BUG: Web Assistant Stored Procedure Requires an Output Parameter

• Microsoft SQL Server, version 6.5

SYMPTOMS

Within the Web Assistant, when a stored procedure is chosen as the query to use for the Web page, the following message may be returned:

   The selected stored procedure requires an output parameter, which cannot
   be supplied. Please select a different stored procedure.

CAUSE

The SQL script that has the CREATE PROCEDURE command has some comments above it, and a word that begins with the string "output" exists within the comments section. The following is an example of such a script:

   Use pubs
   Go

   If exists (select * from sysobjects where id = object_id ('myproc'))
       drop procedure myproc
   go

   /* Comments with the string output(s) */
   create procedure myproc as
      select * from authors
   go

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, do either of the following:

• Ensure that no word begins with "output" in the comments section above the CREATE PROCEDURE statement

  -or-

• Use the sp_makewebtask procedure. The following is an example of this workaround:

  exec sp_makewebtask @outputfile='C:\WEB.HTML',@query='exec dbo.myproc

     ',@fixedfont=1,@bold=0,@italic=0,@colheaders=1,@lastupdated=1,
     @HTMLheader=2,@username='dbo',@dbname='pubs',@webpagetitle='SQL Server
     Web Assistant',@resultstitle='Query Results',@whentype=1,@maketask=1,
     @rowcnt=0
  
  

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft SQL Server Version 6.5. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.