M100754: Configuring printable reports for .NET 1.1 and 2.0

For ManageSoft 7.6 (and later) and ManageSoft Security Manager 7.6 (and later), printable reports require Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1. For other reasons, you may also need Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 installed. This article explains how to configure your system to allow both frameworks to coexist. 

At release 7.6 and until further notice, ManageSoft printable reports require Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1.

An upgrade to Microsoft SQL 2000 Reporting Services typically installs Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0, or the .NET Framework may have been upgraded separately to release 2.0. On any such system, where the platform already includes .NET 2.0 at the time that ManageSoft 7.6 (or later) is installed, Microsoft Reporting Services will register the ManageSoft reports with .NET 2.0. When this occurs, reports cannot be printed.

Symptoms

This problem occurs when ManageSoft printable reports are registered with Microsoft SQL 2000 Reporting Services installed on operating system that has Microsoft .NET Framework release 2.0 installed. This registration of the ManageSoft reports normally occurs transparently when the product is installed.

The following error may be displayed:

Reporting Services Error

Failed to load expression host assembly. Details: StrongName cannot have an empty string for the assembly name. (rsProcessingError) Get Online Help

Cause

The ManageSoft printable reports have been registered with .NET 2.0, where they require .NET 1.1. This problem normally occurs when ManageSoft has been installed on a system that already has .NET 2.0 installed.

Note that current Windows platforms that have Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 installed normally still have Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1 also installed. This means that you can simply correct the problem by once again registering the relevant virtual directories with .NET 1.1.

The action you must take depends on which operating system and version of IIS you are running. If you are running Microsoft Windows Server 2000 and IIS 5.0, skip ahead to the section Configuring .NET for virtual directories. If, on the other hand, you are running Microsoft Windows Server 2003 and IIS 6.0, please first check the following section about application pools.

Setting up application pools

While Microsoft Windows Server 2003 and IIS 6.0 still allow for .NET 1.1 and .NET 2.0 to be used on the same computer, virtual directories that use different versions of .NET cannot reside in the same application pool.

Therefore, if you are also installing ManageSoft Compliance Manager, you will need to create an application pool for that purpose. If this is your intention, please see Knowledge Base article 100758 for more information.

There are three relevant virtual directories. Please follow these steps:

1. If it is not already running, start IIS Manager (start | All Programs | Administrative Tools | Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager).
2. Expand to show the list of default directories for the default web site (in the Internet Information Services console tree, click the + sign to expand IIS Server | Web Sites | Default Web Site).
3. Change the settings on the following three virtual directories:
   1. Right-click on ManageSoftRP and select Properties. Choose the ASP.NET tab. Change the ASP.NET version to 1.1 in the pull-down list. Click OK.
   2. Right-click on Reports and select Properties. Choose the ASP.NET tab. Change the ASP.NET version to 1.1 in the pull-down list. Click OK.
   3. Right-click on ReportServer and select Properties. Choose the ASP.NET tab. Change the ASP.NET version to 1.1 in the pull-down list. Click OK.
4. Restart IIS as follows:
1. Right-click on Default Web Site and select Stop.
2. Right-click on Default Web Site and select Start.