Register failk error when invoking ActiveX control for a JavaBean from VB6

Question

J2RE v1.4.2_09
Visual Basic 6.0 SP5/Visual C++ 6.0 SP5
Windows 2000 SP4
We have our existing production applications written using VB6 and VC++6. We are in the process of moving them incrementally to J2EE. Before everything is totally re-written in J2EE, we need to do something for interoperability between existing VB6/VC++6 and J2EE. ActiveX Bridge seems to be the solution we need, if only it works.
Problem that I am facing....
Register failk error when I try to insert a java bean activex control on a VB6.0 or VC++6.0 form or create an instance of the activex "Person.Bean.1" using CreateObject function, it throws the following error. I am able to create an instance of Person Bean ActiveX Control using ActiveX Control Test Container that comes with Visual Studio 6.0 and invoke the methods in the bean successfully though which means that the ActiveX control is registered properly and working.
Error Message Box Title: asdas
Error Message: register failk
And then another error message pops up.
Error Message Box Title: Java(TM) Plug-in Fatal Error
Error Message: Cannot load class sun/plugin/JavaRunTime
The Bridge was installed at <D:\PROGRA~1\Java\J2RE14~2.2_0> but the class is not there. Modify the registry key to reflect the new bridge location. The key is HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\JavaSoft\Java Plug-in or Change your CLASSPATH to include the new directory.
I have this sample java bean class.
a) Person.java
import java.io.*;
public class Person implements Serializable{
private String fName,lName;
public Person(){
fName = new String();
lName = new String();
public void setFirstName(String firstName){
fName = firstName;
public void setLastName(String lastName){
lName = lastName;
public String getName(){
return fName+" "+lName;
b) person_manifest
Name: Person.class
Java-Bean: True
Steps followed:
call "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\VC98\Bin\vcvars32.bat"
set path=D:\j2sdk1.4.2_09\bin;%path%
javac Person.java
jar -cvfm Person.jar person_manifest Person.class
mkdir "d:\Program Files\Java\j2re1.4.2_09\axbridge\bin"
D:\j2sdk1.4.2_09\bin\packager -out "d:\Program Files\Java\j2re1.4.2_09\axbridge\bin" -reg Person.jar Person
Person.dll file created under d:\Program Files\Java\j2re1.4.2_09\axbridge\bin and Person.jar copied under d:\Program Files\Java\j2re1.4.2_09\axbridge\lib.
I am able to create an instance of this Person Bean ActiveX Control using ActiveX Control Test Container that comes with Visual Studio 6.0 and invoke the methods in the bean successfully. But, when I try to insert the activex control on a VB6 or VC++6 form or create an instance of "Person.Bean.1" using CreateObject function, it throws the above mentioned errors.
I checked the registry and it shows J2RE1.4.2_09 version properly under that key and the Person.dll file exists under d:\Program Files\Java\j2re1.4.2_09\axbridge\bin. I also explicitly added the plugin.jar, person.jar to the classpath. Still it gives the error.
Any ideas? Any fix or workaround for this problem? Thanks.

Answer 1

Sometimes solutions are simpler than expose the problem.
Did you add the dll to the project references?
Sometimes also it is usefull to use the regsvr32 program to register the DLL.
Pedro