PRB: Run-Time Error After an ActiveX Server Crashes (189949)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Visual Basic Learning Edition for Windows 5.0
  • Microsoft Visual Basic Learning Edition for Windows 6.0
  • Microsoft Visual Basic Professional Edition for Windows 5.0
  • Microsoft Visual Basic Professional Edition for Windows 6.0
  • Microsoft Visual Basic Enterprise Edition for Windows 5.0
  • Microsoft Visual Basic Enterprise Edition for Windows 6.0
This article was previously published under Q189949

SYMPTOMS

If an ActiveX Server (EXE) object is instantiated in a Visual Basic client application, and the ActiveX server crashes, Visual Basic 5.0 and Visual Basic 6.0 will return the following error messages, respectively, every time the server object is subsequently referenced:
Run-time Error '-2147023174 (800706ba)':
Automation Error

Run-time Error '462':
The remote server machine does not exist or is unavailable
This includes attempts to use the keyword New or CreateObject to restart the server.

CAUSE

After the ActiveX server crashes, Visual Basic attempts to re-establish a connection to the server and the above error is triggered.

RESOLUTION

For Visual Basic 6.0, if you modify the code in step 4 of the "Create the Client" steps below, the error does not occur: 
Private Sub Command1_Click()
   On Error GoTo ErrHand
   Set clsTest = New Class1
   clsTest.Test
   Exit Sub
ErrHand:
   Set clsTest = Nothing
   Resume
End Sub

STATUS

This behavior is by design.

MORE INFORMATION

Steps to Reproduce Behavior

Create the Server

  1. Launch Visual Basic and create a new ActiveX EXE project. Class1 is created by default.
  2. Paste the following code into the code window:
          Option Explicit
      Public Event SomeEvent()

      Public Sub Test()
         MsgBox "Test"
         RaiseEvent SomeEvent
      End Sub
  3. Select Make Project1.exe from the File menu to compile the ActiveX EXE.

Create the Client

  1. Create a new Standard EXE project. Form1 is created by default.
  2. In the Properties window, change the Name Property of the project to "Client."
  3. Select References from the Project menu, and check Project1.
  4. In Client, add a CommandButton (Command1) to Form1 and paste the following code into the code module for Form1:
          Option Explicit
      Dim WithEvents clsTest As Class1

      Private Sub Command1_Click()
         Set clsTest  = New Class1
         clsTest.Test
      End Sub

      Private Sub clsTest_SomeEvent()
         MsgBox "SomeEvent"
      End Sub
  5. Press the F5 key to run the project and click on Command1.
  6. Message boxes "Test" and "SomeEvent" pop up subsequently. Click OK on both Message boxes to close them.
  7. Press the CTRL+ALT+DEL key combination to bring up the Task Manager.
  8. Under Windows NT4 or Windows 2000, select the Processes tab, scroll down the list, and browse for the name of the ActiveX EXE server, Project1. Select it and click the End Process button. Under Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows Me, select Project1 from the program list and click the End Task button. NOTE: If clsTest is not set to anything after the "Test" method is invoked, it is not displayed in the Task manager.
  9. Go back to the running Visual Basic client and click on Command1. Either of the two error messages (depending on the version of Visual Basic used) mentioned in the Symptoms section above occurs.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:5/8/2003
Keywords:kbprb KB189949
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