Could not find installable ISAM

[Jason James]

Hi all,

I am creating an ASP web service and wish to connect
to an MS Access 2003 database. However, when I
attempt to access the database I get the following
error

"Could not find installable ISAM"

I found this on a Microsoft web site.

"Although you cannot link a database object to either
Microsoft Internet Information Services (.htx, .idc) or
Microsoft Active Server Pages (.asp) output formats,
you can export (export: To output data and database
objects to another database, spreadsheet, or file
format so another database or program can use the
data or database objects. You can export data to a
variety of supported databases, programs, and file
formats.) the object to the desired output format and
then attach the file in a mail program, such as
Microsoft Office Outlook 2003. "

Is it true? Do I have to use SQL server for my webservices?

If I can use MS Access 2003 database files, how do
I connect to them?

Thanks,

Jason.

 

[Scott M.]

You do not *have* to use SQL Server, you *can* use Access and your problem
is not related to this. Your problem is either your connection string is
wrong or the target machine does not have the necessary MDAC components.

The correct connection string should be
"Provider=Microsoft.JET.OLEDB.4.0;Data Source=DatabasePhyscialPath"

Having said that, Access is not meant for multi-user environments (although
it can handle a limited amount of them). You may want to consider using
MSDE with an Access front-end.

 

[Jason James]

Thanks Scott.

When I port the ocde I wrote for the WS and place it into a
winform app, everything works great.

I am therefore happy that the connection string is good and
I have the necessary MDAC files installed.

When I port the solution to SQL it all works just fine!!

Any other thoughts?

Thanks,

Jason

 

[Scott M.]

When you try this application as a web service, is it running on the same
machine as when you run it as a web form?

Has the folder containing the database AS WELL AS the database itself given
permission to the ASPNET user account for full access?

Are you sure that the database is in a virtual directory of IIS so that when
the web service tries to find it, it can? Are you also sure that the path
is specified correctly for IIS?

 

[Jason James]

Scott,
I tried it again on a different machine running VS.Net and
MS WIndows 2K and MS Office 2K (not 2003). Gave ASPNET
read and write to the DB file only (not the folder), it is
contained in a folder that is not a virtual directory, and
everything worked just fine. I am going to try again on my
other machine (running XP and MS Office 2003) and see what
happens. If ther are no known issues with MS Office 2003
and Windows XP then I must have done something stupid.
I'll let you know in a while.

Many thanks for sticking with me on this.

Jason.

 

[Scott M.]

Ok, good luck. FYI - you do not need to have Office (or Access) installed
on the machine with the database housed on it, that's what MDAC is for.

 

[Amil]

I just had this last night as well. Turned out to be the connection string;
you MUST be very careful for exact format using using "JET OLEDB:..."
elements. In my case, it was a space after the : character :-(

Amil

 

[Scott M.]

Yep. What "could not find installable ISAM" means is that the compiler
couldn't find the provider specified in the connection string. There are
only 2 reasons it would say that: either the provider is correct, but not
installed on the machine or the connection string is incorrect.

 

[Jason James]

Hi all,

thanks for all your help on this. I got there in the end. Funny how
it worked in a windows app and not a webservice though!

Regards,

Jason.