IBM Support

Various errors (example 'ActiveX component can't create object' / 'Cannot create ActiveX component') caused by "FrangoVFP.dll" not registering correctly during the installation procedure

Troubleshooting


Problem

Controller has recently been installed/upgraded. During the testing, users find many issues when using different parts of the Controller system.
  
  • Example #1 - User runs a 'consolidation with status', but receives an error
  • Example #2 - User clicks on 'Maintain - Special Utilities - Verify Structures'.
    • User selects 'Check Rules for Automatic Journals'
    • User clicks on 'preview'. User receives error message.
  • Example #3 - User runs 'Reconcile - Intercompany balances', but receives an error.

Symptom

Example #1
Information
Standard Error
Number: 5
Source: ControllerProxyClient
Description: System.Web.Services.Protocols.SoapException: Server was unable to process request. ---> System.Runtime.InteropServices.COMException
(0x800A01AD): ActiveX component can't create object (Error occurred within method=RunConsol in the module with progid=FrMiscBT.ConsBusinessT)
at FrBatchBT.clsBatchTClass.Batch(String sGuid, .....
  
Example #2
IBM Cognos 8 Controller
Unhandled exception has occurred in a component in your
application. If you click Continue, the application will ignore this error
and attempt to continue.
 
Argument 'Number' is not a valid value.
Details Continue
 
See the end of this message for details on invoking
just-in-time (JIT) debugging instead of this dialog box.

************** Exception Text **************
System.ArgumentException: Argument 'Number' is not a valid value.
at .....
 
Example#3
 
When running Reconcile - Intercompany balances
Cannot create ActiveX component
  • Or (later versions of Controller):  Cannot create ActiveX component

Cause

There are several possible causes for similar symptoms.
  • TIP: For more examples, see separate IBM Technote #1459682.

This Technote specifically relates the scenario where the cause is that the COM+ component 'FrangoVFP.dll' (VFPCOM.COMUTIL) is not working correctly. Since this one component is used for many different functions/processes inside Controller, this will cause many different issues.
  • TIP: For more information, see separate IBM Technote #1459580.
 
There are several reasons why that COM+ component ('FrangoVFP.dll') is failing.
  • Typically the reason is a defect (reference APAR PH24802) in Controller 10.4.2 (and earlier versions) which causes the component not to be correctly installed on a brand-new application server.

Diagnosing The Problem

One of the side effects of this problem is that it will cause the Frangovfp.cglobvar and Frangovfp.main objects to not be registered correctly. As a consequence, you may get the following error when you open/expand the COM+ application (located inside 'Administrative Tools - Component Services' on the application server) called "IBMCOGNOSCONTROLLER" (which is called "COGNOSCONTROLLER" for older versions of Controller):
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Errors Occurred
Some object properties could not be read due to the following errors:
Name Reason
Frangovfp.cglobvar Object was not found in registry
Frangovfp.main Object was not found in registry
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
   
After clicking OK:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Explanation
You may need to reinstall this component to restore the required registry settings.
OK
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Resolving The Problem

Perform the following actions:
  • Ensure that msvcr71.dll is registered in Windows
  • Ensure that the VFP dll files are registered
  • Manually register frangovfp.dll

Steps:
1. Log on to the Controller application server as an administrator.
2. Browse to your server folder
  • TIP: By default, this is here: C:\Program Files\ibm\cognos\ccr_64\server

3. Copy the file 'msvcr71.dll' and paste it into this folder: c:\windows\SysWOW64

4. Right-click on 'Start' and choose 'Command Prompt (admin)':

5. Type the following commands:
 
cd c:\windows\SysWOW64\server <Enter>
regsvr32 vfp9r.dll
regsvr32 vfp9t.dll
regsvr32 vfpcom.dll

exit
  
6. Click 'Start - Programs - Administrative Tools - Component Services'
7. Expand 'Computers - My Computer - COM+ Applications - IBM Cognos Controller Consolidation - Components'
TIP: If an error appears:
  • acknowledge the error
  • locate and highlight (select) the following 2 components: 'frangovfp.cglobvar' and 'frangovfp.main'
  • Right-click on these 2 components, and choose 'delete'
  
8. Highlight the subfolder 'components'.


9. Click on 'Action - New', and follow the wizard to 'Install New Components'.
10. Browse to the location of 'frangovfp.dll' to add it.
  • TIP: By default, this is located here:    C:\Program Files\ibm\cognos\ccr_64\server\frangovfp.dll

[{"Business Unit":{"code":"BU059","label":"IBM Software w\/o TPS"},"Product":{"code":"SS9S6B","label":"IBM Cognos Controller"},"ARM Category":[{"code":"a8m0z000000GmwiAAC","label":"Consolidation"}],"ARM Case Number":"TS003903239","Platform":[{"code":"PF033","label":"Windows"}],"Version":"All Version(s)","Line of Business":{"code":"LOB10","label":"Data and AI"}}]

Historical Number

1037175

Document Information

Modified date:
06 July 2020

UID

swg21347488