DOCUMENT:Q171550 01-DEC-1997 [vbwin] TITLE :FIX: Recompiling with SP2 Breaks Binary Compatibility PRODUCT :Microsoft Visual Basic for Windows PROD/VER:WINDOWS:5.0; WINNT:97sp2 OPER/SYS:WINDOWS winnt KEYWORDS:vb5all VBKBAX VBKBComp VBKBCtrl VBKBDLL VBKBExe VS97FixlistSP3 VB5FixListSP3 ====================================================================== --------------------------------------------------------------------- The information in this article applies to: - Microsoft Visual Basic Control Creation, Learning, Professional, and Enterprise Editions for Windows, version 5.0 - Microsoft Visual Studio versions 97, 97sps -------------------------------------------------------------------- SYMPTOMS ======== After adding functionality to a server application (.EXE, .DLL or .OCX) and recompiling several times with Microsoft Visual Basic version 5.0 with Visual Studio Service Pack 2 installed, the following errors may occur: 1. Existing client applications may fail when attempting to create an object type from the server. 2. The Object Browser may not display all of the classes of the server or all of the members of a particular class of the server. STATUS ====== Microsoft has confirmed this to be a bug in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article. This bug has been fixed in Visual Studio 97 Service Pack 3. For more information, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: ARTICLE-ID: Q170365 TITLE : INFO: Visual Studio 97 Service Packs - What, Where, and Why For a list of the Visual Basic 5.0 bugs that were fixed in the Visual Studio 97 Service Pack 3, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: ARTICLE-ID: Q175450 TITLE : INFO: Visual Basic 5.0 Fixes in Visual Studio 97 Service Pack 3 MORE INFORMATION ================ NOTE: The problems caused by this bug are difficult to reproduce consistently. Steps to Reproduce Behavior --------------------------- 1. Make an ActiveX DLL (Knowledge Base article Q173407 contains the specific steps). After the first compilation (to create the DLL), copy the DLL and rename the copy to .CMP. This will create a file that will not be overwritten by future recompiles. (CMP is shorthand for compatible.) Then set the server project properties for version compatibility to Binary and refer to the .CMP file. 2. Add new functionality to the server without changing any existing functionality. Recompile the server to a new DLL. Make a copy of the DLL with the extension .CMP. 3. Change the server project version compatibility file to the new .CMP file. Add more functionality and recompile to a new DLL. The problems may not appear until the third generation of the DLL has been created. One workaround for the problem is to recompile the server project to a new DLL and use the new DLL as the binary compatibility file listed in the project properties dialog. ====================================================================== Keywords : vb5all VBKBAX VBKBComp VBKBCtrl VBKBDLL VBKBExe VS97FixlistSP3 VB5FixListSP3 Version : WINDOWS:5.0; WINNT:97sp2 Platform : WINDOWS winnt Issue type : kbbug Solution Type : kbfix kbservicepack ============================================================================= THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY. Copyright Microsoft Corporation 1997.