Connect to ACT! 2000 Database with Visual Studio

Hello--

Has anybody had any luck with connecting to a Act! 2000 a.k.a. Act! 5.0 database with Visual Studio 2005?

Thank you,

FtB
LVL 46
fritz_the_blankAsked:
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Mike LazarusAct! Evangelist - CRM ConsultantCommented:
Connect ... how?

Are you trying to read or write to the database? What are you attempting to achieve?
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fritz_the_blankAuthor Commented:
I have a client who's using this older version of ACT! and will continue to do so. I hope to write some add-on scripts in VB.Net for particular functions specific to his needs. If he were running 10.1 or later, there would be a way to connect relatively easy (then it would be a SQL Server Database, and ACT! provides a means of easily connecting to it).

As it stands now, the database files are .dbf, and I think that they are visual fox pro files, but I don't know for certain.

The add ons that I need to script will require both reading and writing to the database.

Thank you for taking the time to read my question.
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Mike LazarusAct! Evangelist - CRM ConsultantCommented:
If you need to read AND write ... you can only do this via the SDK. This would be the same in the new versions ... you can not write to the SQL directly, either

Not sure if the old SDK is still available for download, but I might have a copy, somewhere.

ACT! ACT! 2000, the DBF Is FoxPro ... but writing to it will damage the index files. Parts of the database use CodeBase IV and not FoxPro

What sort of scripting are you trying to do? Which tables are are wanting to read/write?
Maybe I could point you to an addon that already does it ... or to the best method
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fritz_the_blankAuthor Commented:
I looked at the SDKs, bu they only go as far back as ACT!2005.

There are a number of items that he'd like me to rework including the alarms system, email integration, automation between ACT! and practices in his office. We've looked at the existing add ons and none meet our needs.
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Mike LazarusAct! Evangelist - CRM ConsultantCommented:
Can you be a bit more specific about how you want them re-worked? I may know some more of the addons and methods than you can easily find...

Learning the old SDK isn't a trivial task ... you'd really want to NEED it before venturing down that path
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fritz_the_blankAuthor Commented:
There are many items that he wants. Here is an example:

1) he finds a new employee that needs placing
2) he wants to generate personalized email messages to may possible employers
3) for each email sent, an should be added to follow up within a couple of days
4) any notes should be able to be cross referenced by both the prospective employer and employee
5) a reference to the path and name of documents related to the search be held in the notes field

Again, this is just one item of many that he's looking for. So, it really comes down to whether or not I can connect to the database.
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Mike LazarusAct! Evangelist - CRM ConsultantCommented:
Has he considered upgrading to a current version of ACT!?

Much of this is far easier in the new versions ... at attachments and notes that are linked to multiple contacts.

In ACT! 2000, using groups for the job vacency (or employer) is one way that we used to do that.

I'll have a look for my copy of the old 2000 SDK
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fritz_the_blankAuthor Commented:
We'll have to upgrade--I would prefer not working with the old .dbf files.

Thank you for your help.
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Microsoft SQL Server 2005

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