ODBC setup

[Guest]

We are running an SBS2000 network with around 40 clients being 60% Windows
2000 Pro and 40% WinXP Pro. We have around 3 member servers (not DC) and one
of the servers is a SQL server running SQL 2000.

A user on the domain has created a dBasev5.7 form that needs an ODBC System
DSN connection from the client to the SQL server in order for his form to be
populated with data. He wanted to roll out the DSNs to all the machines on
the network via Group Policy - I did a bit of digging around in the
Newsgroups and someone suggested this automated way by running a vbs script:
http://www.databasejournal.com/features/mssql/article.php/2238221. Although
this works - we have a slight problem. We have no idea if this is to do with
dBase (it uses 16-bit architecture) but when we roll out the DSNs using the
script the registry gets updated (HKEYLOCAL
MACHINE>SOFTWARE>ODBC>ODBC.INI...) with all the right keys (as if you set it
up manually in Control Panel's ODBC) but we need to go through the System DSN
wizard (to the last page of the wizard) and click the "Test connection"
button in order for the dBase program to access the ODBC database connection.
It seems as if the ODBC System DSN is dead without clicking the "Test
Connection" button.

Questions:
1. Is it a requirement to hit the Test Network Connection button on the
last page of the wizard. I thought that this was only for troubleshooting?
2. It appears that this "Test Connection" button in the wizard posts a
registry key to allow the ODBC SYstem DSN (it has created) to be used. Where
abouts is this registry key?
3. Is there a Group Policy way of doing this? Chances are we may change
settings in the future and may want a server-side script running to update
any changes to clients automatically.

Please help.

THanks,

Skc

 

[Anthony Yates]

Have you written the keys under HKLM\Software\Microsoft\MSSQLServer?
Anthony

 

[Dave Patrick]

Verify that you have a Reg_Sz string named for each one in;
HKLM\SOFTWARE\ODBC\ODBC.INI\ODBC Data Sources

and also the subkey for each DSN
HKLM\SOFTWARE\ODBC\ODBC.INI\

--
Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft MVP [Windows]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect

:
| We are running an SBS2000 network with around 40 clients being 60% Windows
| 2000 Pro and 40% WinXP Pro. We have around 3 member servers (not DC) and
one
| of the servers is a SQL server running SQL 2000.
|
| A user on the domain has created a dBasev5.7 form that needs an ODBC
System
| DSN connection from the client to the SQL server in order for his form to
be
| populated with data. He wanted to roll out the DSNs to all the machines
on
| the network via Group Policy - I did a bit of digging around in the
| Newsgroups and someone suggested this automated way by running a vbs
script:
| http://www.databasejournal.com/features/mssql/article.php/2238221.
Although
| this works - we have a slight problem. We have no idea if this is to do
with
| dBase (it uses 16-bit architecture) but when we roll out the DSNs using
the
| script the registry gets updated (HKEYLOCAL
| MACHINE>SOFTWARE>ODBC>ODBC.INI...) with all the right keys (as if you set
it
| up manually in Control Panel's ODBC) but we need to go through the System
DSN
| wizard (to the last page of the wizard) and click the "Test connection"
| button in order for the dBase program to access the ODBC database
connection.
| It seems as if the ODBC System DSN is dead without clicking the "Test
| Connection" button.
|
| Questions:
| 1. Is it a requirement to hit the Test Network Connection button on the
| last page of the wizard. I thought that this was only for
troubleshooting?
| 2. It appears that this "Test Connection" button in the wizard posts a
| registry key to allow the ODBC SYstem DSN (it has created) to be used.
Where
| abouts is this registry key?
| 3. Is there a Group Policy way of doing this? Chances are we may change
| settings in the future and may want a server-side script running to update
| any changes to clients automatically.
|
| Please help.
|
| THanks,
|
| Skc