Lmhosts File Is Incorrectly Parsed When Alternate Block Inclusion Is Used (247682)

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0
Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 SP1
Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 SP2
Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 SP3
Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 SP4
Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 SP5
Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 SP6
Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 SP6a

This article was previously published under Q247682

SYMPTOMS

An Lmhosts file that uses #BEGIN_ALTERNATE / #END_ALTERNATE tags with #INCLUDE statements parses all Lmhosts files that are pointed to using the #INCLUDE statements. For example:

#BEGIN_ALTERNATE
#INCLUDE \\Lmhostsrv1\Public\Lmhosts    
#INCLUDE \\Lmhostsrv2\Public\Lmhosts 
#END_ALTERNATE

NOTE: In this example the Lmhosts files from both Lmhostsrv1 and Lmhostsrv2 are parsed.

CAUSE

This behavior occurs because the #ALTERNATE_INCLUDE condition is satisfied if one of the #INCLUDE statements is successful. This means that only one Lmhosts file should be parsed. The first successful #INCLUDE statement is the only Lmhosts file that should be parsed, but all Lmhosts files that are pointed to using #INCLUDE statements are parsed.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in Microsoft Windows NT 4.0.

MORE INFORMATION

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

102725 LMHOSTS File Information and Predefined Keywords

Modification Type:	Major	Last Reviewed:	8/8/2001
Keywords:	kbbug kbnetwork KB247682