FIX: "Unexpected Error" Message When Loading a GIF

Loading a GIF file that does not specifically contain an Image Object into Visual Basic 5.0 (for example, through the PictureBox control), generates the run-time error 50003: It is important to note that this error is somewhat of a "catch-all" error that can be generated under other circumstances completely unrelated to the use of GIF files. The purpose of this article is to provide details regarding one particular set of circumstances where this error may arise.

Visual Basic 5.0 does not support GIFs that include images that are contained within Application Blocks. The Image Object must be included in the GIF as a separate Image Object.

Use one of the following methods to work around this problem:

• Use Error Handling to trap for and handle appropriately error 50003 (unexpected error) in your Visual Basic application. For more information, search for the Help topic "Designing an Error Handler" in the Microsoft Visual Basic 6.0 Online Documentation.
• Ensure that images contained within a GIF file are included specifically as Image Objects and not contained within Application Blocks.

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a bug in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article.

This problem was corrected in Visual Basic version 6.0 for Windows.

As mentioned in the "Cause" section of this article, Visual Basic 5.0 does not support GIFs that include images which are contained within Application Blocks. The Image Object must be included in the GIF as a separate Image Object. This functionality currently exists in Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 as well as Visual Basic 6.0.