Added: May/24/2006 at 11:36pm | IP Logged

I have an interesting problem.  I set up the auto listings application around two years ago and everything has worked well until now.  I changed nothing but my connection string suddenly stopped working to the database.  To make a long story short after many fruitless "fixes", I assumed the database had become corrupted so I wiped the site clean and uploaded a fresh copy of the application, changing the connection string from the suggested one to this more specific version (the suggested string would not connect still, even with the fresh copy of the application):

ListingsConnectionString = "Provider=Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0;Data Source=\\NAWINFS03\home\users\web\b1091\rh.autooutlet\_datab ase\asplistings_access2002.mdb;Jet OLEDB:Database Password=temp;"

This string produces no error messages and everything appears to work quite well in the admin area, including adding new vehicles to the inventory.  However, upon returning to the home page after adding a vehicle I found that the vehicle does not appear there, nor does it appear when I click the link for the category it is under nor when I search for it.  I went back into admin and it was there and appeared normally.  I completely logged out and cleared my cache then went to the home page again... no vehicle still until I logged into admin.  This is the same problem I was having that made me start clean.  Is something wrong at the server level?  My host is readyhosting (http://www.readyhosting.com) and the site that I'm working on is http://www.bennettsautooutlet.com.  You can log in under the default username/password for now if you want to check it out.  Any help you can provide is much appreciated!  I'm pretty savvy with ASP VbScript but this one has me puzzled to the max.   Thanks!

Added: May/24/2006 at 11:45pm | IP Logged

Chances are the old database was fine so I hoped you saved it.


You dont want to connect like that "Provider=Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0"
The app will have issues with the oledb driver, possibly like what you are showing.

Connect like my example connection strings show... and let me know what happens

sorta like so

ListingsConnectionString = "DBQ=\\NAWINFS03\home\users\web\b1091\rh.autooutlet\_datab ase\asplistings_access2002.mdb;Driver={Microsoft Access Driver (*.mdb)};UID=Admin;Password=temp"



Also, that \\ means its a network path (UNC Share) and thats a big (no no) for hosting companies to set things up that way... it can cause all sorts of issues as well as poor performance when connecting to the database

My guess on why things that were working stopped is that is your host made some server setup changes to use UNC pathing and broke things that were working ??? Maybe ?

Below are my thoughts on that taken from an old thread I responded to.

thats a network drive path and in my opinion a very poor way for them to have set things up. It can work as long as permissions get set there and they have the anonymous webserver accounts set up correctly to handle that scenario, but performance isn't the best because your accessing the access database over the network. Access databases are not just not meant to be connected to over the network in a web based scenario. Quality ASP hosting companies do not set up their servers that way and it can often be difficult to get things running as it is a more complex setup on their end. Meaning if they dont synchronize the IUSR_machine accounts correctly you'll have permission issues.

http://www.aspfaq.com/show.asp?id=2168

Added: May/25/2006 at 12:18am | IP Logged

Hi Chris,

I put in the connection string you sent and I’m getting the cryptic error “Catastrophic failure”.

Is it time to change web hosts or is there a workaround?  In the server_info page, it’s showing the OLEDB is not even installed…I wonder if they’ve got a corrupted driver??

Thanks,

Joe

Added: May/25/2006 at 12:26am | IP Logged

there is nothing corrupt... it is just what happens when hosts set their stuff up like that...

as for the ole driver problems it is because my code isnt optimized for it and there are differences when connecting that way... like how your not seeing vehicles... it all has to do with the sql statements really...


anyway...
run the extras/server_info page and tell me what the server version is ??

Added: May/25/2006 at 12:29am | IP Logged

Server Version is 5.6

Build 8827

Added: May/25/2006 at 12:35am | IP Logged

ServerName	www.bennettsautooutlet.com
ScriptName	/extras/server_info.asp
ServerProtocol	HTTP/1.1
PathInfo	/extras/server_info.asp
PathTranslated	\\NAWINFS03\home\users\web\b1091\rh.autooutlet\extras\server _info.asp
FILE SYSTEM OBJECT	Installed
ADODB (ActiveX Data Object)	Not Installed
CDONTS	Version: 2.8 Installed
SMTPMail	Not Installed
JMail	Version: 4.4 Installed
AspEmail	Installed
AspMail	Not Installed
SAFILEUP	Not Installed
Dundas Upload	Not Installed
ASPImage	Not Installed
Script Engine
Type	VBScript
Version	5.6
Build	8827

Added: May/25/2006 at 1:09am | IP Logged

no, you dont.. there was only ever one version

I just thought that was in the app as I did that in some later apps...  oops

I am pretty tired as it is lik 1 am here..

Go through the code... like the "categories_inc.asp" page..   look for

(Ad_Active = 1)

change it to

(Ad_Active = -1)

then run things and see if the numbers show up on the categories..

then if that works... do the same thing in "items_inc.asp" and "items2_inc.asp"

the ole driver is gay and does things differently... there may be more issues than that but other than get a new host..

if that is confusing you'll have to wait till tommor as I am going to sleep

Added: May/25/2006 at 12:20pm | IP Logged

any luck ?

If you need a good host for ASP who knows wht they are doing I always suggest www.alentus.com

Added: May/26/2006 at 1:01am | IP Logged

Thanks, Chris,

I haven't had a chance to put in the last fixes yet, and I'm going out of town until Tuesday but I'll try it when I get back.

Thanks for the heads up about alentus also.

Added: May/26/2006 at 1:16am | IP Logged

Well I was so curious that I stayed up late tonight to put in your fixes.  They worked and all is well!  I was relieved to find that I backed up the old database also!  Thanks, Chris, you're the man!