W.,
This reply is to the actual reconnection issue.

I was not able to reproduce it so far.

Here is what I do:
- I have TOP Server V5.5.98.0 with simple config
- I use QuickOPC-COM 5.02.455.1
- I use simple VBScript to subscribe to an item that is changing for 5 minutes and dump the notifications (using C++ should not make difference in this respect)
- I start the script and observe it as it writes out the changes
- I use the “Stop Runtime Service” command after right-clicking on the TOP Server icon (is this what I am supposed to do?)
- It shows a message asking me whether I want to cause the disconnection of OPC client, I say Yes
- The sample script receives and writes out a notification about the error
- Nothing happens for 60 seconds
- The changes will then start coming in to the script and are written out again.

I am not fully sure that what I am doing does match what the customer has described. Can you please confirm, or tell me what should be different.

Answers to your earlier questions:

Is this a problem in the DataCOM or a problem in how the customer is writing his code?
If it is the customers problem what should he do to release the Server connection and reconnect?

>>>>> The customer’s code should not attempt to do any reconnection. This is the component’s task.

My thought was to set the EasyDAClient object to NULL or Nothing and then recreate the object.

>>>>> No. Trying to do it in the code will not work. It is handled automatically inside the component.

Zbynek Zahradnik

From: W.
Sent: Thursday, July 14, 2011 7:56 PM
To: Zbynek Zahradnik
Subject: RE: DataCOM and Reconnecting

Hello Zbynek,

The customer is using MFC in VS 2008.

W.

From: W.
Sent: Thursday, July 14, 2011 5:23 PM
To: Zbynek Zahradnik
Subject: RE: DataCOM and Reconnecting

Hello Zbynek,

Thank you for this information. This was my first thought after I emailed you yesterday. I did make that change yesterday before he left for the evening. Hopefully this has resolved the initial problem.

The customer is using Unmanaged C++. I will try and find out which version it is.

Thanks,

W.

W.,
I will answer this email first, as it does not initially require lengthy investigation.

Please ask the customer which boxes he has checked in the EasyOPC-DA Options utility under System Parameters -> COM Registration: In-process server, Local server, or both?

picture.png

…. and then instruct him to uncheck In-process server and only leave Local server, as on the picture above.

If he is already using Local server, or he switches to Local server and still gets crashes, the bug is in his application. We need to rule this out first.

Curious: Can you please also figure out which programming language is he using.

Best regards,

From: W.
Sent: Thursday, July 14, 2011 3:22 PM
To: ...
Subject: RE: DataCOM and Reconnecting

Hello Zbynek,

This customer continues to have problems almost every night. Last night he received a Crash of his application. When he dismissed the pop-up message (not included from the customer). The following was logged in the event log.

---

Event Type: Error
Event Source: Application Error
Event Category: None
Event ID: 1000
Date: 7/14/2011
Time: 8:14:35 AM
User: N/A
Computer: [...]
Description:
Faulting application circulation.exe, version 1.4.0.23, faulting module
msvcr90.dll, version 9.0.30729.4148, fault address 0x0005bea4.

For more information, see Help and Support Center at
go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.
Data:
0000: 41 70 70 6c 69 63 61 74 Applicat
0008: 69 6f 6e 20 46 61 69 6c ion Fail
0010: 75 72 65 20 20 63 69 72 ure cir
0018: 63 75 6c 61 74 69 6f 6e culation
0020: 2e 65 78 65 20 31 2e 34 .exe 1.4
0028: 2e 30 2e 32 33 20 69 6e .0.23 in
0030: 20 6d 73 76 63 72 39 30 msvcr90
0038: 2e 64 6c 6c 20 39 2e 30 .dll 9.0
0040: 2e 33 30 37 32 39 2e 34 .30729.4
0048: 31 34 38 20 61 74 20 6f 148 at o
0050: 66 66 73 65 74 20 30 30 ffset 00
0058: 30 35 62 65 61 34 0d 0a 05bea4..

---

I do not know if this helps at all. The customer is frusterated with the stability of his application. I cannot be sure it is not his code but wanted to check with you to see if you have seen similar errors/behavior. Please let me know what other information you may need from me to help the customer.

Thanks,

W.

From: W.
Sent: Wednesday, July 13, 2011 5:27 PM
To: ...
Subject: RE: DataCOM and Reconnecting

Hello Zbynek,

I have more information on this. The customer said the TOP Server never actually shut down. The Quick Client was still connected, which does not auto re-connect. This tells me that the TOP Server did not shutdown. Is there any way the DataCOM could see a shutdown that did not get sent?

Thanks,

W.

From: W.
Sent: Wednesday, July 13, 2011 5:06 PM
To: ...
Subject: DataCOM and Reconnecting

[...],

I have a question about DataCOM and reconnecting to the [Software Toolbox] TOP Server after it shutdowns. The TOP Server sends a Shutdown message to the DataCOM. The customer says that the DataCOM is no longer able to reconnect to the TOP Server. It continues to log error messages that says the TOP Server is sending shutdown messages, although it is not.

Is this a problem in the DataCOM or a problem in how the customer is writing his code?
If it is the customers problem what should he do to release the Server connection and reconnect?

My thought was to set the EasyDAClient object to NULL or Nothing and then recreate the object.

Your input is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

W.