Re: OLE DB connection string in SharePoint for Sybase ASA

From: Kevin Spencer (kevin_at_DIESPAMMERSDIEtakempis.com)
Date: 01/13/05 

Date: Thu, 13 Jan 2005 11:38:58 -0500

Thanks Beth. That was very helpful.

I wen to the Sybase site and found a reference to Connection String
parameters. You might want to review it:

http://sybooks.sybase.com/onlinebooks/group-sas/awg0703e/dbugen7/@Generic__BookTextView/5012;td=50;pt=5012;uf=0#X 

-- 
HTH,
Kevin Spencer
Microsoft MVP
.Net Developer
Neither a follower nor a lender be.
"Beth" <Beth@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message 
news:6627D4A8-CB2A-451A-AB68-7B5D50BC319B@microsoft.com...
> EEEK!  Don't GULP!  The messages are very generic, I WISH they were more
> specific!  Yes, I have manually done the regsvr32 cmd to install the OLE 
> DB
> provider for the ASA db.  I have checked the registry and both ASAProv and
> ASAProv.80 are both there (I have tried using both).  Also, I have tried
> MSDASQL, but really don't understand how that works...and oledb provider 
> for
> odbc...???
>
> Anyway let me be more specific.  EEK!  I open the SharePoint website via
> FrontPage.  I open a new blank page and click on Data, Insert Data.  On 
> the
> right, the task pane comes up and where it says Database Connections(0) is
> where I WANT it to say Database Connections(1).  :)   In the old FrontPage 
> I
> was able to add my db quite easily.  :(  Anyhoo, I click on "Add to 
> Catalog"
> and up pops (like Magic) a Data Source Properties Window.  I type in
> something meaningless in the Name box under the General Tab.  On the 
> Source
> Tab, I click Configure Database Connection and that's where the fun 
> starts.
> :)  Since our illustrious management won't buy us SQL server, we must use 
> our
> "approved" Sybase ASA server/database.  Therefore, I mark "use custom
> connection string" radio button and click on edit.  when I try the 
> simplest
> string (Provider=ASAProv;Data Source=amaasa1 here is the error I get:
>
> Server Error:  An error occurred while retrieving the list of Databases 
> from
> amaasa1; The Web server cannot connect to the specified data source 
> because
> the query may contain errors, the data source may be unavailable or
> configured improperly, or your Web site is behind a proxy server or 
> firewall.
>
> If your Web site is behind a proxy server or firewall, verify that your
> server administrator (that's me) has configured the Data Retrieval 
> Services
> HTTP proxy server setting for Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services (I 
> have).
>
> That's pretty much the 'standard' error I get...  I pulled up MS Article
> #831092 "You Receive a "Server Error: An error occurred while retrieving a
> list of Databaes" error message when you open a Windows SharePoint 
> Services
> Web site in FrontPage 2003 and configure a database connection" and did
> everything in the article, except for the two SQL Server items directly 
> below
> the example of an ODBC connection string.
>
> When I put quotes around the same short connection string, I get this:
>
> Server Error:  An error occurred while retrieving the list of Databases 
> from
> amaasa1: The server for the data source returned a non-specific error when
> trying to execute your query.  Check the format and content of your query 
> and
> try again.  If the problem persists, contact the server administrator 
> (lucky
> me, eh?)  :)
>
> When I try syntax similar to that listed as an example in above-mentioned
> article, I get get the same errors as above.
>
> Thank you SOO SOOO MUCH for helping me.  :)
> Beth
>
>
> "Kevin Spencer" wrote:
>
>> You may get different errors, but you only get ONE error per Connection
>> String. It would help to know what these "different errors" ARE. The 
>> purpose
>> of an error message is to help diagnose the problem.
>>
>> As you haven't posted any, I will take a (gulp!) wild guess. Do you have 
>> the
>> OLE DB provider for your database installed on your machine?
>>
>> -- 
>> HTH,
>>
>> Kevin Spencer
>> Microsoft MVP
>> ..Net Developer
>> Neither a follower nor a lender be.
>>
>> "Beth" <Beth@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:676CD405-1856-48C3-90D8-71A1B669536E@microsoft.com...
>> > I'm trying to use an "OLE DB custom connection string" as required in
>> > SharePoint to connect to my Sybase Adaptive Server Anywhere database. 
>> > I
>> > have
>> > tried EVERY syntax possible, and depending on which syntax I use, I get
>> > different errors.  According to http://www.connectionstrings.com, the
>> > syntax
>> > for OLE DB should be a simple:
>> >
>> > Provider=ASAProv;Data Source=amaasa1
>> >
>> > As I understand it, the Data Source is the server name, and NOT an ODBC
>> > dsn.
>> > I ddo have system dsn's set up on both machines.  I've tried adding all
>> > the
>> > other possible parameters such as uid, pwd, etc. etc.  I even set up a 
>> > MS
>> > udl
>> > and let it "build" a string from that, and tried that, but it didn't 
>> > work
>> > either.  Sybase has a dbping utility that I can ping that ASA server 
>> > from
>> > the
>> > SharePoint box, of course, that doesn't use OLE DB (or any provider). 
>> > I
>> > have
>> > checked the settings and added the required info for the Proxy Server 
>> > and
>> > configured the data retrieval services.  All to no avail.  Does anyone
>> > have
>> > ANY suggestions on how to use a custom OLE DB connection string to 
>> > connect
>> > to
>> > a database in SharePoint?  This was SO EASY via ODBC in regular FP. 
>> > HEP!
>> > :)
>> > Thanks!
>>
>>
>>