BUG: Run-Time Error Message -2147417848 (80010108) When Passing Array of Dictionary Objects (270589)

SYMPTOMS

You have a Visual Basic ActiveX DLL that has a method that takes an array of Scripting Dictionary Objects as an argument. It may work fine when your Visual Basic client is run in the Visual Basic integrated development environment (IDE) by using this method, but when you run it as a compiled application, you get the following run-time error message:

Run-time error '-2147417848 (80010108)':
Method '~' of object '~' failed

This only occurs when you use late binding to call the method.

MORE INFORMATION

Steps to Reproduce Behavior

Steps to Create Server

Create an ActiveX DLL project with Visual Basic. Class1 is created by default.
Change the project name to MyServer.
On the Project menu, select References, select Microsoft Scripting Runtime, and then click OK.

Copy the following code into Class1:

Option Explicit

Public Function Test(ByVal strName As String, objContentsDic() As Dictionary) As String
    Test = strName
End Function

Save and compile the project. MyServer.dll is generated and automatically registered.

Steps to Create Visual Basic Client

Create a Standard EXE project with Visual Basic. Form1 is created by default.
On the Project menu, select References, select Microsoft Scripting Runtime, and then click OK.
Add a Command Button to Form1.

Add the following code to Form1:

Option Explicit

Private Sub Command1_Click()
    Dim arrDict(1 To 3) As Dictionary
    Dim strReturn As String
    Dim obj As Object
    
    Dim x As Integer
    For x = 1 To 3
        Set arrDict(x) = New Dictionary
        arrDict(x).Add "DicElement" & x, x
    Next
    
    Set obj = CreateObject("MyServer.Class1")
    strReturn = obj.Test("test it", arrDict)
    MsgBox strReturn
End Sub

Press the F5 key to run the project, and then click the Command Button. You may see a message box displaying the words:
test it
or else you see the following error message:
Run-time error '-2147417848 (80010108)':
Method 'Test' of object '_Class1' failed
Compile the project into project1.exe. Double-click project1.exe in the Windows explorer to run it. Click the Command Button and note the following error message:
Run-time error '-2147417848 (80010108)':
Method '~' of object '~' failed
Return to the Visual Basic IDE for the client application.
On the Project menu, select References, select MyServer.dll, and then click OK.
Change the following code line
```
    Dim obj As Object
						
```
to be this code line:
```
    Dim obj As MyServer.Class1
						
```
This change ensures that early binding is used.
Compile the project, run it again, and note that it works as expected.