same OS, same regional settings, different boolean value localization

[alex5r4]

Hello all,
this is a very weird issue.
The executable is very old and was build with VB6.0.

The code piece is like this:

var variable = True

Msgbox variable

On server A, running the executable, I get displayed "Vero"

On server B, running the same executable with the same dll dependancies I get "True"

The OS (Win2k8 server 32 bit) and regional settings are the same, so there must be a reason or some setting that cause this different behaviour.

What could it be?

Best Regards,

Alex

[techgnome]

Looks like a different language to me. If I were to run that on a French language install of windows, I'd likely get 'vrai' ...

-tg

[DrUnicode]

Boolean variable should change with regional configurations so there must be something in regional config that is different on the OS that returns "True".
You could also fix this problem using code like this:

Option Explicit

Private Sub Form_Load()
   Dim myBool As Boolean
   myBool = True
   MsgBox IIf(myBool, "Vero", "Falso")
   myBool = False
   MsgBox IIf(myBool, "Vero", "Falso")
End Sub

[alex5r4]

Thanks for your reply, unfortunately I cannot change the code.
We have several Win2k8 servers SP2 english, with some of them I get "Vero", in others "True".
I've compered all the tabs of regional settings panel and no differences.
This is crazy...what could it be?

Best Regards,
Alex

[Schmidt]

VB(A) does most of its formatting over OleAut32.dll - and this library contains functionality,
to override the Systems Regional-Locale-Settings with a different one.

I'd take a good look at the function: GetVarConversionLocaleSetting
and what it hands back to you in its ByRef-Parameter, on the "funny behaving machines" -
Here's the MSDN-Link: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/libr...=vs.85%29.aspx

One can also set the behaviour with its co-function: SetVarConversionLocaleSetting
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/libr...=vs.85%29.aspx

This time the Flag-Param needs to be passed ByVal - and if you want it to behave according to
the current System-Locale - you will apparently have to use a FlagValue of 2 (and if I read it correctly,
followed by a reboot of your server).

Olaf

[alex5r4]

Hello,
thanks for your reply.
Both server have de same OleAut32.dll version.
I really wonder what could have happened during the installation of the same software the causes different localizations of a boolean value.
To be sure, do I need to write a C++ program in order to run the SetVarConversionLocaleSetting?

Best Regards,
Alex

[Nightwalker83]

   myBool = True
   MsgBox IIf(myBool, "Vero", "Falso")

Shouldn't that be

   MsgBox IIf(myBool, "Vero", "True") 'Or whatever it is in that particular language?

[Schmidt]

I really wonder what could have happened during the installation of the same software the causes different localizations of a boolean value.

It wont necessarily have to be your Software which caused the behaviour...
In case you get it fixed, I would watch out (in case it happens again) - which Installer of
or which Software was used "recently", that caused the localization to be "shifted" again.

To be sure, do I need to write a C++ program in order to run the SetVarConversionLocaleSetting?

No, of course not - the oleaut32-functionality is available in a normal (StdCall)-Dll - and thus
usable per normal VB-Declares.

The two APIs come in a typical Getter/Setter-fashion, and could be wrapped best in a Public
available Property, which could be defined in a *.bas Module for example...

Option Explicit

Private Declare Function GetVarConversionLocaleSetting Lib "oleaut32" (dwFlags As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function SetVarConversionLocaleSetting Lib "oleaut32" (ByVal dwFlags As Long) As Long

Public Property Get VarConversionLocaleSetting() As Long
Dim HResult As Long
  HResult = GetVarConversionLocaleSetting(VarConversionLocaleSetting)
  If HResult Then Err.Raise HResult
End Property

Public Property Let VarConversionLocaleSetting(ByVal dwFlags As Long)
Dim HResult As Long
  HResult = SetVarConversionLocaleSetting(dwFlags)
  If HResult Then Err.Raise HResult
End Property

Before you use the Property Let as below (in a small VB-Program):

VarConversionLocaleSettingFlags = 2

followed by a reboot of the machine - it would be nice to have an info
about the setting which was in place before on the affected machines:

MsgBox VarConversionLocaleSettingFlags

E.g. something like the small Sub below, which reports the former Value -
but also asks to override the Value with 2 after pressing 'Yes'.

Sub ReportFormerSettingAndTryToChange()
  If MsgBox("Former Setting was: " & VarConversionLocaleSetting & vbLf & "Do you want to override it with 2?", vbYesNo) = vbYes Then
    VarConversionLocaleSetting = 2
  End If
End Sub

Olaf

[alex5r4]

Hello,
thank you very much for your help. I had to work on another project so I'm late in answering.
I've run the

MsgBox VarConversionLocaleSettingFlags

either on server the server thant returns 'Vero' and on the one that returns 'True' but in both the MsgBox value was '0'.

They seem to have the same locale settings flag...

Do you suggest me to try with setting the value equal to 2?

Best Regards

It wont necessarily have to be your Software which caused the behaviour...
In case you get it fixed, I would watch out (in case it happens again) - which Installer of
or which Software was used "recently", that caused the localization to be "shifted" again.



No, of course not - the oleaut32-functionality is available in a normal (StdCall)-Dll - and thus
usable per normal VB-Declares.

The two APIs come in a typical Getter/Setter-fashion, and could be wrapped best in a Public
available Property, which could be defined in a *.bas Module for example...

Option Explicit

Private Declare Function GetVarConversionLocaleSetting Lib "oleaut32" (dwFlags As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function SetVarConversionLocaleSetting Lib "oleaut32" (ByVal dwFlags As Long) As Long

Public Property Get VarConversionLocaleSetting() As Long
Dim HResult As Long
  HResult = GetVarConversionLocaleSetting(VarConversionLocaleSetting)
  If HResult Then Err.Raise HResult
End Property

Public Property Let VarConversionLocaleSetting(ByVal dwFlags As Long)
Dim HResult As Long
  HResult = SetVarConversionLocaleSetting(dwFlags)
  If HResult Then Err.Raise HResult
End Property

Before you use the Property Let as below (in a small VB-Program):

VarConversionLocaleSettingFlags = 2

followed by a reboot of the machine - it would be nice to have an info
about the setting which was in place before on the affected machines:

MsgBox VarConversionLocaleSettingFlags

E.g. something like the small Sub below, which reports the former Value -
but also asks to override the Value with 2 after pressing 'Yes'.

Sub ReportFormerSettingAndTryToChange()
  If MsgBox("Former Setting was: " & VarConversionLocaleSetting & vbLf & "Do you want to override it with 2?", vbYesNo) = vbYes Then
    VarConversionLocaleSetting = 2
  End If
End Sub

Olaf

[Schmidt]

I've run the

MsgBox VarConversionLocaleSettingFlags

either on server the server thant returns 'Vero' and on the one that returns 'True' but in both the MsgBox value was '0'.

They seem to have the same locale settings flag...

Do you suggest me to try with setting the value equal to 2?

Yes, on your "Vero" machine I'd run a small, new-compiled VB6-Program (in Admin-Mode),
which only contains a *.bas-Module with the following code-content:

Option Explicit

Private Declare Function GetVarConversionLocaleSetting Lib "oleaut32" (dwFlags As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function SetVarConversionLocaleSetting Lib "oleaut32" (ByVal dwFlags As Long) As Long

Sub Main()
  ReportFormerSettingAndTryToChange
End Sub 

Sub ReportFormerSettingAndTryToChange()
  If MsgBox("Former Setting was: " & VarConversionLocaleSetting & vbLf & "Do you want to override it with 2?", vbYesNo) = vbYes Then
    VarConversionLocaleSetting = 2
  End If
End Sub

Public Property Get VarConversionLocaleSetting() As Long
Dim HResult As Long
  HResult = GetVarConversionLocaleSetting(VarConversionLocaleSetting)
  If HResult Then Err.Raise HResult
End Property

Public Property Let VarConversionLocaleSetting(ByVal dwFlags As Long)
Dim HResult As Long
  HResult = SetVarConversionLocaleSetting(dwFlags)
  If HResult Then Err.Raise HResult
End Property

Oh, and don't forget to reboot the machine after applying the '2'.

Olaf

[alex5r4]

Hello,
thanks, I wrote the code but its behaviour is this:
Former setting is 0, after overriding is 2. If I call again the method ReportFormerSettingAndTryToChange it shows correctly the value 2 the second time.
But, if I close the program and I start it again, the former setting is still 0. It seems the value is lost after closing the program, as it is saved in memory and not on registry.

Kind Regards

Yes, on your "Vero" machine I'd run a small, new-compiled VB6-Program (in Admin-Mode),
which only contains a *.bas-Module with the following code-content:

Option Explicit

Private Declare Function GetVarConversionLocaleSetting Lib "oleaut32" (dwFlags As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function SetVarConversionLocaleSetting Lib "oleaut32" (ByVal dwFlags As Long) As Long

Sub Main()
  ReportFormerSettingAndTryToChange
End Sub 

Sub ReportFormerSettingAndTryToChange()
  If MsgBox("Former Setting was: " & VarConversionLocaleSetting & vbLf & "Do you want to override it with 2?", vbYesNo) = vbYes Then
    VarConversionLocaleSetting = 2
  End If
End Sub

Public Property Get VarConversionLocaleSetting() As Long
Dim HResult As Long
  HResult = GetVarConversionLocaleSetting(VarConversionLocaleSetting)
  If HResult Then Err.Raise HResult
End Property

Public Property Let VarConversionLocaleSetting(ByVal dwFlags As Long)
Dim HResult As Long
  HResult = SetVarConversionLocaleSetting(dwFlags)
  If HResult Then Err.Raise HResult
End Property

Oh, and don't forget to reboot the machine after applying the '2'.

Olaf

[Schmidt]

But, if I close the program and I start it again, the former setting is still 0. It seems the value is lost after closing the program, as it is saved in memory and not on registry.

Did you try - as long as the process runs, and after setting to '2', what Value is reported for:
MsgBox CStr(True)

Aside from that test - did you run your small App as Administrator?
Maybe the Registry-Setting is not going through, when this is not the case...

Olaf

[alex5r4]

Yes, I tryed with "run as Administrator", before and after rebooting the system but nothing changed :-(
I've also changed all the regional settings in spanish and rebooted the system but the msgbox was still "True"
This is crazy...what causes this localization?

Did you try - as long as the process runs, and after setting to '2', what Value is reported for:
MsgBox CStr(True)

Aside from that test - did you run your small App as Administrator?
Maybe the Registry-Setting is not going through, when this is not the case...

Olaf

[Schmidt]

I'm out of ideas then - thought these APIs were worth a try - but apparently the cause is else-where.
(I'd guess the setup of a certain program has overwritten some library it shouldn't have on the machines
which now behave different - but I can only speculate - a concrete diff on the files in syswow64 -
(over version-numbers, file-length, install-date) would perhaps be interesting.

Good luck.

Olaf

[chrislong2]

Hi Alex,

You said the Regional settings are the same, but did you check the "Language for non-Unicode programs" on the Administrative tab of the Region window on 8.1 on the machine where you are getting "Vero"? If not, I'd suggest you do that. Good luck!

Chris

[alex5r4]

Hi Chris,
thanks but I've already checked that option and on both servers is "Italian" but in one I get "True" in other "Vero"...If only I could find what causes this crazy behaviour...I'll write to Microsoft...

Kind Regards,
Alex

Hi Alex,

You said the Regional settings are the same, but did you check the "Language for non-Unicode programs" on the Administrative tab of the Region window on 8.1 on the machine where you are getting "Vero"? If not, I'd suggest you do that. Good luck!

Chris

[chrislong2]

Another thought: MS made changes in the behavior in this area with msvbvm60.dll (the main VB6 runtime) circa SP3. So I would suggest you compare the versions of msvbvm60.dll on the servers. Generally speaking the OS protects the msvbvm60 dll from older versions, but this can be gotten around.

[alex5r4]

I finally solved the mistery!!!

The different behaviour event with same regional settings, operating system and msvbvm60.dll was due to the presence or absence of the VB6IT.dll.
No matter which language is set on regional settings, if you have VB6IT.dll, you will always get the True as "Vero"...

The VB6XX.Dll where XX is the country language code.

If this dll doesn't exist on the system the default is English.

You can refer to this thread: http://www.tek-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?qid=268853

Thanks everybody for your help.

Bye.

Another thought: MS made changes in the behavior in this area with msvbvm60.dll (the main VB6 runtime) circa SP3. So I would suggest you compare the versions of msvbvm60.dll on the servers. Generally speaking the OS protects the msvbvm60 dll from older versions, but this can be gotten around.

[dilettante]

Makes me wonder what this would show:

    Dim B As Boolean

    B = True
    MsgBox CStr(B) & vbNewLine & Format$(B)

I'm almost positive that Format$() always uses OleAut32.dll which will follow the locale settings.