MS-WORD AUTOMATION ERROR : "The message filter indicated that the application is busy."

Question

Hi,

I am getting this error while creating word application instance from vb.net/c# for web applications.

Dcomcnfg is configured as per microsoft instructions for the same for the permissions.

But still I am getting error:

 {"The message filter indicated that the application is busy." }

If any one can provide the resolution for the same that will be a great help.

Thanks and Regards,

Ashish

Complete Exception detail as below:

- exc {"The message filter indicated that the application is busy." } System.Exception
+ [System.Runtime.InteropServices.COMException] {System.Runtime.InteropServices.COMException} System.Runtime.InteropServices.COMException
 System.Object {System.Runtime.InteropServices.COMException} System.Object
 _className null string
 _COMPlusExceptionCode -532459699 int
 _exceptionMethod <undefined value> System.Reflection.MethodBase
 _exceptionMethodString null string
 _helpURL null string
 _HResult -2147417846 int
 _innerException { } System.Exception
 _message "The message filter indicated that the application is busy." string
 _remoteStackIndex 0 int
 _remoteStackTraceString null string
 _source null string
+ _stackTrace {System.Array} System.Object
 _stackTraceString null string
 _xcode -532459699 int
 _xptrs 0 int
 HelpLink null string
 HResult -2147417846 int
 InnerException { } System.Exception
 Message "The message filter indicated that the application is busy." string
 Source "WordApplication" string
 StackTrace "   at WordApplication.CCWordApp..ctor() in d:\\wordapplication\\ccwordapp.cs:line 21\r\n   at WordApplication.CreateNewDoc.Button2_Click(Object sender, EventArgs e) in d:\\wordapplication\\createnewdoc.aspx.cs:line 71" string
+ TargetSite {System.Reflection.RuntimeConstructorInfo} System.Reflection.MethodBase

Answer 1

This forum is targeted to questions concerning the VSTO technology. You apparently aren't using VSTO, but it's not clear what you are trying to do, making it difficult to point you to a an appropriate place to present your problem. Perhaps the answer in this thread applies?

http://forums.microsoft.com/MSDN/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=714050&SiteID=1

Answer 2

Does your Word app display a message box? Word will not accept external communication when it is showing a modal dialog.

Answer 3

no. I am calling a method from asp.net page and my service layer is serving for that to generate a word document on the fly at the server.

For that I configured "Dcom" on the server.

and getting this error while trying to add some template file to the wordApp.Document object using

WordApp.Document.Add(template)

Some time it throws the error at line

docs.Unprotect("password")

Pls send me you inputs

 

Public Class WordDoc

    Dim WordApp As word.ApplicationClass

    Private Function InitializeWord() As Boolean
        ' This function is used to initialize the global Application and
        ' NameSpace variables.

        'On Error GoTo Init_Err

        Try
            WordApp = New word.ApplicationClass        ' Application object.
            InitializeWord = True
        Catch ex As Exception
            'System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal.ReleaseComObject(WordApp)
            InitializeWord = False
            Throw New Exception(ex.Message, ex.InnerException)
        End Try

        'Init_End:
        '       Exit Function
        'Init_Err:
        'InitializeWord = False
        'Resume Init_End
    End Function

    Public Function Create_Doc_From_Template(ByVal template As String) As word.Document
        Try
            Create_Doc_From_Template = WordApp.Documents.Add(template)
        Catch e As Exception
            Dim err As DataLayer.ErrLog = New DataLayer.ErrLog("Greensheet.BusinessLayer.WordDoc")
            err.log("Greensheet.BusinessLayer.WordDoc", e.Message & " : " & template)
            GC.Collect()
        End Try
    End Function

    Public Function Create_888Conf(ByVal strPath As String, ByVal strFileName As String, ByVal strConfNo As String, _
            ByVal strTo As String, ByVal strCom As String, ByVal strGuestName As String, ByVal strLoc As String, ByVal strMIDate As String, _
            ByVal strITVDate As String, ByVal strRate As String, ByVal strDay As String, ByVal strRef As String, _
            ByVal strUserName As String, ByVal strUserEmail As String, ByVal strAddress As String, _
            ByVal strPhone As String, ByVal nAptSize As Integer, ByVal nCC As Integer, ByVal strOtherSize As String, _
            ByVal strOtherPay As String, ByVal nDay As Integer, ByVal strComment As String) As Boolean
        If WordApp Is Nothing Then
            InitializeWord()
        End If
        Dim oDoc As word.Document
        Dim oFF As word.FormFields
        Try
            oDoc = Create_Doc_From_Template(ConfigurationSettings.AppSettings.Get("888ConfTemplate"))
            oDoc.Unprotect("red")
            oFF = oDoc.FormFields
            Dim temp As word.Range
            temp = oFF.Item("Text14").Range
            temp.InsertBefore(strConfNo)
            oFF.Item("Text14").Delete()

            oFF.Item("Text2").Range.Text = strTo
            oFF.Item("Company").Range.Text = strCom
            oFF.Item("Comment").Range.Text = strComment
            oFF.Item("Text3").Range.Text = strGuestName
            oFF.Item("Text4").Range.Text = strLoc
            '/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
            '/ Fix for bug no 282
            '/ Date Changed 2006-03-14
            Dim sOutput As String
            sOutput = ""
            If Not strMIDate Is Nothing Then
                If strMIDate.Trim().Length() > 0 Then
                    sOutput = Format(CType(strMIDate, Date), "MMMM dd,yyyy")
                End If
            End If
            oFF.Item("Text5").Range.Text = sOutput

            sOutput = ""
            If Not strITVDate Is Nothing Then
                If strITVDate.Trim().Length() > 0 Then
                    sOutput = Format(CType(strITVDate, Date), "MMMM dd,yyyy")
                End If
            End If

            oFF.Item("Text6").Range.Text = sOutput
            sOutput = Nothing
            'Orginal code
            'oFF.Item("Text5").Range.Text = strMIDate
            'oFF.Item("Text6").Range.Text = strITVDate
            '/End of change
            '/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
            oFF.Item("Text18").Range.Text = strRate

            'oFF.Item("Text12").Range.Text = strDay ' remove from doc
            oFF.Item("Text13").Range.Text = strRef
            oFF.Item("Text8").Range.Text = strUserName
            oFF.Item("Text15").Range.Text = strUserEmail
            oFF.Item("Text11").Range.Text = strAddress
            oFF.Item("Text9").Range.Text = strPhone.Substring(0, 3)
            oFF.Item("Text10").Range.Text = strPhone.Substring(4, 3)
            oFF.Item("Text17").Range.Text = strPhone.Substring(8, 4)

            oFF.Item("check6").CheckBox.Value = (nCC = 1)
            oFF.Item("check7").CheckBox.Value = (nCC = 2)
            oFF.Item("check8").CheckBox.Value = (nCC = 3)
            oFF.Item("check9").CheckBox.Value = (nCC = 0)
            oFF.Item("check10").CheckBox.Value = (nCC = 4)
            oFF.Item("check6").Enabled = False
            oFF.Item("check7").Enabled = False
            oFF.Item("check8").Enabled = False
            oFF.Item("check9").Enabled = False
            oFF.Item("check10").Enabled = False
            oFF.Item("Text19").Range.Text = strOtherPay

            oFF.Item("check1").CheckBox.Value = (nAptSize = 0)
            oFF.Item("check2").CheckBox.Value = (nAptSize = 1)
            oFF.Item("check3").CheckBox.Value = (nAptSize = 2)
            oFF.Item("check4").CheckBox.Value = (nAptSize = 3)
            oFF.Item("check5").CheckBox.Value = (nAptSize = 4)
            oFF.Item("Text16").Range.Text = strOtherSize
            oFF.Item("check1").Enabled = False
            oFF.Item("check2").Enabled = False
            oFF.Item("check3").Enabled = False
            oFF.Item("check4").Enabled = False
            oFF.Item("check5").Enabled = False

            If nDay = 0 Then
                oFF.Item("Dropdown1").Result = "Daily"
            Else : oFF.Item("Dropdown1").Result = "Nightly"
            End If
            oFF.Item("Dropdown1").Enabled = False

            oDoc.Protect(word.WdProtectionType.wdAllowOnlyFormFields, True, "red")
            oDoc.SaveAs(strPath & strFileName)
            oDoc.Close(False)
            oDoc = Nothing
            WordApp.Documents.Close()
            Create_888Conf = True
        Catch e As Exception
            Dim err As DataLayer.ErrLog = New DataLayer.ErrLog("Greensheet.BusinessLayer.WordDoc")
            err.log("Greensheet.BusinessLayer.WordDoc.Create_888Conf", e.Message & " path: " & strPath)
            GC.Collect()
            Create_888Conf = False
            'Finally
            '    If WordApp.Documents.Count > 0 Then
            '        WordApp.Documents.Close(False)
            '    End If
            '    WordApp.Quit()
            '    WordApp = Nothing
            'End Try
        Finally
            If WordApp.Documents.Count > 0 Then
                WordApp.Documents.Close(False)
            End If
            WordApp.Quit()
            System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal.ReleaseComObject(WordApp)
            WordApp = Nothing
            System.GC.Collect()
        End Try
    End Function

End Class

Answer 4

pls refer to source code posted today.

Answer 5

Hi arai03

Are you familiar with this article

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/257757/en-us

Please note that this forum is for questions concerning VSTO technolgy. Since you're trying to automate an Office application, you should pursue this topic in the office.developer.automation newsgroup, where you may find others who've worked through the same issues.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/newsgroups/default.aspx?dg=microsoft.public.office.developer.automation&lang=en&cr=US

Answer 6

Hi,

At issue is the fact that the Word objects you are calling into do not support multiple threading.  Since they are exposed to arbitrary clients via COM, the possibility exists that multiple threads could attempt to simultaneously execute code within the object.  To prevent this from happening, will serialize all incoming calls by queuing them up and only allowing one call at a time to execute.  This is done by packaging up the details of each call and posting a message to Word.  When Word processes, the message, the call will execute on Word's own main thread.  The problem with this approach is that if Word is busy doing something else when the call comes in, the caller will have to wait.  In addition, Word might not be in a state where it is willing to service automation calls.  To avoid the possibility of deadlocks, COM introduced the IMessageFilter interface.  Through this interface the server has the opportunity to explicitly reject calls (and COM may also reject calls implicitly).  When this happens, the client's IMessageFilter::RetryRejectedCall will be called and the client will have the opportunity to decide what to do.  Options include continuing to wait, cancelling the call, or displaying the OLEUIBUSY dialog (which gives the user the opportunity to switch to the server--where they may be able take some action to "unbusy" the server). 

If you don't register a MessageFilter yourself (by calling CoRegisterMessageFilter), you will get default behavior which will be to fail the call if it gets rejected.  .Net converts the failure HRESULT to an exception.  To deal with the possibility of the server being busy when you try to call, you need to implement IMessageFilter::RetryRejectedCall in your client code and also register the message filter.  In most cases, you will just need to wait for a few seconds and then retry the call--generally that will be sufficient time to enable Word to finish whatever it is doing so it can handle your call.  However, if the instance of Word that you are controlling could possibly visible, you might want to add additional logic to display the OLEUIBUSY dialog after some amount of time has passed to notify the user that you are waiting on Word to do something and give them the opportunity to help the process.  For example, as Misha mentions, Word will reject all incoming calls if a modal dialog box is up.  Therefore, in that situation, you would be blocked indefinitely until the dialog is dismissed.

Hopefully this makes sense.  As Cindy says, this really wasn't the right place to post this question, but I wanted to answer it because quite a few VSTO folks encounter this issue as well.

Sincerely,

Geoff Darst

Microsoft VSTO Team

Answer 7

Hi Geoff,

Thanks for your support. I think this makes sense.

Thanks once again.

Sincerely,

Ashish