CODEWITHSUNDEEP
excelruntime-errorscripting.dictionaryvba
neelsg
neelsg

Reputation: 4842

Class does not support Automation or does not support expected interface

I'm importing a kind of CSV security file for reporting in Excel. The file basically has the following format:

!Users
UserA
UserB
UserC
...

!Roles
RoleA
RoleB
RoleC
...

!Permissions
UserA|RoleA
UserA|RoleB
UserC|RoleA
UserB|RoleC
...

The report is a kind of matrix that would look like this:

  | A            | B            | C            | D
--|--------------|--------------|--------------|----------------
1 |              | RoleA        | RoleB        | RoleC
2 | UserA        | Y            | Y            | N
3 | UserB        | N            | N            | Y
4 | UserC        | Y            | N            | N

The easiest way I could think of doing this is to do the following steps:

  1. Open the file and put everything into 3 multi-level dictionaries (One for users, one for roles and one for permissions) using Scripting.Dictionary.
  2. Create a sheet and build the matrix based on the dictionaries.

Obviously, the actual file format and implementation is somewhat more complex, but this is the gist of it.

It works fine for files up to about 10Mb, but when the files start exceeding that number (Thousands of users and roles), I get the following error:

Run-time error '430':

Class does not support Automation or does not support expected interface

This happens on the following line:

Set pubSecClassAccess.Item(vClass).Item(vValue).Item(vUser) = New Scripting.Dictionary

If I look under processes, EXCEL.EXE is using about 1.5Gb of RAM at the point where it throws the error. If I end, rather than debug and then close the workbook, I get the following message:

Excel cannot complete this task with available resources. Choose less data or close other applications.

I'm guessing I run out of RAM even though I still have about 4Gb of my 8Gb available.

My question is: How do I re-factor my code so that it does this without using so much RAM?

The sections in the file could be in a different order (Like the !Permissions could come before the !Users section).

Upvotes: 0

Views: 2087

Answers (1)

Tony Dallimore
Tony Dallimore

Reputation: 12413

Edit Forgot to say: the macro takes about one minute to process my 55 Mb test file.

I cannot find anything about the memory requirements of dictionaries. However, since "It throws the error way before I do the sort though", no minor improvement in the way the dictionaries are handled is going to help. My technique is totally different.

I first generated a test file with the following characteristics:

  • 50,000 users
  • 200 roles
  • user and role names are between 15 and 25 characters long
  • between 0 and 50 permissions per user

The resultant file is nearly 55 Mb and contains over one million permissions. I did not intend to create such a large file but had not thought enough about the implications of an average 25 permissions per user. I should admit that the file contains duplicate permissions. The macro below allows for this error and skips the duplicates.

My code has several steps:

  • Delete any files created by the previous run of the macro.
  • Read the test file (security log) and output three separate files: User.txt, Roles.txt and Perms.txt. I have just noticed the last line of your question in which you say the sections are not in a fixed sequence. If you like the rest of my code, that would be an easy fix.
  • Create batch files to sort User.txt, Roles.txt and Perms.txt.
  • Use Shell to run those batch files.
  • Loop until all the batch files have completed.
  • Read SortedUsers.txt and SortedRoles.txt into arrays. It is these arrays that will limit the size of security log handled. I counted the rows as I created the separate files so these arrays are exactly the right size with no overheads. If you ran out of memory again, SortedUsers.txt could be read line by line.
  • Read SortedPerms.txt match against the arrays and output the rows as created to Report.txt.

I can open Report.txt (which is 21Mb) with Excel and tidy the formatting.

There are two modules below. The first contains the macro described above. The second contains a routine I use check when processes have completed.

Option Explicit
Sub CreateReport()

  Dim FileName As Variant
  Dim FlIn As Object
  Dim FlLine As String
  Dim FlLinePart() As String
  Dim FlOut As Object
  Dim FlSysObj As Object
  Dim Found As Boolean
  Dim InxProc As Long
  Dim NumPermissions As Long
  Dim NumRoles As Long
  Dim NumUsers As Long
  Dim PathCrnt As String
  Dim Process() As String
  Dim Roles() As String
  Dim RoleCrnt As Long
  Dim RoleNameLast As String
  Dim TimeNow As Double
  Dim Users() As String
  Dim UserCrnt As Long
  Dim UserNameLast As String

  Dim StartTime As Double

  StartTime = Timer

  ' I find it convenient to have all files in the same folder as the workbook
  ' Change PathCrnt as required
  PathCrnt = ActiveWorkbook.Path & "\"

  ' Delete any files left by previous run of macro
  ' Replace Report.txt by your name for output file
  ' =====================================================================================
  For Each FileName In Array("Users.txt", "Roles.txt", "Perms.txt", _
                             "SortedUsers.txt", "SortedRoles.txt", "SortedPerms.txt", _
                             "SortUsers.bat", "SortRoles.bat", "SortPerms.bat", _
                             "Report.txt")
    If Dir$(PathCrnt & FileName) <> "" Then
      Kill PathCrnt & FileName
    End If
  Next

  ' Split security log into three separate files: Users.txt, Roles.txt and Perms.txt
  ' =====================================================================================

  Set FlSysObj = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")

  Set FlIn = FlSysObj.OpenTextFile(PathCrnt & "testfile.txt", 1, False, 0)

  FlLine = FlIn.ReadLine
  Debug.Assert FlLine = "!Users"
  NumUsers = 0
  Set FlOut = FlSysObj.OpenTextFile(PathCrnt & "Users.txt", 2, True, 0)

  Do While Not FlIn.AtEndOfStream
    FlLine = FlIn.ReadLine
    If FlLine <> "" Then
      If FlLine = "!Roles" Then
        Exit Do
      End If
      NumUsers = NumUsers + 1
      FlOut.WriteLine FlLine
    End If
  Loop
  FlOut.Close

  Debug.Assert FlLine = "!Roles"
  NumRoles = 0
  Set FlOut = FlSysObj.OpenTextFile(PathCrnt & "Roles.txt", 2, True, 0)

  Do While Not FlIn.AtEndOfStream
    FlLine = FlIn.ReadLine
    If FlLine <> "" Then
      If FlLine = "!Permissions" Then
        Exit Do
      End If
      NumRoles = NumRoles + 1
      FlOut.WriteLine FlLine
    End If
  Loop
  FlOut.Close

  Debug.Assert FlLine = "!Permissions"
  NumPermissions = 0
  Set FlOut = FlSysObj.OpenTextFile(PathCrnt & "Perms.txt", 2, True, 0)

  Do While Not FlIn.AtEndOfStream
    FlLine = FlIn.ReadLine
    If FlLine <> "" Then
      NumPermissions = NumPermissions + 1
      FlOut.WriteLine FlLine
    End If
  Loop
  FlOut.Close
  FlIn.Close

  ' Create batch files to sort Users.txt, Roles.txt and Perms.txt
  ' I have successfully used Shell with command line parameters but not tonight
  ' Decided not to waste time investigating my error
  ' ===============================================================================================

  Set FlOut = FlSysObj.OpenTextFile(PathCrnt & "SortUsers.bat", 2, True, 0)
  FlOut.Write "Sort <""" & PathCrnt & "Users.txt"" >""" & PathCrnt & "SortedUsers.txt"""
  FlOut.Close
  Set FlOut = FlSysObj.OpenTextFile(PathCrnt & "SortRoles.bat", 2, True, 0)
  FlOut.Write "Sort <""" & PathCrnt & "Roles.txt"" >""" & PathCrnt & "SortedRoles.txt"""
  FlOut.Close
  Set FlOut = FlSysObj.OpenTextFile(PathCrnt & "SortPerms.bat", 2, True, 0)
  FlOut.Write "Sort <""" & PathCrnt & "Perms.txt"" >""" & PathCrnt & "SortedPerms.txt"""
  FlOut.Close

  ' Sort Users.txt, Roles.txt and Perms.txt to create sorted versions
  ' ===============================================================================================

  Call Shell(PathCrnt & "SortUsers.bat")
  Call Shell(PathCrnt & "SortRoles.bat")
  Call Shell(PathCrnt & "SortPerms.bat")

  ' Loop until all the btach files have been completed
  ' ===============================================================================================

  Do While True
    Found = False
    Call GetProcessList(Process)
    For InxProc = 1 To UBound(Process)
      If Process(InxProc) = "cmd.exe" Then
        Found = True
        Exit For
      End If
    Next
    If Not Found Then
      Exit Do
    End If
    TimeNow = Now()
    ' Wait 1 second
    Application.Wait TimeSerial(Hour(TimeNow), Minute(TimeNow), Second(TimeNow) + 1)
  Loop

  ' Read SortedUsers.txt and SortedRoles.txt into arrays
  ' ===============================================================================================

  Set FlIn = FlSysObj.OpenTextFile(PathCrnt & "SortedUsers.txt", 1, False, 0)
  ReDim Users(1 To NumUsers)
  For UserCrnt = 1 To NumUsers
    Users(UserCrnt) = FlIn.ReadLine
  Next
  FlIn.Close
  Set FlIn = FlSysObj.OpenTextFile(PathCrnt & "SortedRoles.txt", 1, False, 0)
  ReDim Roles(1 To NumRoles)
  For RoleCrnt = 1 To NumRoles
    Roles(RoleCrnt) = FlIn.ReadLine
  Next
  FlIn.Close

  ' Read SortedPerms.txt and generate Report.txt
  ' ===============================================================================================

  Set FlIn = FlSysObj.OpenTextFile(PathCrnt & "SortedPerms.txt", 1, False, 0)

  ' Replace Report.txt" with your name for the output file
  Set FlOut = FlSysObj.OpenTextFile(PathCrnt & "Report.txt", 2, True, 0)

  ' Create and output header row
  FlLine = """User"""
  For RoleCrnt = 1 To NumRoles
    FlLine = FlLine & ",""" & Roles(RoleCrnt) & """"
  Next
  FlOut.WriteLine FlLine

  UserCrnt = 0
  RoleCrnt = 0
  UserNameLast = ""
  RoleNameLast = ""
  FlLine = ""

  ' Output header row within do loop

  Do While Not FlIn.AtEndOfStream
    FlLinePart = Split(FlIn.ReadLine, "|")
    Debug.Assert UBound(FlLinePart) = 1
    If FlLinePart(0) = UserNameLast And FlLinePart(1) = RoleNameLast Then
      ' My test file contains some duplicate permissions
    Else
      ' Process good permission
      If FlLinePart(0) <> UserNameLast Then
        ' New user or first permission
        If FlLine <> "" Then
          ' Output line for last user
          If RoleCrnt = NumRoles Then
            ' Last role already output
          Else
            ' Add Ns for remaining roles
            FlLine = FlLine & Replace(String(NumRoles - RoleCrnt, "N"), "N", ",N")
          End If
          FlOut.WriteLine FlLine
        End If
        UserCrnt = UserCrnt + 1
        FlLine = Users(UserCrnt)       ' Initialise line for new user
        RoleCrnt = 0
      End If
      Do While FlLinePart(0) > Users(UserCrnt)
        ' This user has no permissions. Output line of Ns for it
        FlLine = FlLine & Replace(String(NumRoles, "N"), "N", ",N")
        FlOut.WriteLine FlLine
        UserCrnt = UserCrnt + 1
        FlLine = Users(UserCrnt)
      Loop
      If FlLinePart(0) < Users(UserCrnt) Then
        Debug.Assert False
        ' User for this permission does not appear in user list
        ' Assume this should not be possible.
        ' Output error message if it does
      Else
        ' Have permission for current user
        ' Find entry in Roles() for permiisoin's role
        Do While True
          RoleCrnt = RoleCrnt + 1
          If FlLinePart(1) > Roles(RoleCrnt) Then
            ' This user does not have this current role
            FlLine = FlLine & ",N"
          ElseIf FlLinePart(1) < Roles(RoleCrnt) Then
            Debug.Assert False
            ' Role for this permission does not appear in role list
            ' Assume this should not be possible.
            ' Output error message if it does
          Else
            ' This user has this permission
            FlLine = FlLine & ",Y"
            Exit Do
          End If
        Loop
      End If
    End If
    UserNameLast = FlLinePart(0)
    RoleNameLast = FlLinePart(1)
  Loop  ' For each permission
            ' Add Ns for remaining roles
  FlLine = FlLine & Replace(String(NumRoles - RoleCrnt, "N"), "N", ",N")
  FlOut.WriteLine FlLine        ' Output final line

  FlOut.Close

  Debug.Print Format(Timer - StartTime, "#,##0.0")

End Sub

.

Option Explicit
  ' Source http://vbadud.blogspot.co.uk/2007/06/show-all-processes-using-vba.html
  ' Modified by Tony Dallimore

  Const TH32CS_SNAPHEAPLIST = &H1
  Const TH32CS_SNAPPROCESS = &H2
  Const TH32CS_SNAPTHREAD = &H4
  Const TH32CS_SNAPMODULE = &H8
  Const TH32CS_SNAPALL = (TH32CS_SNAPHEAPLIST Or _
                          TH32CS_SNAPPROCESS Or _
                          TH32CS_SNAPTHREAD Or _
                          TH32CS_SNAPMODULE)
  Const TH32CS_INHERIT = &H80000000
  Const MAX_PATH As Integer = 260

  Private Type PROCESSENTRY32
    dwSize As Long
    cntUsage As Long
    th32ProcessID As Long
    th32DefaultHeapID As Long
    th32ModuleID As Long
    cntThreads As Long
    th32ParentProcessID As Long
    pcPriClassBase As Long
    dwFlags As Long
    szExeFile As String * MAX_PATH
  End Type

  Private Declare Function CreateToolhelp32Snapshot Lib "kernel32" _
                      (ByVal lFlags As Long, ByVal lProcessID As Long) As Long
  Private Declare Sub CloseHandle Lib "kernel32" (ByVal hPass As Long)

  ' API Functions to get the processes
  Private Declare Function Process32First Lib "kernel32" _
                      (ByVal hSnapShot As Long, uProcess As PROCESSENTRY32) As Long
  Private Declare Function Process32Next Lib "kernel32" _
                      (ByVal hSnapShot As Long, uProcess As PROCESSENTRY32) As Long
Public Sub GetProcessList(Process() As String)

  Dim hSnapShot As Long          '* Handle
  Dim uProcess As PROCESSENTRY32 '* Process
  Dim lRet                       '* Return Val

  Dim InxP As Long
  Dim Pos As Long

  ReDim Process(1 To 100)
  InxP = 0      ' Array is empty

'  On Error Resume Next

  ' Takes a snapshot of the running processes and the heaps, modules,
  ' and threads used by the processes

  hSnapShot = CreateToolhelp32Snapshot(TH32CS_SNAPALL, 0&)

  uProcess.dwSize = Len(uProcess)

  ' Retrieve information about the first process encountered in our system snapshot

  ' uProcess.szExeFile is a fixed length string of 260 characters.  Each new process
  ' name is terminated with &H0 and overwrites the previous name.  Hence the need to
  ' discard the first &H0 and any characters that follow.

  ' In the original code, the first process name was ignored.  During my
  ' experimentation, the first name was always "[System Process]" which appears to be
  ' a header.  I continue to discard the first process name

  ' In the original code, the final lRet was output before being tested to be true.
  ' This meant the last name was junk.  I always test lRet before extracting the name.

  lRet = Process32First(hSnapShot, uProcess)  ' Ignore "[System]"
  lRet = Process32Next(hSnapShot, uProcess)
  ' lRet is 0 or 1.  1 means uProcess has been loaded with another process.

  Do While lRet

    InxP = InxP + 1
    If InxP > UBound(Process) Then
      ReDim Preserve Process(1 To UBound(Process) + 100)
    End If

    Pos = InStr(1, uProcess.szExeFile, Chr$(0))
    If Pos > 0 Then
      Pos = Pos - 1
    Else
      Pos = 0
    End If
    Process(InxP) = Left$(uProcess.szExeFile, Pos)

    lRet = Process32Next(hSnapShot, uProcess)

  Loop

  CloseHandle hSnapShot

  ' This ReDim assumes there is at least one process.
  ReDim Preserve Process(1 To InxP)  ' Discard empty entries

End Sub

Upvotes: 1

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