Visual Studio can't add COM reference.

[jemmaq99]

Using Visual Studio .NET 2003 I've tried to add a COM reference
to a Windows Form project via the Add Reference dialog (specifically
the Active DS Type Library) but always get the error message:

"A reference to 'Active DS Type Library' could not be added. The
type library wrapper tool 'tlbimp' cannot be found on this system.
Please re-install Visual Studio."

This occurs regardless of the actual tlb or dll selected and happens
on Win2000 and XP with various flavors of SP's using Framework 1.1
SP1.

TlbImp.exe exists in the Framework SDK bin directory and can be
executed from the Visual Studio command-line tool with no
qualification.

I've chatted with other developers over the phone and they
add COM references with no problem. While seeking a solution I've
made clean installs of Win2000 and XP, reinstalled Framework from
my prerequistite disk, and reinstalled VS a number of times with
identical results.

On searching these groups I've found a couple others (over the last
couple years) who've had the same problem, but I've never seen a
solution.

MS has a KB article 883608 that discusses a scenario that generates
the same error message, but doesn't seem to apply in my case.

Any help?
Thanks,
--J.

 

[Sahil Malik]

Did you try running tlbimp.exe from commandline? Try that out.

- Sahil Malik
You can reach me thru my blog http://www.dotnetjunkies.com/weblog/sahilmalik

 

[jemmaq99]

Yes, tlbimp executes fine from the command line. With no additional
environment variable settings and a plain DOS box, you have to
naviagate to the framework SDK bin drectory to execute it, or you
can use the fully-quaified pathname "c:\Program File\Microsoft Visual
Studio .NET 2003\SDK\v1.1\bin\tlbimp.exe"

From the Visual Studio command-line tool (Start->Programs->Microsoft
Visual Studio .NET 20030->Visual Studio .NET tools->Visual Studio .NET
2003 Command Prompt" (which is just a DOS box with vsvars32.bat
already run) it executes with no qualification.

I've also set the path environment variable so that it'll execute with
no qualifiaction, but still Visual Studio itself can't seem to find it
when I try to add a reference.

I've performed clean installations of Win2000 and XP partitoned and
formatted the drive during the installation, gotten all of the updates
at windowsupdates.microsoft.com, installed clean versions of
Visual Studio .NET 2003. Nevertheless, when I try to add a COM
reference to a simple "hello world" Windows Form app, I consistenly
get the same error. The .tlb and the .dll for the target COM component
exist in the c:\Windows\System32 directory.

I'm at a loss for an explanation.

Thanks, though, for your response...
--J.

 

[Sahil Malik]

Funny .. but atleast you have a workaround ..

- Sahil Malik
You can reach me thru my blog http://www.dotnetjunkies.com/weblog/sahilmalik

 

[Guest]

Hi

I have exactly the same problem since upgrading to WinXP SP2.
Have you figured out the cause of the problem?
I've been searching desperately for a solution but Microsoft's only knowledge base article doesnt seem relevant. I'm a .net newbie so would welcome some help from anybody on this one.

I can be contacted at (e-mail address removed)

Thanks

Using Visual Studio .NET 2003 I've tried to add a COM reference
to a Windows Form project via the Add Reference dialog (specifically
the Active DS Type Library) but always get the error message:

"A reference to 'Active DS Type Library' could not be added. The
type library wrapper tool 'tlbimp' cannot be found on this system.
Please re-install Visual Studio."

This occurs regardless of the actual tlb or dll selected and happens
on Win2000 and XP with various flavors of SP's using Framework 1.1
SP1.

TlbImp.exe exists in the Framework SDK bin directory and can be
executed from the Visual Studio command-line tool with no
qualification.

I've chatted with other developers over the phone and they
add COM references with no problem. While seeking a solution I've
made clean installs of Win2000 and XP, reinstalled Framework from
my prerequistite disk, and reinstalled VS a number of times with
identical results.

On searching these groups I've found a couple others (over the last
couple years) who've had the same problem, but I've never seen a
solution.

MS has a KB article 883608 that discusses a scenario that generates
the same error message, but doesn't seem to apply in my case.

Any help?
Thanks,
--J

User submitted from AEWNET (http://www.aewnet.com/)

 

[Sylvain Lafontaine]

Here a guess: maybe this is a path problem. Are you using the same account
that the one you have used for installing VS.NET 2003 and have you checked
the available paths in your environment?

S. L.

 

[Guest]

I was having the exact same problem. I couldn't add COM references through VS, but I could run tlbimp.exe from the command prompt even though VS said that it couldn't find it.

I reformatted, and everything worked again.. until... I installled Office Professional 2003. After that, VS couldn't find tlbimp again. I uninstalled Office, VS finds tlbimp.

I am guessing that one of the components of Office is conflicting with tlbimp inside of the GAC.

If anyone else is having this problem, try uninstalling Office, and share your results.

--Michael F.

User submitted from AEWNET (http://www.aewnet.com/)