Cannot Drop The Table Transactional Replication Error 3724

This thread is no longer active. I moved issue to a new, cleaner thread named: How can I get Transactional Republishing to work?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I've tried for more than a week to figure this one out, but have not found a solution. I'm missing some critical information that perhaps someone can share. I'm desperate and embarassed that this has kept me stuck for so long. Thanks for any assistance.

In my simplist scenario, I'm transactionally replicating a single table from database A to database B and then from database B to database C. All databases are on the same XP server (in this simplist version of the problem). This is SQL 2005 RTM. Publication A to B replicates fine. Publication B to C can't even get the snapshot to work because I get the error:

Command attempted:
drop Table "dbo"."MyReplTable"

(Transaction sequence number: 0x00004174000000E100A300000000, Command ID: 41)

Error messages:
Cannot drop the table 'dbo.MyReplTable' because it is being used for replication. (Source: MSSQLServer, Error number: 3724) Get help: http://help/3724  (fyi - there is no help here)

 

I have a simple example script where I've renamed real names to fake names, that is exactly what I run to simulate the problem. Obviously the script is wrong, but where? I used the wizard to create the whole script (I know that is my first mistake ;-) ). After I start the snapshot jobs, I get the error above.

I presume that the sp_addarticle option @pre_creation_cmd = N'drop' is part of the problem. I don't have row filters. Also, I want to be able to replicate schema modifications when necessary (like add a column or drop a column)

Perhaps the sp_addpublication @repl_freq = N'continuous' option in the AtoB publication prevents the BtoC publication from ever getting a chance to do anything, if it never lets go of the table.

If it helps, here is my script with hopefully helpfully renamed objects. My real world scenario has many articles, but this is a simple version - 2 publications each having 1 article (the same table).

 

/****** Scripting replication configuration for server MyInstance. Script Date: 3/14/2006 11:16:58 AM ******/
/****** Please Note: For security reasons, all password parameters were scripted with either NULL or an empty string. ******/

/****** Installing the server MyInstance as a Distributor. Script Date: 3/14/2006 11:16:58 AM ******/
use master
exec sp_adddistributor @distributor = N'MyInstance', @password = N''
GO
exec sp_adddistributiondb @database = N'distribution', @data_folder = N'C:Program FilesMicrosoft SQL ServerMSSQL.2MSSQLData', @data_file_size = 4, @log_folder = N'C:Program FilesMicrosoft SQL ServerMSSQL.2MSSQLData', @log_file_size = 2, @min_distretention = 0, @max_distretention = 72, @history_retention = 48, @security_mode = 1
GO

use [distribution]
if (not exists (select * from sysobjects where name = 'UIProperties' and type = 'U '))
 create table UIProperties(id int)
if (exists (select * from ::fn_listextendedproperty('SnapshotFolder', 'user', 'dbo', 'table', 'UIProperties', null, null)))
 EXEC sp_updateextendedproperty N'SnapshotFolder', N'C:ThisFolderMY2005DBWorking
epldata', 'user', dbo, 'table', 'UIProperties'
else
 EXEC sp_addextendedproperty N'SnapshotFolder', 'C:ThisFolderMY2005DBWorking
epldata', 'user', dbo, 'table', 'UIProperties'
GO

exec sp_adddistpublisher @publisher = N'MyInstance', @distribution_db = N'distribution', @security_mode = 1, @working_directory = N'C:ThisFolderMY2005DBWorking
epldata', @trusted = N'false', @thirdparty_flag = 0, @publisher_type = N'MSSQLSERVER'
GO

use [DatabaseA]
exec sp_replicationdboption @dbname = N'DatabaseA', @optname = N'publish', @value = N'true'
GO
-- Adding the transactional publication
use [DatabaseA]
exec sp_addpublication @publication = N'PubAtoB', @description = N'Transactional publication of database ''DatabaseA'' from Publisher ''MyInstance''.', @sync_method = N'concurrent', @retention = 0, @allow_push = N'true', @allow_pull = N'true', @allow_anonymous = N'true', @enabled_for_internet = N'false', @snapshot_in_defaultfolder = N'true', @compress_snapshot = N'false', @ftp_port = 21, @ftp_login = N'anonymous', @allow_subscription_copy = N'false', @add_to_active_directory = N'false', @repl_freq = N'continuous', @status = N'active', @independent_agent = N'true', @immediate_sync = N'true', @allow_sync_tran = N'false', @autogen_sync_procs = N'false', @allow_queued_tran = N'false', @allow_dts = N'false', @replicate_ddl = 1, @allow_initialize_from_backup = N'false', @enabled_for_p2p = N'false', @enabled_for_het_sub = N'false'
GO


exec sp_addpublication_snapshot @publication = N'PubAtoB', @frequency_type = 1, @frequency_interval = 0, @frequency_relative_interval = 0, @frequency_recurrence_factor = 0, @frequency_subday = 0, @frequency_subday_interval = 0, @active_start_time_of_day = 0, @active_end_time_of_day = 235959, @active_start_date = 0, @active_end_date = 0, @job_login = null, @job_password = null, @publisher_security_mode = 1


use [DatabaseA]
exec sp_addarticle @publication = N'PubAtoB', @article = N'MyReplTable', @source_owner = N'dbo', @source_object = N'MyReplTable', @type = N'logbased', @description = null, @creation_script = null, @pre_creation_cmd = N'drop', @schema_option = 0x000000000803509F, @identityrangemanagementoption = N'manual', @destination_table = N'MyReplTable', @destination_owner = N'dbo', @vertical_partition = N'false', @ins_cmd = N'CALL sp_MSins_dboMyReplTable', @del_cmd = N'CALL sp_MSdel_dboMyReplTable', @upd_cmd = N'SCALL sp_MSupd_dboMyReplTable'
GO

 

 

-----------------BEGIN: Script to be run at Publisher 'MyInstance'-----------------
use [DatabaseA]
exec sp_addsubscription @publication = N'PubAtoB', @subscriber = N'MyInstance', @destination_db = N'DatabaseB', @subscription_type = N'Push', @sync_type = N'automatic', @article = N'all', @update_mode = N'read only', @subscriber_type = 0
exec sp_addpushsubscription_agent @publication = N'PubAtoB', @subscriber = N'MyInstance', @subscriber_db = N'DatabaseB', @job_login = null, @job_password = null, @subscriber_security_mode = 1, @frequency_type = 64, @frequency_interval = 0, @frequency_relative_interval = 0, @frequency_recurrence_factor = 0, @frequency_subday = 0, @frequency_subday_interval = 0, @active_start_time_of_day = 0, @active_end_time_of_day = 235959, @active_start_date = 20060314, @active_end_date = 99991231, @enabled_for_syncmgr = N'False', @dts_package_location = N'Distributor'
GO
-----------------END: Script to be run at Publisher 'MyInstance'-----------------


use [DatabaseB]
exec sp_replicationdboption @dbname = N'DatabaseB', @optname = N'publish', @value = N'true'
GO
-- Adding the transactional publication
use [DatabaseB]
exec sp_addpublication @publication = N'PubBtoC', @description = N'Transactional publication of database ''DatabaseB'' from Publisher ''MyInstance''.', @sync_method = N'concurrent', @retention = 0, @allow_push = N'true', @allow_pull = N'true', @allow_anonymous = N'true', @enabled_for_internet = N'false', @snapshot_in_defaultfolder = N'true', @compress_snapshot = N'false', @ftp_port = 21, @ftp_login = N'anonymous', @allow_subscription_copy = N'false', @add_to_active_directory = N'false', @repl_freq = N'continuous', @status = N'active', @independent_agent = N'true', @immediate_sync = N'true', @allow_sync_tran = N'false', @autogen_sync_procs = N'false', @allow_queued_tran = N'false', @allow_dts = N'false', @replicate_ddl = 1, @allow_initialize_from_backup = N'false', @enabled_for_p2p = N'false', @enabled_for_het_sub = N'false'
GO


exec sp_addpublication_snapshot @publication = N'PubBtoC', @frequency_type = 1, @frequency_interval = 0, @frequency_relative_interval = 0, @frequency_recurrence_factor = 0, @frequency_subday = 0, @frequency_subday_interval = 0, @active_start_time_of_day = 0, @active_end_time_of_day = 235959, @active_start_date = 0, @active_end_date = 0, @job_login = null, @job_password = null, @publisher_security_mode = 1


use [DatabaseB]
exec sp_addarticle @publication = N'PubBtoC', @article = N'MyReplTable', @source_owner = N'dbo', @source_object = N'MyReplTable', @type = N'logbased', @description = null, @creation_script = null, @pre_creation_cmd = N'drop', @schema_option = 0x000000000803509F, @identityrangemanagementoption = N'manual', @destination_table = N'MyReplTable', @destination_owner = N'dbo', @vertical_partition = N'false', @ins_cmd = N'CALL sp_MSins_dboMyReplTable', @del_cmd = N'CALL sp_MSdel_dboMyReplTable', @upd_cmd = N'SCALL sp_MSupd_dboMyReplTable'
GO

 

 

-----------------BEGIN: Script to be run at Publisher 'MyInstance'-----------------
use [DatabaseB]
exec sp_addsubscription @publication = N'PubBtoC', @subscriber = N'MyInstance', @destination_db = N'DatabaseC', @subscription_type = N'Push', @sync_type = N'automatic', @article = N'all', @update_mode = N'read only', @subscriber_type = 0
exec sp_addpushsubscription_agent @publication = N'PubBtoC', @subscriber = N'MyInstance', @subscriber_db = N'DatabaseC', @job_login = null, @job_password = null, @subscriber_security_mode = 1, @frequency_type = 64, @frequency_interval = 0, @frequency_relative_interval = 0, @frequency_recurrence_factor = 0, @frequency_subday = 0, @frequency_subday_interval = 0, @active_start_time_of_day = 0, @active_end_time_of_day = 235959, @active_start_date = 20060314, @active_end_date = 99991231, @enabled_for_syncmgr = N'False', @dts_package_location = N'Distributor'
GO
-----------------END: Script to be run at Publisher 'MyInstance'-----------------