Re: ODBC problems

darrenreynolds2213_at_my-dejanews.com wrote ....

>Microsoft ODBC for Oracle 2.573.292700
>Oracle ODBC Driver 8.00.0500

<snipped>

>We're all pretty experienced programmers, so this
>is really p*g us off. HELP!

But then pretty experienced programmers would be using Delphi instead Darren.. ;-)

Seriously though, I share your frustration at the VB/ODBC problems you get when dealing with an Oracle database. I've had Oracle ODBC driver running on one PC and failing on the next identical (same hardware model and same Win'95 version) PC.

To trace the problem, I found the following very helpful: - Network Sniffer (use the one with MS's SMS or NT Server) - Using the ODBC Debugger/Tracer (use to ship with the ODBC DDK)

These allow you to dig down and find what goes on at ODBC call level and at network level. And you will be surprised at the crap that VB/ODBC/Jet Engine can come up with...

Some of the problems we could not solve - and I refused to spend too much time sorting crap out like that (especially after my repeated warnings the customer still went ahead and chose VB as the development tool for no sound technical reason other than 'it's a Microsoft product!'). Some of the other problems were solved by doing things "differently" in VB - like changing from one data access API to another for example. Needless to say, I got out of that project asap...

From a pure technical point of view, I always recommend that VB NOT be used. VB is simply too bloated and seems like a piece of software that OD'd on some glossy features, while totally ignoring some fundamental ones - like a proper OO implementation. But then after over a decade as a techie, what do I know... ;-)

regards,
Billy Received on Wed May 19 1999 - 08:39:43 CDT