Global Database and SQL Server Compact

Posted by Phil on Sat 03 of Oct, 2009 17:40 GMT Germany

I have already added a comment to an old thread about this, but I think that it deserves its own topic in the forum.

Starting with version 4.65.0018, the Add-In uses SQL Server Compact 3.5 for the global database.

This is the default configuration for new installations. If you install over an existing version, your existing global database will not be modified (but you can switch to SQL Server Compact if you wish).

If SQL Server Compact 3.5 (SP1) is not already installed on the system, then it will be downloaded and installed automatically.

SQL Server (standard version) is still supported, but the database file is no longer part of the installation. I intend to make a separate installation package with the SQL Server database file.

Access is still supported for backward compatibility. I know that errors occur with Access under Windows Vista, and I do not intend to support it in future.

If you are not familiar with SQL Server Compact 3.5, it is simple file based, in process database engine, which makes a good replacement for the Jet (=Access) database engine. Originally, it was developed for Windows CE, but is now available for desktop systems.

Phil

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Posted by Phil on Fri 09 of Oct, 2009 22:45 GMT Germany

Installation problems are about the most frustrating problems there are, in particular because most (potential) users don't tell you about them. They just don't use the program.

I have found (to my surprise) that normal users under Vista do not have write-access to files in the common application data folder. I understand that Microsoft (and many IT departments) don't want you to have write-access to files in the Program Files folder, which is why you should use the application data folder.

For this reason, I install the global database file (for SQL Server Compact 3.5) into the common application data folder. Under Vista this is usually C:\ProgramData\MultiLang. In the previous version of the installation, it was not possible to open the database, because normal users do not have write-access to the file.

I have now modified the installation to grant modify access to this file to users. This is in the latest version of the installation which I uploaded a few minutes ago.

(Since I haven't actually modified the program, I have not updated the version number, which is 4.65.0020).

Please, if you have any problems with the installation, give me some feedback.

Phil

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