PC Forms: Err Msg: Illegal Function Call

ID: Q107771

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Electronic Forms Designer, version 1.0, used with:
- Microsoft Mail for PC Networks, versions 3.0, 3.0b, 3.2

SYMPTOMS

When you choose the Select E-Form command from the Mail menu of versions 3.0, 3.0b, or 3.2 of Microsoft Mail for Windows, you may receive the following error message:

Illegal Function Call

You may also receive this error message when you select the Route command in Microsoft Word or Excel.

CAUSE

This error sometimes indicates that a universal naming convention (UNC) path is defined for the SharedExtensionsDir in the MSMAIL.INI file. The Browser application code that parses a UNC shared extensions path may fail if the UNC path does not contain a backslash (\) as the last character in its definition. For example, the following MSMAIL.INI entry may generate the above error:


   SharedExtensionsDir=\\servername\share

RESOLUTION

To solve the problem, add a "\" to the end of the path definition:


   SharedExtensionsDir=\\servername\share\

MORE INFORMATION

You can also solve this problem by modifying the Browser application code that handles UNC paths. To do so:

Open the BROWSER.MAK project in Visual Basic (VB\EFORMS\MEFBROWS).

From the Project window, select BROWSER.FRM. Click the View Code button.

From the Proc: list box, select fConnectShared.

Modify the code as follows:


      If Left(szSharedDir, 2) = "\\" Then
         ' Handle UNC path and obtain connection substring length
         ' Ensure that the path doesn't end in a trailing slash
         If (Right(szSharedDir, 1) = "\") Then
             szSharedDir = Left(szSharedDir, Len(szSharedDir) - 1)
         End If
         iShare = InStr(3, szSharedDir, "\")
         iPath = Len(szSharedDir)

         ' see if a connection already exists
         szNetDrive = SzExistingConnection(Left(szSharedDir, iPath))

         If szNetDrive = "" Then
         ' No previous connection exists, find a free drive letter
            szNetDrive = GetFreeDrive()
         ' and connect if a drive is free
            If szNetDrive = "" Then
               ' No free drive is available to connect
               FConnectShared = False
               Exit Function
            ElseIf WNetAddConnection(Left(szSharedDir, iPath), "",
      szNetDrive) <> 0 Then
               ' Connection failed
               FConnectShared = False
               Exit Function
            End If
         End If
         szSharedDir = szNetDrive & Right(szSharedDir,
      Len(szSharedDir) - iPath)
      End If

NOTE: Code that wraps to a new line here should be entered on the same line in Visual Basic. Also, this is not the most streamlined code for this procedure, it requires the fewest changes from the original.

Choose Make .EXE File from the File menu and replace the existing MEFBROWS.EXE in the WINDOWS subdirectory.

Additional query words: 3.00 3.00b 3.20

Keywords : MailPCForms
Version : WINDOWS:1.0,3.0,3.0b,3.2
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type :