BUG: Runtime Error 1205; CedarBank VBClient in DCOM Environment

• Microsoft COM Transaction Integrator for CICS and IMS, version 1.0, included with:
  • Microsoft SNA Server, version 4.0

SYMPTOMS

The error occurs when executing the getaccts method of the COM Transaction Integrator for CICS and IMS (COMTI) CedarBank tutorial in a DCOM environment. This error involves the Visual Basic client components of the tutorial (VBClient and VBClientExplicitSecurity) in an identical manner.

CedarBank has two methods, cedrbank and getaccts. Both methods execute properly when CedarBank.exe is operated on the same computer on which COMTI and Transaction Server (MTS) operate. However, when the MTS component package is exported to another computer and CedarBank is executed on that other computer, one method, cedrbank, executes properly, but COMTI returns the following runtime error when the getaccts method is attempted:

(1205) COM Transaction Integrator detected an error on parameter 2 prior to the remote operation. COM Transaction Integrator could not convert from variant type (0x0009) to (0x0008) (0x80020005).

CAUSE

There is an error in the source code for the CedarBank Visual Basic client programs. It doesn't make any difference when the client code, COMTI runtime, and MTS all coexist on the same computer. When the client is exported to another computer, however, parameter data must be marshaled between the two by DCOM, and data of one of the getaccts parameters, the PIN, is not marshaled correctly, producing the runtime error.

WORKAROUND

To resolve this problem, install the SNA Server service pack described in the STATUS section below, or perform the following workaround:

The following statement in the source for the VBClient and VBClientExplicitSecurity must be changed and the program recompiled.

In the Private Sub GetAccounts_Click() subroutine, change:

      Set objAccounts = objBank.getaccts(txtName.Text, txtPIN) 

      Set objAccounts = objBank.getaccts(txtName.Text, txtPIN.Text) 

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft COM Transaction Integrator for CICS and IMS version 1.0 included with SNA Server version 4.0.
This problem has been corrected in the latest U.S. service pack for SNA Server version 4.0. For information on obtaining the service pack, query on the following word in the Microsoft Knowledge Base (without the spaces):

S E R V P A C K

Additional query words:

Keywords :
Version : WINDOWS:1.0,4.0
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type : kbbug