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CI_E_INVALID_FLAGS_COMBINATION
The supplied content-index flags are mutually incompatible
CI_E_INVALID_FLAGS_COMBINATION is HRESULT 0x80041819. Windows documents it as “The combination of flags specified is invalid.”
Interpretation in context
This result belongs to validating option bits before a helper or catalog operation begins. Each flag may be known individually, but the combined semantics are not allowed.
Conditions to test
- Two exclusive modes are enabled.
- A dependent flag lacks its prerequisite.
- Flags from different API versions are ORed together.
- Uninitialized memory contributes stray bits.
Compare the failing case with a control that preserves raw flag mask and symbolic expansion and changes only API and component version; this prevents unrelated environment differences from dominating the test.
Incident record
- Check raw flag mask and symbolic expansion.
- Check API and component version.
- Check default flags before modification.
- Check call site that assembled the mask.
Capture raw flag mask and symbolic expansion before releasing objects, closing handles or reconnecting. Retain the raw HRESULT with API and component version, component version, UTC timestamp and correlation ID.
Step-by-step diagnosis
- Decode every bit including unknown ones.
- Start from a zero/default mask and add options individually.
- Check documented prerequisites and exclusions.
- Use strongly typed flag builders instead of integer reuse.
Preserve the component version and target identity, then alter only the condition described as each flag may be known individually, but the combined semantics are not allowed.
Retry decision
Construct a permitted mask and retry before side effects begin. Do not remove flags randomly in production. Record whether validating option bits before a helper or catalog operation begins produced any content, update or state transition before returning.
Retry only after a concrete change in raw flag mask and symbolic expansion or API and component version.
What the value cannot establish
It does not mean one particular flag is globally unsupported. Without the call boundary for validating option bits before a helper or catalog operation begins, it also cannot identify which wrapper or configuration layer introduced the condition.
Adjacent contract states
DB_E_BADCOMMANDFLAGS belongs to OLE DB commands; this HRESULT is the content-index helper flag contract.
Developer and administrator actions
- Record raw flag mask and symbolic expansion with the returned HRESULT
- In telemetry, correlate API and component version with the target and component generation
- For regression coverage, force the documented condition: each flag may be known individually, but the combined semantics are not allowed
Concrete scenario
A wrapper combines full-load and incremental-load options copied from separate examples. Explicit validation rejects the impossible mode.
Official Microsoft references
- Microsoft: content-indexing helper-function values — official contract information relevant to this HRESULT.
- Microsoft: Content-Indexing values
- Microsoft: HRESULT values
- Microsoft: Windows Search SQL syntax
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