FIX: Modifying SQL 6.5 Logreader on SQL 7.0 Distributor Fails with Error "The required parameter '-PublisherDB' is missing."

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This article was previously published under Q235007

BUG #: 55868 (SQLBUG_70)

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SYMPTOMS

When using SQL 7.0 as a distribution server for a SQL 6.5 Publication, modification of the Logreader agent causes the logreader job to fail with the following error:

The required parameter '-PublisherDB' is missing.

The job step reports "Succeeded" but the job will not actually execute.

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When the job step is modified with the graphical user interface (GUI), SQL 7.0 uses sp_update_jobstep. sp_update_jobstep does not recognize that the job is a SQL 6.5 task. It modifies the task using SQL 7.0 parameters, which do not exist in the SQL 6.5 job commands.

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WORKAROUND

To modify a SQL 6.5 Logreader task on a SQL 7.0 Distribution Server use sp_updatetask. DO NOT MODIFY the logreader task using the user interface.

When using sp_updatetask you can add the parameters documented in the SQL Books Online (Replication Log Reader Agent Utility). Running sp_help_job or sp_helptask on the SQL 7.0 distributor identifies the logreader task name. Use the task name as a parameter for sp_updatetask. The command can be changed using the command parameter. For information about syntax used in earlier versions of SQL Server, see the Microsoft SQL Server Transact-SQL Reference for version 6.x.

For example, you can add the '-Output' parameter to logreader using the following command:

sp_updatetask @command = '-b100 -c100 -i1000 -t100 -Continuous 
  -Output [c:\logr.log] -OutputVerboselevel 2 ', 
  @currentname = '-Logreader Name-'

Additionally, you can use other SQL 7.0 logreader commands. To increase the query timeout for the logreader task, use the following command:

sp_updatetask @command = '-b100 -c100 -i1000 -t100 -Continuous
  -Output [c:\logr.log] -OutputVerboselevel 2  -QueryTimeOut 600',
  @currentname = '-Logreader Name-'

NOTE: The entire command line must be changed with each update.

If the Logreader job has been modified using the SQL 7.0 user interface, it can be corrected using one of the following approaches:

Drop the Logreader task using sp_droptask. Then re-create the logreader task again using sp_addtask. (Again, refer to the Transact-SQL Reference for version 6.x for the sp_addtask syntax. For example:
sp_addtask "LogReader_server2_pubs", "Logreader", "Publishing Server","sa", "pubs2", 1, 64, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, "", 0, 1,"-b100 -c100 -i1000 -t100 -Continuous", 2, 2
When creating a task using sp_addtask, the task can only be deleted using sp_droptask. To modify the task after it has been created use sp_updatetask instead of the SQL 7.0 user interface.
Unpublish and then republish the database to create a new Logreader task.

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STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in SQL Server 7.0. This problem has been corrected in U.S. Service Pack 2 for Microsoft SQL Server 7.0. For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

254561 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/254561/ ) INF: How to Obtain Service Pack 2 for Microsoft SQL Server 7.0 and Microsoft Data Engine (MSDE) 1.0

For more information, contact your primary support provider.

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