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 12:31:48 -0500

> Yes Kevin, I have reviewed that page and tried many alternate connection
> strings. Unfortunately, none of them work. :(
> Can you maybe give me an example of how to use the MSFT OLE DB driver for
> odbc (MSDASQL) in that SharePoint connection string setting?

It wouldn't help. Each DBMS has its own proprietary set of Connection String
parameters. Have you tried contacting Sybase technical support? 

-- 
HTH,
Kevin Spencer
Microsoft MVP
.Net Developer
Neither a follower nor a lender be.
"Beth" <Beth@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message 
news:E9DC1E33-2A7B-4B13-99DD-7CD7A82088C1@microsoft.com...
> Yes Kevin, I have reviewed that page and tried many alternate connection
> strings.  Unfortunately, none of them work.  :(
> Can you maybe give me an example of how to use the MSFT OLE DB driver for
> odbc (MSDASQL) in that SharePoint connection string setting?
> beth
>
> "Kevin Spencer" wrote:
>
>> 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!
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>>
>>
>>