PC Adm: Err Msg: Alias Does Not Exist...

• Microsoft Mail for PC Networks, versions 3.0 and 3.2

SYMPTOMS

After you use the IMPORT utility (IMPORT.EXE) to modify addresses in the postoffice or to modify a gateway address list (for a SNADS gateway address, for example), the following error may appear while IMPORT.EXE is running:

   #04/14/94 15:25:24 | Error  [ 29] Alias does not exist Fser Number 3 (3)
   D Fser Number 3                  SNADS:SNADSGATE/SNADSDGN/user3

CAUSE

This problem occurs when the entry for the modified address list in the text file used by IMPORT.EXE is incorrectly spelled. For example, a section of such a text file, for a SNADS gateway address list, may look like the following:

   M User Number 12                       snads:snadsgate/snadsdgn/user12
     Used to be Number 12                 snads:snadsgate/snadsdgn/user12
   M Fser Number 3                        snads:snadsgate/snadsdgn/user3
     Used to be Number 3                  snads:snadsgate/snadsdgn/user3

The second use of the "M" transaction is incorrect because the administrator incorrectly typed the name to be modified: instead of typing "User Number 3", the administrator typed "Fser Number 3". The second line of this (second) "M" transaction then contains the modified user name.

The expected result of this incorrect text entry is that IMPORT.EXE ignores the incorrectly entered "M" command. However, this is not the case; IMPORT.EXE reads "M Fser Number 3" and creates an entry in the address list that points to SNADS:SNADSGATE/SNADSDGN/USER3 with the name "Fser Number 3". IMPORT.EXE then ignores the second line of the "M" transaction.

The result is an address list with two entries pointing to a single MBG and KEY combination.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in versions 3.0 and 3.2 of Microsoft Mail for PC Networks. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.