What does HRESULT 0x00040001 (OLE_S_STATIC) mean?

OLE_S_STATIC

Static OLE presentation completed successfully

OLE_S_STATIC is HRESULT 262145 (0x00040001) from winerror.h. The documented description is “Success, but static.” The high-order severity bit is clear, so this is a success result, but it carries more information than plain S_OK.

The operation succeeded, but the resulting OLE object is static presentation data rather than an active embedded object with a runnable server.

State to verify

The central question is whether the container can display and persist the presentation format but must not assume verbs, linking, or live editing are available.

Where the result is encountered

• This result can appear in creation from clipboard or data-object content; record the producing interface and method.
• It can appear in legacy document conversion; record the producing interface and method.
• It can appear in containers that preserve an image or metafile when the original server is unavailable; record the producing interface and method.

Evidence to preserve

• Preserve CLSID or static-format marker.
• Preserve FORMATETC and storage medium.
• Preserve presentation dimensions and aspect.
• Preserve whether a server application is registered.
• Preserve save/reload results for the static object.

Diagnostic sequence

• Capture the raw HRESULT 0x00040001 immediately after the returning method and record whether the caller used SUCCEEDED, FAILED, equality testing, or exception translation.
• Verify the method-specific state: the container can display and persist the presentation format but must not assume verbs, linking, or live editing are available.

Correct handling, retry, and recovery

Accept the object when a static representation satisfies the user operation. Disable or explain edit verbs that require a live server, and preserve the presentation data during save.

Practical validation scenario

A document pastes a metafile from an old source and receives it. The container renders and saves it, labels it as non-editable, and verifies that reopening the document retains the image.

Difference from nearby HRESULT values

OLE_S_USEREG redirects metadata lookup to registration; it classifies the created object as non-active presentation content.

Developer and administrator guidance

Tests should verify both the encoded condition and the resulting outputs. A test that checks only SUCCEEDED cannot detect stale counts, partial streams, adjusted properties, missing callbacks, or other code-specific effects.

References

• Microsoft: COM error codes for OLE
• Microsoft: OleCreateStaticFromData
• Microsoft: HRESULT values