PRB: Site Server Web Admin Cannot Add Custom Attribute to Content Type

• Microsoft Site Server version 3.0

SYMPTOMS

When adding a Custom Attribute to a Content Type, the following error may appear:

An object with that name already exists.
Each object must have a unique name.

CAUSE

The attribute already exists in the schema for the Membership Directory.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this error, it is necessary to use the MMC version of the Site Server Service Admin and delete the attribute from the schema. This topic is covered in the Site Server documentation under the heading of "Working with Classes and Attributes." The basic steps are outlined below:

1. Open the MMC version of the Site Server Service Admin.



2. Expand the Personalization and Membership Tree and obtain the TCP Port for the instance of the Membership Server that you are working with in the HTML version of the Site Server Service Admin.



3. Right-click the Membership Directory Manager and enter the TCP Port into the properties dialog box.



4. Expand the Membership Directory Manager and locate the schema for the Membership Server. You will find the schema under ou=Admin.



5. Locate the attribute that you were trying to add in the HTML version of the "Site Server Service Admin" and delete it.

STATUS

This behavior is by design.

The HTML version of the Site Server Service Admin is not able to determine the reference count on the attribute so does not delete the attribute. Doing so could affect other objects that refer to the attribute. The MMC-based Site Server administration utilities is able recognize this situation and will warn the user.

MORE INFORMATION

This error would typically be encountered if a user has entered an attribute for a content type and decided to change the Attribute Syntax of the attribute. For example if the attribute docAuthor were added with an Attribute Syntax of "Vocabulary Term," and it was decided to change the Attribute Syntax to "string," the user would need to delete the attribute and re-add it with the new Attribute Syntax. The "An object with that name already exists" error would be encountered.

Additional query words:

Keywords          : kberrmsg prodsitesrv3 
Version           : winnt:3.0
Platform          : winnt 
Issue type        : kbprb 

Last Reviewed: February 2, 1999