XFOR: Notes Client Receives "Error Loading Metafile"

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This article was previously published under Q179197

Symptoms

This problem occurs when you are using the LinkAge Connector for Lotus Notes 3.2 with Microsoft Exchange Server 4.0 or 5.0, or when you are using Microsoft Exchange Server 5.5.

The Lotus Notes e-mail client (versions 4.5 and 4.6) may receive an error message stating "Error loading Metafile" when you open an e-mail message sent from an Exchange client and delivered either by the Microsoft Exchange Connector for Lotus Notes (Exchange Server 5.5 Notes Mail Connector [NMC]) or the LinkAge Connector for Lotus Notes 3.2.

Also, if monitoring connector processing using the Exchange Server Connectivity Administrator and its logging options, a sequence similar to the following may be logged:

    1997/12/09 14:34:35- LME-NOTES-MEXOUT(0233) 3 31500:Sender:
   rb 266, Size: 153058, Message ID: c=US;a=
   ;p=Microsoft;l=RICKBOL266-971209193433Z-335

   1997/12/09 14:34:34 NOTES Transform  >> mexe(2916)

   1997/12/09 14:34:39- LME-NOTES-MEXNTS(01a0) 2 41301:Notes
   returned code: 109 (hex)  >> ntshcint(1000)
   *** note the "109" return code ***

   1997/12/09 14:34:39- LME-NOTES-MEXNTS(01a0) 2 41300:Notes
   Package ID: Operating System (OS). Extended Reason String:
   File truncated - file may have been damaged  >>
   ntshcint(1012)
   *** note the "File truncated - file may have been damaged"
   ***

   1997/12/09 14:34:39- LME-NOTES-MEXNTS(01a0) 2 41360:Error
   {Invalid syntax}: adding COMPOSITE BODY item to Notes
   message failed  >> ntshcm(9936)

   1997/12/09 14:34:39- LME-NOTES-MEXNTS(01a0) 2 41360:Error
   {Invalid syntax}: adding COMPOSITE BODY item to Notes
   message failed  >> ntshcm(11767)

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Cause

The error typically occurs when a user sends a copy of a dialog box that has appeared on the screen, or does a screen capture image of an application.

With the LinkAge Connector for Lotus Notes 3.2, there were known issues with mapping various OLE properties between the two e-mail clients. Generally, graphic objects presented the most obvious interoperability problems. These are known limitations of the LinkAge Connector for Lotus Notes 3.2.

With Exchange Server 5.5 and its Microsoft Exchange Connector for Lotus Notes, OLE object interoperability between Exchange Server and Notes is much improved. However, bitmap graphics copied into the Windows clipboard (using ALT+PRINT SCREEN), and subsequently pasted into an e-mail message composed using the Exchange Client WordMail editor and sent to a Notes recipient, will result in the "Error loading Metafile" message when the Notes recipient attempts to read the message.

This error occurs because the Notes client's transform routines fail to properly process inline bitmaps within the RTF_Body when submitted by the NMC. When the Notes client subsequently tries to open the rich text format (RTF) object, it causes an error.

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Workaround

To work around this problem:

Do not use the WordMail editor to send a screen capture image to Notes recipients. Use a graphics application to paste the screen capture into another program, for instance, the Windows Paint utility, before pasting it into the e-mail message: