FIX: The XMLHTTP object handles uppercase server names incorrectly (834396)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft XML 3.0 SP3
  • Microsoft XML 3.0 SP2

SYMPTOMS

If you use an uppercase server name in the Open command of the msxml2.xmlhttp.3.0 object, you may receive the following error message:
HTTP Error 405 Method Not Allowed

CAUSE

You receive the 405 error message when you send an MKCOL method request, and the Open command of the XMLHTTP object contains an uppercase server name.

In whatever form the URL is received, the XMLHTTP object passes this URL to URLMON (URL Monitor). URLMON expects that the server name in the URL is canonicalized. However, the XMLHTTP object does not canonicalize the URL before it passes the URL to URLMON.

Note Canonicalization is the process that converts a URL that might contain unsafe characters, such as blank spaces and reserved characters, to an accepted format.

RESOLUTION

Service pack information

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Microsoft XML 3.0. For additional information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

308480 INFO: How to Obtain the Latest Microsoft XML 3.0 Service Pack

Hotfix information

A supported hotfix is now available from Microsoft, but it is only intended to correct the problem that is described in this article. Only apply it to systems that are experiencing this specific problem. This hotfix may receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, we recommend that you wait for the next service pack that contains this hotfix.

To resolve this problem immediately, contact Microsoft Product Support Services to obtain the hotfix. For a complete list of Microsoft Product Support Services telephone numbers and information about support costs, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://support.microsoft.com/contactus/?ws=support

Note In special cases, charges that are ordinarily incurred for support calls may be canceled if a Microsoft Support Professional determines that a specific update will resolve your problem. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for the specific update in question. The English version of this hotfix has the file attributes (or later) that are listed in the following table. The dates and times for these files are listed in coordinated universal time (UTC). When you view the file information, it is converted to local time. To find the difference between UTC and local time, use the Time Zone tab in the Date and Time tool in Control Panel. 
   Date         Time   Version            Size    File name
   --------------------------------------------------------------
   05-Jan-2004  10:31  8.30.9927.0     1,123,840  Msxml3.dll

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, use one of the following methods:
  • Convert the URL to lowercase, and then pass the URL to the XMLHTTP object.
  • Use the ServerXMLHTTP object instead of the XMLHTTP object.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section. This problem was first corrected in Microsoft XML 3.0 Service Pack 4.

MORE INFORMATION

When you send an uppercase server name, generally the request is submitted to the server two times. When you use the MKCOL method request with the Open command of the XMLHTTP object, the first request creates a new folder on the Web server. However, the second request fails with the 405 error because the folder already exists. The MKCOL method request succeeds. However, the client receives the error message that is mentioned in the "Symptoms" section because of the duplicate submission.

If you pass a URL that contains an uppercase server name (such as, http://MYSERVER/MYVIRDIR/somepage.asp) to the XMLHTTP object, XML does not canonicalize the URL and passes this URL to URLMON (URL Monitor). The XMLHTTP object uses the CoInternetParseURL method with the PARSE_CANONICALIZE parameter after the URL is passed to URLMON. When binding to the resource directly through the IInternetProtocol::Start pluggable protocol interface, URLMON expects the URL to be canonicalized. URLMON canonicalizes the URL automatically. However, because the XMLHTTP object goes through the IInternetProtocol::Start interface, this canonicalization does not occur.

The ServerXMLHTTP object does not pass the URL to URLMON. With the ServerXMLHTTP object, you can use the HTTP GET method and the HTTP POST method. You can also handle basic security logons with the ServerXMLHTTP object. Therefore, Microsoft recommends that you use the ServerXMLHTTP object instead of the XMLHTTP object.

REFERENCES

For additional information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

824684 Description of the standard terminology that is used to describe Microsoft software updates

For more information, visit the following Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) Websites:

Handling Uniform Resource Locators
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/en-us/wininet/wininet/handling_uniform_resource_locators.asp

InternetCanonicalizeURL
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/en-us/wininet/wininet/internetcanonicalizeURL.asp

CoInternetParseURL function
http://msdn.microsoft.com/workshop/networking/pluggable/reference/functions/cointernetparseURL.asp

MKCOL method
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/en-us/e2k3/e2k3/_webdav_mkcol.asp

Using ServerXMLHTTP directly
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/en-us/xmlsdk30/htm/xmobjxmldomserverxmlhttp_using_directly.asp

Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:4/21/2006
Keywords:kbHotfixServer kbQFE kbtshoot kbXML kbToolkit kbScript kbService kbhttp KB834396 kbAudDeveloper
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