SSMS 18 Error – How to Fix Job Step Properties Editing Issue

ssms

Whenever I try to edit the properties of a SQL Server Agent job step in SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) version 18, the application throws an error and I cannot proceed. How do I fix that error?

UserVoice post link:

https://feedback.azure.com/forums/908035-sql-server/suggestions/37642465-ssms-18-0-job-properties-window-click-on-step-fa

SSMS version 18.4:

  • SQL Server Management Studio 15.0.18206.0
  • Microsoft Analysis Services Client Tools 15.0.1567.0
  • Microsoft Data Access Components (MDAC) 10.0.18362.1
  • Microsoft MSXML 3.0 4.0 6.0
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 9.11.18362.0
  • Microsoft .NET Framework 4.0.30319.42000
  • Operating System 10.0.18362

Full error text:

===================================

The system cannot find the file specified.

------------------------------
Program Location:

at Microsoft.SqlServer.Dts.Runtime.Application.get_LogProviderInfos()
at Microsoft.DataTransformationServices.DTSExecUI.Controls.LoggingCtrl..ctor(IDTSExecViewManager treePanel)
at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.SqlManagerUI.DTSJobSubSystemDefinition.InitializeControls()
at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.SqlManagerUI.DTSJobSubSystemDefinition..ctor(CDataContainer dataContainer, IMessageBoxProvider messageProvider)
at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.SqlManagerUI.JobStepSubSystems.CreateJobStepSubSystemSsis(AgentSubSystem agentSubSystem, CDataContainer dataContainer, JobStepData data, IMessageBoxProvider messageProvider)
at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.SqlManagerUI.JobStepSubSystems.CreateJobStepSubSystem(AgentSubSystem agentSubSystem, CDataContainer dataContainer, JobStepData data, IMessageBoxProvider messageProvider, IServiceProvider serviceProvider)
at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.SqlManagerUI.JobStepSubSystems..ctor(CDataContainer dataContainer, JobStepData data, IMessageBoxProvider messageProvider, IServiceProvider serviceProvider)
at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.SqlManagerUI.JobStepProperties.get_SubSystems()
at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.SqlManagerUI.JobStepProperties.FilterStepCombo(DatabaseEngineEdition engineEdition)
at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.SqlManagerUI.JobStepProperties.InitializeStepCombo()
at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.SqlManagerUI.JobStepProperties.InitializeData()
at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.SqlManagerUI.JobStepProperties.OnInitialization()
at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.SqlMgmt.ViewSwitcherControlsManager.SetView(Int32 index, TreeNode node)
at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.SqlMgmt.ViewSwitcherControlsManager.SelectCurrentNode()
at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.SqlMgmt.ViewSwitcherControlsManager.InitializeUI(ViewSwitcherTreeView treeView, ISqlControlCollection viewsHolder, Panel rightPane)
at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.SqlMgmt.LaunchForm.InitializeForm(XmlDocument doc, IServiceProvider provider, ISqlControlCollection control)
at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.SqlMgmt.LaunchForm..ctor(ISqlControlCollection control, IServiceProvider provider)
at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.SqlManagerUI.JobSteps.OnDoubleClick(Object sender, MouseButtonDoubleClickedEventArgs args)
at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.UI.Grid.GridControl.OnMouseButtonDoubleClicked(HitTestResult htArea, Int64 nRowIndex, Int32 nColIndex, Rectangle rCellRect, MouseButtons btn, GridButtonArea headerArea)
at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.SqlManagerUI.SqlManagerUIDlgGrid.OnMouseButtonDoubleClicked(HitTestResult htArea, Int64 rowIndex, Int32 colIndex, Rectangle cellRect, MouseButtons btn, GridButtonArea headerArea)
at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.UI.Grid.GridControl.OnMouseDown(MouseEventArgs mevent)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WmMouseDown(Message& m, MouseButtons button, Int32 clicks)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WndProc(Message& m)
at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.UI.Grid.GridControl.WndProc(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.ControlNativeWindow.OnMessage(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.ControlNativeWindow.WndProc(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.NativeWindow.DebuggableCallback(IntPtr hWnd, Int32 msg, IntPtr wparam, IntPtr lparam)
at System.Windows.Forms.UnsafeNativeMethods.DispatchMessageW(MSG& msg)
at System.Windows.Forms.Application.ComponentManager.System.Windows.Forms.UnsafeNativeMethods.IMsoComponentManager.FPushMessageLoop(IntPtr dwComponentID, Int32 reason, Int32 pvLoopData)
at System.Windows.Forms.Application.ThreadContext.RunMessageLoopInner(Int32 reason, ApplicationContext context)
at System.Windows.Forms.Application.ThreadContext.RunMessageLoop(Int32 reason, ApplicationContext context)
at System.Windows.Forms.Application.RunDialog(Form form)
at System.Windows.Forms.Form.ShowDialog(IWin32Window owner)
at System.Windows.Forms.Form.ShowDialog()
at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.SqlMgmt.RunningFormsTable.RunningFormsTableImpl.ThreadStarter.StartThread()

===================================

The system cannot find the file specified.

------------------------------
Program Location:

at Microsoft.SqlServer.Dts.Runtime.Wrapper.ApplicationClass.get_LogProviderInfos()
at Microsoft.SqlServer.Dts.Runtime.Application.get_LogProviderInfos()

Best Answer

There's an MSDN answer which implies that registering the DTS.dll will fix the issue, but the post is about SSMS 2008 and it references an old location for the DTS.dll.

Registering a more recent version of the DLL (from C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\130\DTS\Binn) fixes the issue.

To register the DLL, run an Administrator Command Prompt and execute this line, in the directory housing the relevant DLL:

regsvr32 DTS.dll

You should get a message box saying:

DllRegisterServer in DTS.dll succeeded.

If you get this error:

The module 'DTS.dll' was loaded but the call to DllRegisterServer failed with error code 0x80070005.

It's likely because you do not have Administrator access. You will likely get a UAC prompt when you try to run a Command Prompt with Administrator access.

I was concerned that there would be some 32-bit vs 64-bit issues, as the DLL is in the Program Files folder from the 64-bit version of the SQL Server engine, and SSMS is 32-bit, but there didn't seem to be a problem.

Related Question