How to investigate Activation Context generation failed error

Question

How to investigate Activation Context generation failed error

Bogdan Vasilescu 41

Hello,

I am trying to configure an application to consume COM using private assemblies. It worked ok until I added the second dependency. Now I get error: "The application has failed to start because its side-by-side configuration is incorrect" when I try to execute it and sxstrace shows only one cryptic error: "Activation Context generation failed".

The app manifest is:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?>
<assembly xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v1" manifestVersion="1.0">
  <assemblyIdentity type="win32" name="App" version="1.0.0.0"></assemblyIdentity>
  <dependency>
    <dependentAssembly>
      <assemblyIdentity type="win32" name="COMDLL1" version="1.0.0.0"></assemblyIdentity>
    </dependentAssembly>
  </dependency>
  <dependency>
    <dependentAssembly>
      <assemblyIdentity type="win32" name="COMDLL2" version="1.0.0.0"></assemblyIdentity>
    </dependentAssembly>
  </dependency>
</assembly>

The sxstrace output is:

=================
Begin Activation Context Generation.
Input Parameter:
    Flags = 0
    ProcessorArchitecture = Wow32
    CultureFallBacks = en-US;en
    ManifestPath = C:\AppPath\App.exe.Manifest
    AssemblyDirectory = C:\AppPath\
    Application Config File = 
-----------------
INFO: Parsing Manifest File C:\AppPath\App.exe.Manifest.
    INFO: Manifest Definition Identity is App,type="win32",version="1.0.0.0".
    INFO: Reference: COMDLL1,type="win32",version="1.0.0.0"
    INFO: Reference: COMDLL2,type="win32",version="1.0.0.0"
INFO: Resolving reference COMDLL1,type="win32",version="1.0.0.0".
    INFO: Resolving reference for ProcessorArchitecture COMDLL1,type="win32",version="1.0.0.0".
        INFO: Resolving reference for culture Neutral.
            INFO: Applying Binding Policy.
                INFO: No binding policy redirect found.
            INFO: Begin assembly probing.
                INFO: Did not find the assembly in WinSxS.
                INFO: Attempt to probe manifest at C:\AppPath\COMDLL1.DLL.
                INFO: Manifest found at C:\AppPath\COMDLL1.DLL.
            INFO: End assembly probing.
INFO: Resolving reference COMDLL1.mui,language="&#x2a;",type="win32",version="1.0.0.0".
    INFO: Resolving reference for ProcessorArchitecture COMDLL1.mui,language="&#x2a;",type="win32",version="1.0.0.0".
        INFO: Resolving reference for culture en-US.
            INFO: Applying Binding Policy.
                INFO: No binding policy redirect found.
            INFO: Begin assembly probing.
                INFO: Did not find the assembly in WinSxS.
                INFO: Did not find manifest for culture en-US.
            INFO: End assembly probing.
        INFO: Resolving reference for culture en.
            INFO: Applying Binding Policy.
                INFO: No binding policy redirect found.
            INFO: Begin assembly probing.
                INFO: Did not find the assembly in WinSxS.
                INFO: Did not find manifest for culture en.
            INFO: End assembly probing.
INFO: Resolving reference COMDLL2,type="win32",version="1.0.0.0".
    INFO: Resolving reference for ProcessorArchitecture COMDLL2,type="win32",version="1.0.0.0".
        INFO: Resolving reference for culture Neutral.
            INFO: Applying Binding Policy.
                INFO: No binding policy redirect found.
            INFO: Begin assembly probing.
                INFO: Did not find the assembly in WinSxS.
                INFO: Attempt to probe manifest at C:\AppPath\COMDLL2.DLL.
                INFO: Manifest found at C:\AppPath\COMDLL2.DLL.
            INFO: End assembly probing.
INFO: Resolving reference COMDLL2.mui,language="&#x2a;",type="win32",version="1.0.0.0".
    INFO: Resolving reference for ProcessorArchitecture COMDLL2.mui,language="&#x2a;",type="win32",version="1.0.0.0".
        INFO: Resolving reference for culture en-US.
            INFO: Applying Binding Policy.
                INFO: No binding policy redirect found.
            INFO: Begin assembly probing.
                INFO: Did not find the assembly in WinSxS.
                INFO: Did not find manifest for culture en-US.
            INFO: End assembly probing.
        INFO: Resolving reference for culture en.
            INFO: Applying Binding Policy.
                INFO: No binding policy redirect found.
            INFO: Begin assembly probing.
                INFO: Did not find the assembly in WinSxS.
                INFO: Did not find manifest for culture en.
            INFO: End assembly probing.
INFO: Parsing Manifest File C:\AppPath\COMDLL1.DLL.
    INFO: Manifest Definition Identity is COMDLL1,type="win32",version="1.0.0.0".
INFO: Parsing Manifest File C:\AppPath\COMDLL2.DLL.
    INFO: Manifest Definition Identity is COMDLL2,type="win32",version="1.0.0.0".
    INFO: Reference: Microsoft.VC90.CRT,processorArchitecture="x86",publicKeyToken="1fc8b3b9a1e18e3b",type="win32",version="9.0.21004.1"
ERROR: Activation Context generation failed.
End Activation Context Generation.

Thank you,
Bogdan

Rita Han - MSFT 2,171 Reputation points

2021-02-01T06:10:38.497+00:00

Hello @Bogdan Vasilescu , if you mean this error occurs after adding dependency of COMDLL2, could you confirm if you remove the dependency of COMDLL1 and only use dependency of COMDLL2 can reproduce the same issue?
Bogdan Vasilescu 41 Reputation points

2021-02-01T16:50:14.833+00:00

Hi @Rita Han - MSFT (nice to hear from you again)

It works with only one dependency, no matter which one. Is generating this error only after adding a second COM dependency.

Thank you,
Bogdan
Bogdan Vasilescu 41 Reputation points

2021-02-01T22:20:41.03+00:00

Hi @Rita Han - MSFT ,

I made a change to one of the COM dll manifests and now the app starts and executes correctly - please see my reply to @RLWA32 .

Now I am not sure what to do about this ticket: It would have been great to get a hint of the issue in the sxstrace, but not sure if anyone here can help with that.

Thank you,
Bogdan
Rita Han - MSFT 2,171 Reputation points

2021-02-02T02:20:08.367+00:00

Since this issue is solved you can share your solution as an answer. This may help others are searching similar issue.

Accepted answer

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Rita Han - MSFT 2,171 Reputation points

2021-02-01T06:10:38.497+00:00

Hello @Bogdan Vasilescu , if you mean this error occurs after adding dependency of COMDLL2, could you confirm if you remove the dependency of COMDLL1 and only use dependency of COMDLL2 can reproduce the same issue?
Bogdan Vasilescu 41 Reputation points

2021-02-01T16:50:14.833+00:00

Hi @Rita Han - MSFT (nice to hear from you again)

It works with only one dependency, no matter which one. Is generating this error only after adding a second COM dependency.

Thank you,
Bogdan
Bogdan Vasilescu 41 Reputation points

2021-02-01T22:20:41.03+00:00

Hi @Rita Han - MSFT ,

I made a change to one of the COM dll manifests and now the app starts and executes correctly - please see my reply to @RLWA32 .

Now I am not sure what to do about this ticket: It would have been great to get a hint of the issue in the sxstrace, but not sure if anyone here can help with that.

Thank you,
Bogdan
Rita Han - MSFT 2,171 Reputation points

2021-02-02T02:20:08.367+00:00

Since this issue is solved you can share your solution as an answer. This may help others are searching similar issue.

Answer 1

RLWA32 49,636

Take a look in the Application Event Log. There may be an entry that gives information about the underlying problem.

Bogdan Vasilescu 41 Reputation points

2021-02-01T16:45:50.14+00:00

Thank you @RLWA32 for the suggestion ... Unfortunately there is no additional information in the application or system event log.

Bogdan
RLWA32 49,636 Reputation points

2021-02-01T19:21:45.81+00:00

Are the manifests embedded in the .exe and .dll files?

If not, try embedding the manifests.

On my own system I had no problem using registration-free COM with two separate in-process servers (unmanaged C++) and an unmanaged C++ COM client. The manifests were embedded in the .exe and the two dlls.

Also, its been my experience that SxS errors appear in the Application event log with the event source being SideBySide if you want to try to filter the log.
Bogdan Vasilescu 41 Reputation points

2021-02-01T22:03:50.903+00:00

Thank you @RLWA32 for taking the time to help me with this and for confirming that this approach should work for multiple dependencies.

This made me think about what is particular to my case and realized that both COM objects are implementing the same interface. In their manifests, I was 'publishing' this interface through the comInterfaceExternalProxyStub element - so it was 'published' twice we different tlbid (not sure the tlbid makes any difference.)
Anyway, after removing the comInterfaceExternalProxyStub element from one of the manifests, the application starts now without issues.

While I am no longer blocked, I am not sure what to do about this ticket. It would have been great to get a hint of the issue in the sxstrace, but not sure if anyone here can help with that.

Thank you,
Bogdan
Rita Han - MSFT 2,171 Reputation points

2021-02-02T02:22:26.097+00:00

sxstrace seems not finding such deep error. Could you share why you publish the same interface with different tlbid ?
Bogdan Vasilescu 41 Reputation points

2021-02-02T17:36:02.147+00:00

Well ... I kind of blindly generated the manifests based on the examples in some MSDN article :). Since both COM objects were implementing the same interface, I simply add it in both manifests.

The SXS mechanism clearly identified this as an issue. It would be great if sxstrace would be enhanced to provide some help in troubleshooting these kind of silly issues.

Thank you,
Bogdan
RLWA32 49,636 Reputation points

2021-02-03T11:22:51.82+00:00

@Bogdan Vasilescu One way to avoid having two COM objects implement the same interface would be to use COM aggregation. One COM object implements the interface. The second COM object aggregates the object that implements the interface. The result is that the second COM object exposes the interface but usage of the interface is delegated to the aggregated object. More detailed discussion is at aggregation

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How to investigate Activation Context generation failed error

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