SSEXP Stops Responding with Invalid Page Fault During Checkin (237357)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Visual SourceSafe for Windows 6.0
This article was previously published under Q237357

SYMPTOMS

When checking in a document to a Microsoft Visual SourceSafe (VSS) database while using Keyword Expansion, an Invalid Page Fault occurs.

CAUSE

Keyword Expansion uses a maximum buffer size of 132 characters. When this maximum buffer size is exceeded, notably between 160 and 170 characters, SSEXP stops responding, resulting in an Invalid Page Fault.

This behavior has been reproduced during checkin using the $Archive, $Log, and $Logfile keywords. When any of these keywords expand with a project path (including backslashes) that exceeds the maximum buffer size, the buffer overflows, eventually overwriting protected memory and causing an Invalid Page Fault in SSEXP.

It is also possible that this behavior might occur in any Keyword that requested a project path exceeding the maximum buffer size.

RESOLUTION

A supported fix is now available from Microsoft, but it is only intended to correct the problem that is described in this article. Apply it only to computers that are experiencing this specific problem. This fix may receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, Microsoft recommends that you wait for the next that contains this hotfix.

To resolve this problem immediately, contact Microsoft Product Support Services to obtain the fix. For a complete list of Microsoft Product Support Services phone numbers and information about support costs, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;EN-US;CNTACTMS

NOTE: In special cases, charges that are ordinarily incurred for support calls may be canceled if a Microsoft Support Professional determines that a specific update will resolve your problem. The typical support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for the specific update in question.

The English version of this fix must have the following file attributes or later: 
   Date         Time   Version             Size   File name
   --------------------------------------------------------------
   23-Apr-2002  09:12  06.00.9569        199,952  ANALYZE.EXE      
   23-Apr-2002  09:12                    295,696  DDCONV.EXE       
   23-Apr-2002  09:12                    420,624  DDUPD.EXE        
   23-Apr-2002  09:12                    224,969  DELTA_SS.EXE     
   23-Apr-2002  09:12                    111,888  MKSS.EXE         
   23-Apr-2002  09:12                    231,143  PVCS_SS.EXE      
   23-Apr-2002  09:12                     38,790  READMESS.HTM
   23-Apr-2002  09:12                    397,584  SS.EXE           
   23-Apr-2002  09:12  06.00.9569         12,048  SSADMIN.EXE      
   23-Apr-2002  09:12  06.00.9569        562,448  SSAPI.DLL        
   23-Apr-2002  09:12  06.00.9569        499,472  SSARC.EXE        
   23-Apr-2002  09:12  06.00.9569        480,528  SSDE.DLL         
   23-Apr-2002  09:12  06.00.9569        522,512  SSES.DLL         
   23-Apr-2002  09:12  06.00.9569         16,656  SSEXP.EXE        
   23-Apr-2002  09:12  06.00.9569        522,512  SSFR.DLL         
   23-Apr-2002  09:12  06.00.9569      1,132,304  SSGUI.DLL        
   23-Apr-2002  09:12  06.00.9569        140,800  SSINT.EXE        
   23-Apr-2002  09:12  06.00.9569        515,856  SSIT.DLL         
   23-Apr-2002  09:12  06.00.9569        480,528  SSJP.DLL         
   23-Apr-2002  09:12                    152,336  SSLOGIN.EXE      
   23-Apr-2002  09:12  06.00.9569        497,424  SSRESTOR.EXE     
   23-Apr-2002  09:12  06.00.9569      1,412,368  SSSCC.DLL        
   23-Apr-2002  09:10  06.00.9569        480,528  SSUS.DLL         
   23-Apr-2002  09:10                    101,136  TESTLOCK.EXE     
   23-Apr-2002  09:10                    144,144  UNLOCK.EXE       
   23-Apr-2002  09:10                    121,104  UPDINI.EXE

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article.

MORE INFORMATION

Steps to reproduce:
  1. Create enough projects, subprojects, and text files in the Visual SourceSafe tree so that a project path size of greater than 170 characters including backslashes.
  2. Check the file out through the Visual SourceSafe explorer.
  3. Edit the file, adding one of the keywords mentioned in the "Cause" section. Keyword Expansion must be turned on for this to work properly.
  4. Check the file in.

REFERENCES

Microsoft Online Help provided with Visual SourceSafe 6

Microsoft Visual SourceSafe 5 Users Guide, pages 89 - 94

Microsoft Knowledge Base article:

141504 HOWTO: Make SourceSafe Keyword Expansion Work in Text Docs

Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:10/7/2005
Keywords:kbHotfixServer kbQFE kbBug kbfix kbQFE kbSSExplorer KB237357
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