What does HRESULT 0x0004D004 (XACT_S_OKINFORM) mean?

XACT_S_OKINFORM

Transaction sink requests another notification pass

XACT_S_OKINFORM is HRESULT 315396 (0x0004D004) from winerror.h. The documented description is “No changes were made during this call, but the sink wants another chance to look if any other sinks make further changes.” The severity bit indicates a nonfailure result, but the value carries a specific condition that must not be collapsed into plain S_OK.

In the COM transaction and MSDTC protocol, this result means that no changes were made during this call, but the sink wants another chance to look if any other sinks make further changes. Ordinary completion must not be inferred from it until the owning component’s state and outputs agree.

What must be true before accepting it

Verify that the sink made no change now but remains eligible to review changes made later by other sinks. Only this contract check establishes that this result is safe for the caller’s next step.

Where the status is encountered

• This result can be returned during ITransaction commit or abort processing; log the exact method and object state instead of interpreting the constant outside that contract.
• It can be returned during resource-manager enlistment and coordinated outcomes; log the exact method and object state instead of interpreting the constant outside that contract.
• It can be returned during transaction event-sink notification passes; log the exact method and object state instead of interpreting the constant outside that contract.

Evidence to preserve

• Preserve sink identity and order.
• Preserve state snapshot reviewed.
• Preserve changes made by later sinks.
• Preserve number of inform passes.
• Preserve final vote.

Correct handling and recovery

Keep the sink in the inform sequence and invoke it again only under the transaction protocol when later changes occur. Avoid busy loops when no new state exists.

Before another call following it, confirm that completed side effects are idempotent or reconciled.

Practical scenario

A validation sink sees no changes, returns this status, and is called again after another sink adjusts a resource. On the second pass it validates the new state.

Difference from nearby results

A nearby HRESULT can change object ownership, output validity, or the permitted next method.

References

• Microsoft: COM transaction status codes — official Microsoft material relevant to this HRESULT.
• Microsoft: ITransaction::Commit
• Microsoft: ITransaction::Abort
• Microsoft: HRESULT values