mentioned above will be displayed. If the form is examined at this point, no
  code will be present.

Additional query words: kbIDE 3.00

======================================================================
Keywords          : kbVBp400bug kbGrpDSVB 
Technology        : kbVBSearch kbAudDeveloper kbZNotKeyword6 kbZNotKeyword2 kbVB400Search kbVB400
Version           : :4.0
Issue type        : kbbug
Solution Type     : kbpending

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