Knowledge Base

PRB: DB-Library Application Exits to Command Prompt

Article ID: 105019

Article Last Modified on 2/22/2005

Microsoft SQL Server 4.21a Standard Edition
Microsoft SQL Server 6.5 Standard Edition

This article was previously published under Q105019

SYMPTOMS

A character mode DB-Library application exits to the operating system command prompt, often without any errors or messages. This frequently occurs on a call to dbopen.

CAUSE

The DB-Library application's error handler is likely returning INT_EXIT. This tells DB-Library to completely and immediately exit the application, and return to the operating system command prompt.

NOTE: The DB-Library sample error handlers contain code similar to the following:

     if ((dbproc == NULL) || (DBDEAD(dbproc)))
         return(INT_EXIT);

For example, if the dbopen function fails for any reason, a NULL DBPROCESS pointer is passed to the error handler along with DB-Library error 10004. This will cause the above code to return INT_EXIT, which as stated above will immediately exit the application.

WORKAROUND

Ensure that the application's error handler returns INT_CANCEL instead of INT_EXIT, similar to the following:

     if ((dbproc == NULL) || (DBDEAD(dbproc)))
         return(INT_CANCEL);

Returning INT_CANCEL tells DB-Library to simply return FAIL from the current DB-Library function. Otherwise, ensure that the application displays an appropriate message before returning INT_EXIT, similar to the following:

     printf("DB-Library Error %i: %s\n", dberr, dberrstr);
     if ((dbproc == NULL) || (DBDEAD(dbproc)))
         return(INT_EXIT);

Additional query words: exit quit crash dblib

Keywords: kbprogramming KB105019