[RESOLVED] Moving a custom VB6 program to a new PC - Install disk lost - TLB Register

[Myztek]

I AM FLYING BY THE SEAT OF MY PANTS!
First off, I am not a VB6 programmer. My past includes programming in languages such as Cobol, Fortran, Basic, Apple Basic, SQL, some HTML, etc. but I have been on the tech side of things for the last 10+ years with occasional troubleshooting in different languages as needed.

My problem: Installed a new hard drive for a client and performed a fresh XP Home install due to possible corruption in the old drive's XP registry. Client gave me a list of all the programs to move over and forgot about a database program used for their business that they had custom-made. They have no Install CD or disk and we can't locate the programmer. I do, however, have the old hard drive and the program still functions in XP. The only module of the program not working is "Reports". An uninstall log does exist - is it possible to create an INSTALL file this Uninstall file? Using what I know, I created a batch files that copies and registers the DLLs but don't know how to register the TLB & OLB files (STDOLE2.TLB, MSADO20.TLB, MSACC9.OLB).

What's happening with the "Reports" module:
Error message: Error opening file. File could not be opened: "Invoice Report", at file location: "Invoice Report"

I click OK and then, after I select the report parameters, I get Run-time error '20535': Unable to connect: incorrect session parameters.

Online I found regasm.exe but am not sure if I should use this and I found Run-time error 20535 but I am going in circles.

Additional info: The program was originally written in 1999-2000 and then updated in 2002 (for XP?) and programmer is not to be found.

ANY help is appreciated!

[Hack]

Welcome to the forums.

Do you have the source code?

Do you know what language it was written in?

Do you have access to a setup and deployment software package?

Have you tried registering those librarys with regsvr32?

[szlamany]

I did some googling for those files - there are MS KB sites with info on downloading them. Some appear to be part of MDAC - which you can get the MDACTYP.EXE download from MS to install...

[Hack]

I did some googling for those files - there are MS KB sites with info on downloading them. Some appear to be part of MDAC - which you can get the MDACTYP.EXE download from MS to install...

Right...I believe MS*.OLB files are MDAC related, and the STDOLE2 is a referenced type library, which I think should be able to get registered using regsvr32.

[Myztek]

Source code? No but I have posted the uninstall log below.

Language? I am making a somewhat educated guess that it was written in VB6 since it calls VB6STKIT.DLL and MSVBVM60.DLL.

Setup and deployment package? Would there be one with Borland C++ Suite(have the CDs but not the time to learn) or can I download one? I also believe have a Visual Basic cd somewhere but don't know the version.

Regsvr32? Yes I have tried and I have included the error message below.

C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\STDOLE2.TLB was loaded, but the DllRegisterServer entry point was not found.

C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\STDOLE2.TLB does not appear to be a .DLL or .OCX file.

[Myztek]

the uninstall log...part 1 of 2

ST6UNST.LOG

%% PLEASE DO NOT MODIFY OR DELETE THIS FILE! %%
%% This file contains information about the installation of an application. %%
%% It will be used to automatically remove all application components from your computer if you choose to do so. %%


NOTE: Beginning of the bootstrapper section

CONFIG: Title: "Cutter"

ACTION: RegKey: "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion", "SharedDLLs"

ACTION: SystemFile: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\VB6STKIT.DLL"
(File was not found or was an older version -- new file copied)

ACTION: SystemFile: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\OLEPRO32.DLL"
(File currently on disk was already up to date)

ACTION: SystemFile: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\COMCAT.DLL"
(File currently on disk was already up to date)

ACTION: SystemFile: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MSVCRT40.DLL"
(File was not found or was an older version -- new file copied)

ACTION: SystemFile: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\ASYCFILT.DLL"
(File currently on disk was already up to date)

ACTION: SystemFile: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\OLEAUT32.DLL"
(File currently on disk was already up to date)

ACTION: SystemFile: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\STDOLE2.TLB"
(File currently on disk was already up to date)

ACTION: SystemFile: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MSVBVM60.DLL"
(File was not found or was an older version -- new file copied)

ACTION: DllSelfRegister: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\OLEPRO32.DLL"

ACTION: DllSelfRegister: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\COMCAT.DLL"

ACTION: DllSelfRegister: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\OLEAUT32.DLL"

ACTION: TLBRegister: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\STDOLE2.TLB"

ACTION: DllSelfRegister: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MSVBVM60.DLL"

NOTE: End of the bootstrapper section

NOTE: Now spawning the main Setup program 'Setup1.exe'....

ACTION: CreateDir: "C:\Program Files\Cutter"

ACTION: CreateDir: "C:\WINDOWS\Start Menu\Programs\Cutter"

ACTION: PrivateFile: "C:\Program Files\Cutter\cutter.mdb"
(File was not found or was an older version -- new file copied)

ACTION: PrivateFile: "C:\Program Files\Cutter\InvoiceREport.rpt"
(File was not found or was an older version -- new file copied)

ACTION: SharedFile: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\craxdui.dll"
(File was not found or was an older version -- new file copied)

ACTION: SharedFile: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\p2smon.dll"
(File was not found or was an older version -- new file copied)

ACTION: SharedFile: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\SSCSDK32.DLL"
(File was not found or was an older version -- new file copied)

ACTION: SharedFile: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\crpaig32.dll"
(File was not found or was an older version -- new file copied)

ACTION: SharedFile: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\implode.dll"
(File was not found or was an older version -- new file copied)

ACTION: SharedFile: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\craxdrt.dll"
(File was not found or was an older version -- new file copied)

ACTION: SharedFile: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\cdo32.dll"
(File was not found or was an older version -- new file copied)

ACTION: SharedFile: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\u252000.dll"
(File was not found or was an older version -- new file copied)

ACTION: PrivateFile: "C:\Program Files\Cutter\u2lsamp1.dll"
(File was not found or was an older version -- new file copied)

ACTION: PrivateFile: "C:\Program Files\Cutter\u2ldts.dll"
(File was not found or was an older version -- new file copied)

ACTION: SharedFile: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\u2lcom.dll"
(File was not found or was an older version -- new file copied)

ACTION: PrivateFile: "C:\Program Files\Cutter\u2lbar.dll"
(File was not found or was an older version -- new file copied)

ACTION: SharedFile: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\u2l2000.dll"
(File was not found or was an older version -- new file copied)

ACTION: PrivateFile: "C:\Program Files\Cutter\u25total.dll"
(File was not found or was an older version -- new file copied)

ACTION: PrivateFile: "C:\Program Files\Cutter\u25store.dll"
(File was not found or was an older version -- new file copied)

ACTION: PrivateFile: "C:\Program Files\Cutter\u25dts.dll"
(File was not found or was an older version -- new file copied)

ACTION: SharedFile: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\u2fxls.dll"
(File was not found or was an older version -- new file copied)

ACTION: SharedFile: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\u2fwordw.dll"
(File was not found or was an older version -- new file copied)

ACTION: SharedFile: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\u2fwks.dll"
(File was not found or was an older version -- new file copied)

ACTION: SharedFile: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\u2ftext.dll"
(File was not found or was an older version -- new file copied)

ACTION: SharedFile: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\u2fsepv.dll"
(File was not found or was an older version -- new file copied)

ACTION: SharedFile: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\u2frtf.dll"
(File was not found or was an older version -- new file copied)

ACTION: SharedFile: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\u2frec.dll"
(File was not found or was an older version -- new file copied)

ACTION: SharedFile: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\u2fodbc.dll"
(File was not found or was an older version -- new file copied)

ACTION: SharedFile: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\u2fhtml.dll"
(File was not found or was an older version -- new file copied)

ACTION: SharedFile: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\u2fcr.dll"
(File was not found or was an older version -- new file copied)

ACTION: SharedFile: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\u2dapp.dll"
(File was not found or was an older version -- new file copied)

ACTION: SharedFile: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\u2dvim.dll"
(File was not found or was an older version -- new file copied)

[szlamany]

Ok - here's the actual link to the MS KB article on getting STDOLE2.TLB working...

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=197298

[Myztek]

Uninstall log - part 2 of 2


ACTION: SharedFile: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\u2dpost.dll"
(File was not found or was an older version -- new file copied)

ACTION: SharedFile: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\u2dnotes.dll"
(File was not found or was an older version -- new file copied)

ACTION: SharedFile: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\u2dmapi.dll"
(File was not found or was an older version -- new file copied)

ACTION: SharedFile: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\u2ddisk.dll"
(File was not found or was an older version -- new file copied)

ACTION: SharedFile: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\p2soledb.dll"
(File was not found or was an older version -- new file copied)

ACTION: SharedFile: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\p2ssyb10.dll"
(File was not found or was an older version -- new file copied)

ACTION: SharedFile: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\p2ssql.dll"
(File was not found or was an older version -- new file copied)

ACTION: SharedFile: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\p2sora7.dll"
(File was not found or was an older version -- new file copied)

ACTION: SharedFile: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\p2sodbc.dll"
(File was not found or was an older version -- new file copied)

ACTION: SharedFile: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\p2sifmx.dll"
(File was not found or was an older version -- new file copied)

ACTION: SharedFile: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\p2irdao.dll"
(File was not found or was an older version -- new file copied)

ACTION: SharedFile: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\p2ctdao.dll"
(File was not found or was an older version -- new file copied)

ACTION: SharedFile: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\p2bxbse.dll"
(File was not found or was an older version -- new file copied)

ACTION: SharedFile: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\p2bdao.dll"
(File was not found or was an older version -- new file copied)

ACTION: SharedFile: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\p2bbnd.dll"
(File was not found or was an older version -- new file copied)

ACTION: SharedFile: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\p2bbde.dll"
(File was not found or was an older version -- new file copied)

ACTION: SharedFile: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\crxlat32.dll"
(File was not found or was an older version -- new file copied)

ACTION: SharedFile: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MFC42.DLL"
(File was not found or was an older version -- new file copied)

ACTION: SharedFile: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MSVCRT.DLL"
(File was not found or was an older version -- new file copied)

ACTION: SharedFile: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\crpe32.dll"
(File was not found or was an older version -- new file copied)

ACTION: SharedFile: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\crystl32.ocx"
(File was not found or was an older version -- new file copied)

ACTION: SharedFile: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MSSTDFMT.DLL"
(File was not found or was an older version -- new file copied)

ACTION: SharedFile: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MSADODC.OCX"
(File was not found or was an older version -- new file copied)

ACTION: SharedFile: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MSCOMM32.OCX"
(File was not found or was an older version -- new file copied)

ACTION: SharedFile: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\Comdlg32.ocx"
(File was not found or was an older version -- new file copied)

ACTION: SharedFile: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\TABCTL32.OCX"
(File was not found or was an older version -- new file copied)

ACTION: SharedFile: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MSMASK32.OCX"
(File was not found or was an older version -- new file copied)

ACTION: SystemFile: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MFC40.DLL"
(File currently on disk was already up to date)

ACTION: SharedFile: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\Threed32.OCX"
(File was not found or was an older version -- new file copied)

ACTION: SharedFile: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MSCOMCTL.OCX"
(File was not found or was an older version -- new file copied)

ACTION: SharedFile: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\COMCT332.OCX"
(File was not found or was an older version -- new file copied)

ACTION: SharedFile: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MSCOMCT2.OCX"
(File was not found or was an older version -- new file copied)

ACTION: SharedFile: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\Msflxgrd.ocx"
(File was not found or was an older version -- new file copied)

ACTION: SharedFile: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MSACC9.OLB"
(File was not found or was an older version -- new file copied)

ACTION: SharedFile: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MSJTES40.DLL"
(File was not found or was an older version -- new file copied)

ACTION: SharedFile: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\DAO360.DLL"
(File was not found or was an older version -- new file copied)

ACTION: SharedFile: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MSADO20.TLB"
(File was not found or was an older version -- new file copied)

ACTION: PrivateFile: "C:\Program Files\Cutter\Cutter.exe"
(File was not found or was an older version -- new file copied)

ACTION: DllSelfRegister: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\craxdui.dll"

ACTION: DllSelfRegister: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\craxdrt.dll"

ACTION: DllSelfRegister: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\cdo32.dll"

ACTION: DllSelfRegister: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MFC42.DLL"

ACTION: DllSelfRegister: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\crystl32.ocx"

ACTION: DllSelfRegister: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MSSTDFMT.DLL"

ACTION: DllSelfRegister: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MSADODC.OCX"

ACTION: DllSelfRegister: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MSCOMM32.OCX"

ACTION: DllSelfRegister: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\Comdlg32.ocx"

ACTION: DllSelfRegister: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\TABCTL32.OCX"

ACTION: DllSelfRegister: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MSMASK32.OCX"

ACTION: DllSelfRegister: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MFC40.DLL"

ACTION: DllSelfRegister: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\Threed32.OCX"

ACTION: DllSelfRegister: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MSCOMCTL.OCX"

ACTION: DllSelfRegister: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\COMCT332.OCX"

ACTION: DllSelfRegister: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MSCOMCT2.OCX"

ACTION: DllSelfRegister: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\Msflxgrd.ocx"

ACTION: DllSelfRegister: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MSJTES40.DLL"

ACTION: DllSelfRegister: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\DAO360.DLL"

ACTION: TLBRegister: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MSADO20.TLB"

ACTION: ShellLink: "Cutter", "Cutter"

ACTION: RegKey: "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion", "App Paths\Cutter.exe"

ACTION: RegValue: "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\Cutter.exe", ""

[szlamany]

Ok - here's the actual link to the MS KB article on getting STDOLE2.TLB working...

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=197298

Don't miss this post - it might help you out..

[Hack]

The uninstall log isn't going to get those libraries installed and registered.

You need to create a setup and deployement package for those libraries. This deployment package will create a Setup.exe file which can be run from the users PC. I would suggest using Inno http://www.jrsoftware.org/isinfo.php

It is unfortunate that you don't have the source code.

[Myztek]

I visited the link below and it seems to fit - then I clicked to download and it says it for Windows98. Think it will work with XP?

I did some googling for those files - there are MS KB sites with info on downloading them. Some appear to be part of MDAC - which you can get the MDACTYP.EXE download from MS to install...

[Myztek]

Quoted the wrong post, the link is below.

Ok - here's the actual link to the MS KB article on getting STDOLE2.TLB working...

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=197298

[dglienna]

You also might need the registry entries from the old drive. Are they both Win XP? Did the old machine have SP2 installed? Maybe you could ghost the old drive and put it on a partition in the new drive?

[Myztek]

I went ahead and downloaded the fix even though it said Windows98 and applied. The TLD files now register with no error but I still have the same problem running reports. Before I posted, I did export all of the Crystal Reports registry entries I could find and two for the Cutter program and merged them into the registry.

Re: Inno Setup - I forgot that I downloaded this the other day planning to compile the batch file I wrote.

I found a post earlier but don't know how I can change the file name to include the full location. Is it possible to uncompile a VB6 program? I have always had to go back to the source code to modify and then recompile!

http://support.businessobjects.com/l...s/c2008262.asp

Perhaps if I make path statements for the report files in the XP registry...

Ok - here's the actual link to the MS KB article on getting STDOLE2.TLB working...

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=197298

[Hack]

Is it possible to uncompile a VB6 program? I have always had to go back to the source code to modify and then recompile!

No, it isn't possible to decompile any exe to anything useful.

How is this coming?

[Joacim Andersson]

You can use regtlib.exe to register a type library like stdole2.tlb, however I doubt very much that that is the problem you'll have with running a report, since the stdole2.tlb is one of the run-time files VB need to run correctly in the first place. However you might want to use regtlib.exe to make sure that MSADO20.TLB and MSACC9.OLB are registered correctly.

BTW, you should never use the wrong version of stdole2.tlb since that differs from Windows version to Windows version. The Package & Deployment Wizard that is used to create that uninstall log you posted (and therefor must be what was used to setup the application) uses a version independed version of this file and only installs it if a version dependent file doesn't already exist.

[birthjay]

I seem to remember a few years back that there was some software that claimed to "go in" and grab all the files needed to recreate your install. This software bascially was for people that lost their CD's.

[Myztek]

Path didn't work, the stdole2.tlb fix work as it included regtlib which I used to register the tlb files. It appears that the program needs to have the full path reference to the reports files for it to work but it was working before however the program pre-existed certain service packs, etc.

Possibly my 2 options?
GHOST with a dual boot second partition or keep the original drive in. I would prefer to have an installable backup though as this drive is whining.

DECOMPILE - Just found out there were such programs thanks to birthjay's post. Has anyone had ANY success with this and can you recommend a decompiler with free trial? Hack's earlier post wasn't promising but I am willing to try it.

[Myztek]

I just found a discussion from 2003 that suggested using a hex editor like Hackman to modify the program. Any comments?

[Hack]

Path didn't work, the stdole2.tlb fix work as it included regtlib which I used to register the tlb files. It appears that the program needs to have the full path reference to the reports files for it to work but it was working before however the program pre-existed certain service packs, etc.

Possibly my 2 options?
GHOST with a dual boot second partition or keep the original drive in. I would prefer to have an installable backup though as this drive is whining.

DECOMPILE - Just found out there were such programs thanks to birthjay's post. Has anyone had ANY success with this and can you recommend a decompiler with free trial? Hack's earlier post wasn't promising but I am willing to try it.

There are decompilers out there so sure. However, the end result it not anything that you would find useful.

I just found a discussion from 2003 that suggested using a hex editor like Hackman to modify the program. Any comments?

So, you wind up with a bunch of hex code. I'm not sure what that is going to get you.

[Myztek]

PROBLEM SOLVED!

1st ISSUE
Couldn't load TLB files from batch
Issue about registering TLB files was resolved by downloading SPEU.exe from http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=197298 Thank you szlamany!

I just used REGTLIB instead of REGSVR32 to register the TLB files. This alone would have resolved the issue on my clients PC!


2nd ISSUE
Error message: Error opening file. File could not be opened: "Invoice Report", at file location: "Invoice Report"

Run-time error '20535': Unable to connect: incorrect session parameters

I was testing all this on my PC. I discovered through using a free HEX editor (1Fh) that the .mdb file was hardcoded with the location of MS ACCESS. My client's PC has Office 2000 (ie C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\) and mine has Office 2003 (ie C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office11\). This situation would have also occurred if my client's PC had been upgraded to Office 2003 or other versions if the directory structure differs from the coded structure.

THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR YOUR HELP!

[birthjay]

So....how does this fix the problem of having an install disk?

[Hack]

Congratulations on your victory over the missing install disk!

If this is resolved, please pull down the Thread Tools menu and click the Mark Thread Resolved button. That will let everyone know that you have your answer.

Thank you.

[Myztek]

My main problem was getting the program successfully installed on the new XP installation. I wrote a batch file that mimicked the uninstall log (posted earlier) using copy, md, regsvr32, and regtlib commands. Now that the batch file has successfully installed the program. I can just stick with the batch file for future installations or, as Hack suggested, use a setup program like INNO Setup to make it more professional looking.

So....how does this fix the problem of having an install disk?

[szlamany]

PROBLEM SOLVED!

1st ISSUE
Couldn't load TLB files from batch
Issue about registering TLB files was resolved by downloading SPEU.exe from http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=197298 Thank you szlamany!

You are very welcome!

I find that MSDN (or GOOGLE to get to MSDN) searches are great for these types of issues. Usually you are not the first person to get error "xyz" and having a KB article - officially endorsed by MS - always makes me feel warm inside!