ODBC Driver for Goldmine 5.5

[dgillz]

I need to setup an ODBC DSN to point to Goldmine 5.5 data, but I don't know what driver to use. I am using the .dbf file based version of Goldmine, not the SQL version.

Any insights appreciated.

Software Sales, Training, Implementation and Support for Macola, eSynergy, and Crystal Reports

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[richardy]

Hi,

Use the Microsoft dBase IV driver.

Regards,

Richard.
PRIOR Analytics UK

http://www.prior-analytics.com

Winners of the LBA Customer Service Award.

 

[dgillz]

I need a fully functional, read/write driver. When I try to create a link table in MS Access using this driver, I get the following error message:

You cannot use ODBC to import from, export to, or link an external Microsoft Jet or ISAM table to your database.

Doesn't Goldmine provide their own ODBC Driver?

Software Sales, Training, Implementation and Support for Macola, eSynergy, and Crystal Reports

http://www.gainfocus.biz

 

[goner]

http://support.frontrange.com/attachments/manuals/goldmine/5_7/goldmineapi_67.pdf

Doug Castell
Castell Computers
(310)601-4738

http://www.castellcomputers.com

 

[dgillz]

This appars to be about API, not ODBC. DO you have anything on ODBC? Preferably less than 386 pages?

Software Sales, Training, Implementation and Support for Macola, eSynergy, and Crystal Reports

http://www.gainfocus.biz

 

[goner]

The answer doesn't make sense because your question doesn't make sense. ODBC drivers are for particular database formats -- Access, Oracle, MySQL, MSSQL, etc. GoldMine is not a database format, it's an application. There isn't an 'ODBC driver for GoldMine'.

If you want to query data from GoldMine, you can use it's API or you can go straight to the dBase or MSSQL files (depending on the database format your GoldMine uses.) If you want to WRITE to GoldMine, you really need to use the API unless you are very confident that you know it's database structures inside and out.


Doug Castell
Castell Computers
(310)601-4738

http://www.castellcomputers.com

 

[dgillz]

OK, I'll give you that. So given that I am using the .dbf not the MS SQL database, what ODBC driver should I use? I tried the MS Dbase IV driver and got the error I mentioned in my first post.

Software Sales, Training, Implementation and Support for Macola, eSynergy, and Crystal Reports

http://www.gainfocus.biz

 

[goner]

The MS dBase IV ODBC would be the best driver to choose for your purposes, I'd say.

However, beyond stating that it's not a very good idea to allow writes to a GoldMine table linked in Access, I'd think this question would be more appropriate in the Access forum as it's probably giving you fits as a result of some odd Access setting.

Take a look at the GoldMine API manual and the DDE stuff. You can pass updates to GoldMine through that functionality or other API flavors based on your Access stuff. Just kicking off a basic "Update Contact1 set Recid='12341342134'" isn't going to promote stability in the GoldMine database...

Doug Castell
Castell Computers
(310)601-4738

http://www.castellcomputers.com

 

[dgillz]

All I am going to do is update address and phone info, so that should not be too dangerous.

However, please read my original post -- I cannot use the Microsoft drivers.







Software Sales, Training, Implementation and Support for Macola, eSynergy, and Crystal Reports

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[goner]

Well, if you do update those fields directly, your GoldMine users will have problems with updated data not properly synchronizing with their Outlook, Palm Devices and remote users... If no one syncs now and no one ever plans to sync, EVER, then I guess your plan is okay...

As for your original problem attempting to use the ODBC drivers inside of Access to link external tables, I'd think the question would be more appropriate in the MS Access forum as it isn't really a GoldMine-Specific problem and is probably some strange Access thing... Maybe someone here will have experience doing what you're attempting, but more than likely not -- as it's well known in GoldMine circles that it's not a good idea to directly update the data like that.

Doug Castell
Castell Computers
(310)601-4738

http://www.castellcomputers.com