Visual Basic 3.0 Connection Issues with Paradox 4.X Databases

• Standard and Professional Editions of Microsoft Visual Basic for Windows, version 3.0

SUMMARY

This article lists some of the common error messages that you get when you try to connect to a Paradox version 4.x database in Visual Basic 3.0 with the Microsoft Jet 2.0/Visual Basic 3.0 Compatibility Layer. This article also lists many of the errors' causes.

MORE INFORMATION

The following is a list of some of the common error messages you may encounter when working with the Paradox version 4.x database from Microsoft Visual Basic version 3.0:

Couldn't find net path or user name

When you try to connect to a Paradox version 4.x database, you may receive the error message, "Couldn't find net path or user name." This error message usually indicates that one or more Paradox initialization settings is missing or incorrect. All initialization files for the database engine should have the correct entries for the [Paradox ISAM] section. This includes the VB.INI, MSACC20.INI, and any application initialization files that are using the Jet 2.0 database engine. The initialization files must have a [Paradox ISAM] section similar to the following:

   [Paradox ISAM]
   ParadoxUserName=joe
   ParadoxNetPath=N:\SYSTEM
   ParadoxNetStyle=4.x
   CollatingSequence=Ascii

ParadoxNetPath must be a valid path to the file PDOXUSRS.NET. The PDOXUSRS.NET file is used to manage multiuser access to Paradox databases. It is very important that all applications in a multiuser situation have the same path to the PDOXUSRS.NET file. This includes applications using the Jet 2.0 database engine, applications using a Paradox ODBC driver, and any other programs that may be accessing Paradox databases.

ParadoxNetStyle must be set to 4.x in the initialization files of any program using the Access 2.0 database engine to read Paradox version 4.x databases, if the PDOXUSRS.NET file style is 4.x. Otherwise, the ParadoxNetStyle should be set to 3.x.

If the ParadoxUserName, ParadoxNetPath, or ParadoxNetStyle entry is not present in the initialization file, you will receive the error message, "Couldn't find net Path or user name."

Couldn't open PDOXUSRS.NET

When you try to connect to a Paradox version 4.x database, you may also receive the error message, "Couldn't open PARADOX.NET." This error message can indicate that the path specified in one of your initialization files is incorrect. If this happens, verify that all applications accessing the Paradox version 4.x database have the same path to the PDOXUSRS.NET file and that the path is correct. In particular, check the ParadoxNetPath entry in the VB.INI (application initialization) file.

Reserved error (-5030); there is no message for this error

It is also possible for you to receive the error message, "Reserved error (- 5030); there is no message for this error" when you try to connect to a Paradox version 4.x database in Visual Basic. This error message can indicate that the ParadoxNetStyle entry is incorrect. Typically, the ParadoxNetStyle is set to 3.x when it should be set to 4.x. If this happens, verify that ParadoxNetStyle entries for applications using the Access 2.0 database engine are set to 4.x.

Reserved error (-5029); there is no message for this error

Another possible error message is "Reserved error (-5029); there is no message for this error." This error message can indicate that multiple users are trying to open a Paradox database with correct but different ParadoxNetPath entries. For example, if one user has a ParadoxNetPath of X:\PDN and another user has a net path of Z:\PDN, the error message occurs if both X: and Z: point to the same location on the network where the PDOXUSRS.NET file is located. To fix the problem, both users have to write the exact same ParadoxNetPath (in this case, either X:\PDN or Z:\PDN).

Couldn't find installable ISAM

The error message, "Couldn't find installable ISAM" occurs if your connect string does not correctly specify "Paradox 4.x" as the ISAM database or if you do not have a corresponding entry in the [Installable ISAM] section of your INI file.

Please see the following Microsoft Knowledge Base article for complete information on setting up an INI file and using the [Installable ISAM] section:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q107672
   TITLE     : Possible Reasons for Couldn't Find Installable ISAM Error