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hrInvalidOnSort
Locate the failure in the Jet call chain
hrInvalidOnSort means an API unsupported by the current temporary sort/table representation was attempted.
This is the legacy Directory Service backup/restore HRESULT form of JET_errInvalidOnSort (0xC80006A6).
The key comparison is: hrIllegalOperation is table-generic; this result is specific to sort cursors. The first useful observation is to record how the temporary table was opened, materialization/forward-only flags, and the failing cursor operation. This evidence identifies an operation unsupported by the chosen temporary-table or sort implementation.
The ESE objects in play
| Diagnostic layer | temporary-table and sort cursor capabilities |
|---|---|
| Typical API surface | JetOpenTempTable or JetOpenTemporaryTable and operations permitted by the chosen strategy |
| Code-specific condition | an API unsupported by the current temporary sort/table representation was attempted |
| First corrective direction | restrict the workflow to operations supported by that temporary-table strategy or request materialization |
The lifetime of a temporary table is tied to its referencing cursors. Temporary tables may be in-memory, forward-only sort streams, or materialized B+ trees.
Questions the logs must answer
- Code-specific observation: record how the temporary table was opened, materialization/forward-only flags, and the failing cursor operation.
- all cursors whose lifetime keeps the temporary table alive; associate it with this result rather than with a later generic exception.
- temporary-table flags and whether the cursor is forward-only or materialized; associate it with this result rather than with a later generic exception.
- the operation attempted after sort creation.
Response and verification
- Freeze the failing request context and record
0xC80006A6, the Jet API name, and the current instance/session ownership. - Verify the code-specific precondition: record how the temporary table was opened, materialization/forward-only flags, and the failing cursor operation.
- Apply the targeted fix: restrict the workflow to operations supported by that temporary-table strategy or request materialization.
- Before retrying the operation, reconcile temporary-table strategy, cursor lifetime, and supported operation set.
Distinguishing signals
Actions that can hide or worsen the problem
- Do not assume a forward-only sort supports ordinary table navigation.
- Do not leak duplicated cursors that retain the temporary table.
Technical references
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