Can't find its a$$ with both hands in its pockets.

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Can't find its a$$ with both hands in its pockets.

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Topic

blindman
Master Smack Fu Yak Hacker

2365 Posts

Posted - 2005-11-08 : 15:01:13

We have a client accounting application (ACCPAC) that has a configuration wizard for connecting to databases. The wizard collects the following information:

Server: servername\instancename
Login ID: sa (will change after testing!)
Password: saPassword
Database: DatabaseName

Now, from a client we can run this configuration with these parameters and connect with no problems. But now we have to be able to run the account software server on the same server as the database server, and when we run the configuration utility ON THE DATABASE SERVER with the same values, we get a message saying "Unable to connect to the database; database specification is not valid."
So I can't figure out why this thing can connect to the database from a client, but can find the database when it is right under its nose. Any ideas?

tkizer
Almighty SQL Goddess

38200 Posts

Posted - 2005-11-08 : 15:17:12

That doesn't appear to be a SQL Server message, well it's not one that I've seen before at least. Is there a SQL Server error number or is this an application specific message?

Have you run SQL Profiler to determine what is going on?

Tara Kizer

X002548
Not Just a Number

15586 Posts

Posted - 2005-11-08 : 15:22:40

Blind dude! You're running application code on a sql server box?

I don't think Profiler will show anything if it's not making it to the "server". You are they running accounting software on a SQL Server box? Is it like terminal services?

I don't like the sound of this.

Brett

8-)

Hint: Want your questions answered fast? Follow the direction in this link
http://weblogs.sqlteam.com/brettk/archive/2005/05/25/5276.aspx

tkizer
Almighty SQL Goddess

38200 Posts

Posted - 2005-11-08 : 15:28:04

If it is complaining about the database, then it has to have connected to the SQL Server to know anything about the databases. Well that's my reasoning at least. Who knows what the message means if it is an application one and not a SQL Server one.

Tara Kizer

blindman
Master Smack Fu Yak Hacker

2365 Posts

Posted - 2005-11-08 : 15:49:30

Right. I figure it is connecting to the server, because if I enter a bogus server name it spins for a minute before coming back and saying it can't resolve it. But with the valid server name the "can't find the database" message comes back right away.
So on a client, it connects to the database server and finds the database. But on the server, it connects to the database server and can't find the database.
Yeah, I know this is not the best setup. But I'm the consultant, not the CIO. And anybody who has worked with major accounting packages knows how poorly designed they are and how frequently they require comprises to administrative best-practices.
Could this problem have something to do with differences between the database server name and the machine name or network name of the machine? I am really at a loss when it comes to networking configuration.

tkizer
Almighty SQL Goddess

38200 Posts

Posted - 2005-11-08 : 15:54:12

Since it comes back with that message right away, SQL Profiler should be able to tell you what is going on.

I would doubt that this has anything to do with a network configuration, but who knows what the developer wrote into that application.

Tara Kizer

X002548
Not Just a Number

15586 Posts

Posted - 2005-11-08 : 15:54:37

Did you try connect with the IP and port?

How about setting up an alias for the server

Did you try profiler yet?

Brett

8-)

Hint: Want your questions answered fast? Follow the direction in this link
http://weblogs.sqlteam.com/brettk/archive/2005/05/25/5276.aspx

blindman
Master Smack Fu Yak Hacker

2365 Posts

Posted - 2005-11-08 : 17:11:40

Tried profiler. Succesfull client-side configurations show logins and logouts, but from the server-side the utility appears not to be hitting the database server at all. So, this probably has to do with confusion around the server name in the network environment.

tkizer
Almighty SQL Goddess

38200 Posts

Posted - 2005-11-08 : 17:24:41

What is the SQL Server name? Is it the default instance? What is the hostname (type hostname from a cmd window)? Is this a cluster?

Tara Kizer

scullee
Posting Yak Master

103 Posts

Posted - 2005-11-08 : 18:07:16

It might be that the client is trying to connect with shared memory or named pipes or something and having problems. Disable all the protocols except for tcp/ip and try connecting with just the ip and see how that goes.

Kristen
Test

22859 Posts

Posted - 2005-11-08 : 21:06:37

Maybe try local / localhost / 127.1.0.1 type names for the server?

Kristen

Michael Valentine Jones
Yak DBA Kernel (pronounced Colonel)

7020 Posts

Posted - 2005-11-08 : 21:15:46

Have you thought of just calling ACCPAC tech support?

CODO ERGO SUM

robvolk
Most Valuable Yak

15732 Posts

Posted - 2005-11-08 : 21:32:16

Elaborating on scullee's angle, were the clients that connected running Win95, 98, or ME, while the server is NT/2000/2003? I've seen a number of cases where SQL Server (or the ODBC driver) will try to use named pipes if it's available, and will only default to TCP/IP when it's not installed. I've even disabled named pipes on the SQL Server and still couldn't get it to connect without explicitly putting TCP/IP in the connection string.

Can you check if ACCPAC is creating/using a DSN to connect to the server? And if so, if it's using the standard driver or some third party crap it installed? Changing those settings might help.

(damn, my company is going to move to ACCPAC, now I have even more to dread)

Kristen
Test

22859 Posts

Posted - 2005-11-09 : 00:35:32

Create a database on the ACCPAC server's SQL instance with VIEWs to the real SQL box?

Kristen

jen
Master Smack Fu Yak Hacker

4110 Posts

Posted - 2005-11-09 : 00:59:32

in addition to robvolk, have you tried checking if the application has some sort of settings to make it run?

i've encountered several third party software here that most of them are restricted to specified ports/servers/networks. there might be some "registration" procedure

but MVJ advice is your best move,just ask accpac techsupport