BUG: You experience Commerce Server Business Desk (BizDesk) catalog performance problems when the number of variants exceeds 250 (837526)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Commerce Server 2002 SP1
  • Microsoft Commerce Server 2002 SP2

SUMMARY

This article discusses problems that may occur if you use the Microsoft Commerce Server Business Desk (BizDesk) to access catalog configurations that include more than 250 variants.

SYMPTOMS

When you try to edit a catalog product or try to manage the catalog in other ways from the BizDesk, the following symptoms may occur. These symptoms may occur if the catalog was imported, if the catalog contains more than 250 product variants, and if you use the BizDesk to modify products in the catalog:
  • You may notice CPU utilization of 100 percent by using Windows Task Manager or Performance Monitor. You may also notice that the Dllhost.exe process also experiences high CPU utilization.
  • You receive one of the following error messages when you try to add or to remove product variants within the Commerce Server 2002 catalog:

    Warning: Number of records is greater than the maximum allowed (2,000,000,000). Please specify a filter or further search criteria to fetch a smaller list

    Warning: Number of pages is greater than the maximum allowed (9,999). Please specify a filter or further search criteria to fetch a smaller list.

CAUSE

This behavior occurs because the implementation of the BizDesk, including the GetXMLVariants function does not accomodate lots of variants contained in a catalog.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, use one of the following methods to avoid the BizDesk limitations:
  • When you use the BizDesk, only reliably configure 250 product variants.
  • Install Feature Pack 1 for Commerce Server to replace the BizDesk catalog management functionality.
  • Use custom code instead of the BizDesk to perform all catalog management.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a bug in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section.

MORE INFORMATION

You should follow the general guideline of 10,000 variants for catalog configuration to make sure that XML Export operations complete successfully.

Note You should only use 250 variants because of the BizDesk functionality limitation.

For more information about Feature Pack 1 for Commerce Server 2002, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/commerceserver/

Steps to reproduce the behavior

  1. Import a large catalog into any Commerce Server 2002 site.
  2. Using the BizDesk, click Catalog Editor on the Catalogs menu, and then open the catalog.
  3. Click Find All to return all the products. Only one product should be returned.
  4. Try to edit this product. When you click Edit, CPU utilization will jump to 100 percent.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:6/22/2004
Keywords:kbfix kbbug KB837526 kbAudDeveloper
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