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DTS calling a VB exe -- unstable behavior

  • August 27, 2003 at 7:30 am

    #84314

    Hi,

    I have a DTS job that triggers a DTS pack (parent) that fires 3 child packs in succession. Each child pack does a similar action: checks a table that reports pending work then, if there is work, fires a VB exe through a "create process" task, the exe processes data in a SQL server database. (I know it's messy, but it is a legacy system that we haven't the time to rebuild).

    The strange behavior is that sometimes the process will "stall" in the middle. One of the exes that is called (not necessarily the first or last one) will pick up and begin running, and we'll see dropping and adding activity within the database, then . . . nothing. Sometime this will even shut down the server.

    I don't know how to begin to troubleshoot this. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

    Thanks,

    Pamela

  • August 27, 2003 at 5:53 pm

    #471717

    Are you able to make modifications to the VB exe's? If so, one thing I've found handy is to have all database actions and results that the EXE logged to a text file. You might find a deadlock or something that the VB exe isn't handling.

    Failing that you could probably use Profiler to track what's going back and forth between the db and the exe.

    Hope this helps

    Phill Carter

    --------------------

    Colt 45 - the original point and click interface

    --------------------
    Colt 45 - the original point and click interface

  • August 28, 2003 at 6:25 am

    #471779

    quote:

    Are you able to make modifications to the VB exe's? If so, one thing I've found handy is to have all database actions and results that the EXE logged to a text file. You might find a deadlock or something that the VB exe isn't handling.

    Failing that you could probably use Profiler to track what's going back and forth between the db and the exe.

    Phil, I can't fuss too much with the Exe, but I can watch the profiler. My concern is that using the profiler further stresses the server. Won't this make it unclear whether it is the exe or profiler that is overburdening the system?

    I wandered into the Server Logs to see what they say when the system hangs and there are SQLDumpExceptionHandler lines referencing a fatal exception c0000005 . . . I'm headed to KnowledgeBase to see what I can find.

    Thanks,

    Pamela

  • August 28, 2003 at 6:37 am

    #471783

    You can setup the trace data to go into a table on the server. This reduces some of the overhead. Have a look at the xp_trace_... procedures in BOL.

    Hope this helps

    Phill Carter

    --------------------

    Colt 45 - the original point and click interface

    --------------------
    Colt 45 - the original point and click interface

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