BUG: Can't Serialize Items After CRichEditDoc::Serialize

The information in this article applies to:

• The Microsoft Foundation Classes (MFC) included with: Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Edition, version 4.0, 4.1, 4.2

SYMPTOMS

An attempt to load a CRichEditDoc causes the following message to appear:

   Unexpected file format.

CAUSE

CRichEditDoc::Serialize() relies on the rich edit control's support for saving data. The assumption made by MFC is that the serialization of a rich edit control will encapsulate an entire file. The serialization code for loading from the CArchive starts from the current file position and reads to the end of the file.

An attempt to load anything after loading the CRichEditDoc fails because the file pointer is at the end of the file.

RESOLUTION

If you need to store additional data in the archive, serialize it before serializing the CRichEditDoc. Ensure that the CRichEditDoc is serialized last. For example:

void CMyRichEditDoc::Serialize(CArchive& ar)

  if (ar.IsStoring())
  {
   ar << m_str1;
  }
  else
  {
    ar >> m_str1;
  }

  // Calling the base class CRichEditDoc enables serialization
  // of the container document's COleClientItem objects.
  CRichEditDoc::Serialize(ar);

  // Do not use CArchive after calling CRichEditDoc::Serialize.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a bug in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.