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Q191868: Runtime Error 1205; CedarBank VBClient in DCOM Environment

Article: Q191868
Product(s): Microsoft SNA Server
Version(s): WINDOWS:1.0,4.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 07-APR-2000

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft COM Transaction Integrator for CICS and IMS, version 1.0, used with:
   - Microsoft SNA Server, version 4.0 
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SYMPTOMS
========

The error occurs when executing the getaccts method of the COM Transaction
Integrator for CICS and IMS (COMTI) CedarBank tutorial in a DCOM environment.
This error involves the Visual Basic client components of the tutorial (VBClient
and VBClientExplicitSecurity) in an identical manner.

CedarBank has two methods, cedrbank and getaccts. Both methods execute properly
when CedarBank.exe is operated on the same computer on which COMTI and
Transaction Server (MTS) operate. However, when the MTS component package is
exported to another computer and CedarBank is executed on that other computer,
one method, cedrbank, executes properly, but COMTI returns the following runtime
error when the getaccts method is attempted:

  (1205) COM Transaction Integrator detected an error on parameter 2 prior to
  the remote operation. COM Transaction Integrator could not convert from
  variant type (0x0009) to (0x0008) (0x80020005).

This message can also be seen in the application event log of the computer
running COMTI.

CAUSE
=====

There is an error in the source code for the CedarBank Visual Basic client
programs. It doesn't make any difference when the client code, COMTI runtime,
and MTS all coexist on the same computer. When the client is exported to another
computer, however, parameter data must be marshaled between the two by DCOM, and
data of one of the getaccts parameters, the PIN, is not marshaled correctly,
producing the runtime error.

WORKAROUND
==========

To resolve this problem, install the SNA Server service pack described in the
STATUS section below, or perform the following workaround:

The following statement in the source for the VBClient and
VBClientExplicitSecurity must be changed and the program recompiled.

In the Private Sub GetAccounts_Click() subroutine, change:

        Set objAccounts = objBank.getaccts(txtName.Text, txtPIN)

to:

        Set objAccounts = objBank.getaccts(txtName.Text, txtPIN.Text)

STATUS
======

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft COM Transaction
Integrator for CICS and IMS version 1.0 included with SNA Server version 4.0.
This problem has been corrected in the latest U.S. service pack for SNA Server
version 4.0. For information on obtaining the service pack, query on the
following word in the Microsoft Knowledge Base (without the spaces):

  " S E R V P A C K " (without the quotation marks)

Additional query words:

======================================================================
Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbAudDeveloper kbCOMTISearch
Version           : WINDOWS:1.0,4.0
Issue type        : kbbug
Solution Type     : kbfix

=============================================================================

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