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Q160018: PRB: Can’t Register Controls from "MSDEV\REDIST\OCX" Directory

Article: Q160018
Product(s): Microsoft C Compiler
Version(s): winnt:4.2,4.2b,5.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbcode kbole kbActiveX kbCtrl kbMFC kbRegistry kbVC420 kbVC500 kbGrpDSMFCATL
Last Modified: 11-JUN-2002

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Enterprise Edition, versions 4.2, 4.2b, 5.0 
- Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Professional Edition, versions 4.2, 4.2b, 5.0 
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SYMPTOMS
========

When using Regsvr32.exe to register one of the controls from the
MSDEV\REDIST\OCX directory, you might get an error saying:

  "LoadLibrary("msmask32.ocx") failed. GetLastError returns 0x00000485."

Attempting to call LoadLibrary() on the OCX will also fail with the same error
code.

CAUSE
=====

Most of the controls in the MSDEV\REDIST\OCX directory were built using MFC 4.0
so they need Mfc40.dll and Msvcrt40.dll. There are two versions of Msvcrt40.dll:
one in MSDEV\REDIST, and another in MSDEV\REDIST\ANSI. The version from
MSDEV\REDIST needs Msvcirt.dll. If this file is not found, control registration
will fail.

RESOLUTION
==========

- Copy Msvcrt40.dll from MSDEV\REDIST\ANSI. This version doesn't need
  Msvcirt.dll.
  -or-

- Copy Msvcrt40.dll and Msvcirt.dll from MSDEV\REDIST.

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

Starting with Visual C++ 4.2, the shared DLL version of the C run time was
changed from Msvcrt40.dll to Msvcrt.dll. This prevents having to keep a separate
C run-time DLL for each version (for example, Msvcrt411.dll, Msvcrt42.dll, and
so on). However, if an MFC 4.2 application were using an MFC 4.0 control, you
would have two copies of the C run time loaded in memory (Msvcrt.dll and
Msvcrt40.dll). To save precious memory, Msvcrt40.dll was converted to a
"forwarder" DLL. All it does is forward calls to Msvcrt.dll and Msvcirt.dll.
Starting with Windows NT 4.0, Msvcrt40.dll, Msvcrt.dll, and Msvcirt.dll ship
with the operating system.

A registration program will attempt to do a LoadLibrary() of the ActiveX/DLL and
call DLLRegister() on it. If LoadLibrary() fails and GetLastError() returns
1157(0x485), this means that a DLL needed by the control cannot be found (Error
code 1157 is defined as ERROR_DLL_NOT_FOUND in WINERROR.H).

To find out which DLL it can't load, use DUMPBIN /IMPORTS <CONTROL.OCX>
from the command line. Dumpbin.exe is in MSDEV\BIN. This will list all the DLLs
that the ActiveX Control is trying to load. DLLs will only be found if they are
in the current directory, in the Windows System directory, or in a directory in
your PATH. One of these DLLs could also be trying to load another DLL and not
find it. In the case above, all the DLLs that DUMPBIN showed as being needed by
MSMASK32.OCX were in the system directory.

The next logical step would be to do a DUMPBIN on these DLLs. It turns out that
DUMPBIN on Msvcrt40.dll told us that it needed Msvcirt.dll. If you have several
DLLs in the chain, a quick way to narrow things down is to do a LoadLibrary() on
each one. If LoadLibrary() fails on a DLL that is in the current, system or path
directory, use DUMPBIN on it to check its list of DLLs. You will eventually find
the offending DLL.

REFERENCES
==========

For information about other possible reasons for ActiveX Control Registration
failure, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  Q140346 Possible Reasons for OLE Control Registration Failure


Additional query words:

======================================================================
Keywords          : kbcode kbole kbActiveX kbCtrl kbMFC kbRegistry kbVC420 kbVC500 kbGrpDSMFCATL 
Technology        : kbVCsearch kbAudDeveloper kbVC420 kbVC500 kbVC32bitSearch kbVC420b kbVC500Search
Version           : winnt:4.2,4.2b,5.0
Issue type        : kbprb

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