PRB: Ordinal Not Found When Starting VFP or Application

• Microsoft Visual FoxPro for Windows, version 5.0

SYMPTOMS

If you are using Visual FoxPro 5.0 or Visual FoxPro 5.0 applications on Windows NT version 3.51, you might see the following message:

   VFP.EXE - Ordinal Not Found
   The ordinal 419 could not be located in the dynamic-link library file,
   Oleaut32.dll.

• Attempting to run Visual FoxPro before restarting the computer as directed after installing the full version of Visual FoxPro.
• Attempting to run a Visual FoxPro application created with the Setup Wizard before restarting the computer as directed after installing the application.
• Attempting to run Visual FoxPro or a Visual FoxPro application after installing a Windows NT 3.51 Service Pack.

CAUSE

The message appears if you are using an outdated version of the Oleaut32.dll file.

WORKAROUND

In the situations described by the first two items above, restarting the computer corrects the problem. The proper version of the Oleaut32.dll file is present, but is not loaded until NT 3.51 has been restarted.

In the situation described in the third item above, the NT 3.51 Service Pack installation program has overwritten the Oleaut32.dll file with an earlier version. To remedy this problem, you must uninstall and then reinstall Visual FoxPro or the Visual FoxPro application in order to restore the proper version of the Oleaut32.dll file.

Alternately, you can update the version of the Oleaut32.dll file in the Service Pack to the version included with Visual FoxPro and then reinstall the Service Pack, as described below.

Updating the Service Pack Version of the Oleaut32.dll File

The following procedure was tested with Windows NT 3.51 and Service Pack 4, and it allows Visual FoxPro to start without error. This information is supplied as a possible alternative to reinstallation of Visual FoxPro or the distributed application.

CAUTION: This procedure is not supported. Use it at your own risk and only after backing up all relevant files.

1. In the Windows NT Service Pack directory (the directory that contains the Update.exe file), rename the Oleaut32.dll file to Oleaut32.old.

2. From the Os\system folder on the Visual FoxPro CD, copy the Oleaut32.dll file to the Service Pack folder.

3. Reinstall the Service Pack by running the Update.exe file.

STATUS

Microsoft is researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

MORE INFORMATION

Steps to Reproduce Behavior

1. Install Visual FoxPro or a Visual FoxPro application on a computer running Windows NT 3.51.

2. Attempt to start Visual FoxPro or the application. The message described in the SYMPTOMS section above occurs.

1. Install a Windows NT 3.51 Service Pack on a computer with Visual FoxPro or a Visual FoxPro application installed.

2. Attempt to start Visual FoxPro or the application. The message described in the SYMPTOMS section occurs.

REFERENCES

Readme.hlp, Visual FoxPro for Windows, version 5