Class doesn't support Automation: 'CreateObject" when creating a Scripting.Dictionary object

I'm writing a VBScript in Enterprise Architect in order to generate an output of the message definitions in my model to Excel.

This script works just fine in most cases, but for one, rather large set of messages, it fails on creating a Scripting.Dictionary object.

One time if failed on

set m_properties = CreateObject("Scripting.Dictionary")

the second time a couple of lines futher

set attributesDictionary = CreateObject("Scripting.Dictionary")

The error I'm getting is:

EAWrappers.EATaggedValue error: Class doesn't support Automation: 'CreateObject', Line:62

The weird thing is that these lines have executed perfectly for thousands of times prior to failing.

Both times the error occurred on the same message object, but when I tried to run the script for this message alone, it ran without problems.

It makes me think there is some kind of limit on the number of Dictionary Objects I'm allowed to create or something like that so I only get the error with a large enough set of messages.

The complete script that fails below. For some reason it always fails in this part, although I don't think there is anything weird or specific about this particular script.

!INC Utils.Include
!INC Local Scripts.EAConstants-VBScript
' Author: Geert Bellekens
' Purpose: A wrapper class for a all EATaggedValues
' Date: 2023-05-09

'"static" property propertyNames
dim EATaggedValuePropertyNames
set EATaggedValuePropertyNames = nothing

'initializes the metadata for EA elements (containing all columnNames of t_object
function initializeEATaggedValuePropertyNames()
	dim result
	set result = getArrayListFromQueryWithHeaders("select top 1 * from t_attributetag")
	set EATaggedValuePropertyNames = result(0) 'get the headers
	dim i
	for i = 0 to EATaggedValuePropertyNames.Count -1
		EATaggedValuePropertyNames(i) = lcase(EATaggedValuePropertyNames(i))
	next
end function

Class EATaggedValue
	Private m_properties
	
	'constructor
	Private Sub Class_Initialize
		set m_properties = Nothing
		if EATaggedValuePropertyNames is nothing then
			initializeEATaggedValuePropertyNames
		end if
	end sub
	
	public default function Item (propertyName)
		Item = me.Properties.Item(lcase(propertyName))
	end function
	
	Public Property Get Properties
		set Properties = m_properties
	End Property
	
	Public Property Get ObjectType
		ObjectType = "EATaggedValue"
	End Property
	
	Public Property Get Name
		Name = me("Property")
	End Property
	
	Public Property Get Value
		Value = me("Value")
	End Property
	
	Public Property Get Notes
		Notes = me("Notes")
	End Property

	Public function initializeProperties(propertyList)
		'initialize with new Dictionary
		set m_properties = CreateObject("Scripting.Dictionary") '<= once it failed here
		dim i
		i = 0
		dim propertyName
		for each propertyName in EATaggedValuePropertyNames
			'fill the dictionary
			m_properties.Add propertyName, propertyList(i)
			'add the counter
			i =  i + 1
		next
	end function
end class

function getEATaggedValuesForElementID(elementID, ownerType)
	dim attributesDictionary
	set attributesDictionary = CreateObject("Scripting.Dictionary") '<= the other time here
	dim sqlGetdata
	select case ownerType
		case otElement
			sqlGetdata = "select * from t_objectProperties tv where tv.Object_ID = " & elementID
		case otAttribute
			sqlGetdata = "select * from t_attributeTag tv where tv.ElementID = " & elementID
		case otConnector
			sqlGetdata = "select * from t_connectorTag tv where tv.ElementID = " & elementID
		case otMethod
			sqlGetdata = "select * from t_operationTag tv where tv.ElementID = " & elementID
	end select
	dim queryResults
	set queryResults = getArrayListFromQuery(sqlGetdata)
	dim row
	for each row in queryResults
		dim newTaggedValue
		set newTaggedValue = New EATaggedValue
		newTaggedValue.initializeProperties row
		'add to dictionary based on ID
		attributesDictionary.Add newTaggedValue("ea_guid"), newTaggedValue
	next
	'return
	set getEATaggedValuesForElementID = attributesDictionary
end function

That particular error is quite misleading.

The likely cause is a memory leak that is affecting COMs ability to instantiate a new instance of the Scripting.Dictionary object.

Apparently, COM does report this error for memory leaks, which in itself is quite confusing (cannot confirm this as there is no official source for this claim).

>Sometimes, instead of out-of-memory errors, COM raises automation errors or interface errors.

As for what to do to fix this, unfortunately, if it is a memory leak the only solution is to chuck more resources at it (RAM etc).