ActiveReports 2.0 is based on the ActiveX Designer model, so it cannot be placed into COM+ because of the extra interfaces that it would need to support to do so successfully. An ActiveReports DLL will cause COM+ to create a new interface for it that it cannot use. This will trigger crashes at both run time and design time.

Because you cannot place any DLL which includes an ActiveX Designer into COM+, you will not be able to place your own DLL into COM+ if it has a report (.DSR, .DSX, and .DCA files) compiled into it.

Also, when .DSR, .DSX, and .DCA files are compiled into a DLL, they include UI-based items which disable Unattended Execution and Retained in Memory. Microsoft recommends that both of those options be selected when using VB DLLs within COM+.

To rectify this problem, you can use an RPX layout approach to the DLL to remove the UI components from your DLL and allow the Unattended Execution and Retained in Memory options to be selected. However, due to the additional interface layer that is added when this type of DLL is placed into COM+, it may be a bit slower than a normally registered DLL using regsvr32. Because of this loss of performance, use of ActiveReports 2.0 DLLs and any DLL compiled with an ActiveReport is not recomended in COM+.

Additional Information:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;264957
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;241896

Keywords: com plus, COM+, ActiveReports 2, MTS, mts