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[Win7/ACT6] Launching an ACT Database from WindowsExplorer
We recently migrated from Win2000 to Win7 and we are finding something strange happening with one of our applications.
Application: ACT6 (an old CRM program)
O/S: Win7 Pro 64 bit, with SP1
There are two ways to open an ACT database:
(1) Open the program and then chose the File/Open menu. At that point the program gives you a Browse box so you can navigate your way to the database file.
(2) Use WindowsExplorer to navigate to the database file. Then double click the file. ACT will then open with the database loaded.
This is akin to the two ways you can open an Excel file.
(1) Open the Excel program and then chose the File/Open menu. At that point the program gives you a Browse box so you can navigate your way to the XLS file.
(2) Use WindowsExplorer to navigate to the XLS file. Then double click the file. Excel will then open with the XLS file loaded.
We've always been able to use both methods, however we discovered today that method #2 will not work on Win7 if another user is accessing that same database. There's no error message or anything like that. You click the database file, but nothing happens.
And yet.... Method #1 does work even if another user is accessing that same database.
Background: I believe that when we first purchased the product it came with two licenses and that's why it will not allow a 3rd user on the system. However this is not a networked version of the program. That means if multiple users are accessing the same record there can be loss of data. We've never had a problem in over 10 years of heavy use (it's very rare for two users to access the same record).
Question: Why does method #2 not work in all cases?
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Gary
Application: ACT6 (an old CRM program)
O/S: Win7 Pro 64 bit, with SP1
There are two ways to open an ACT database:
(1) Open the program and then chose the File/Open menu. At that point the program gives you a Browse box so you can navigate your way to the database file.
(2) Use WindowsExplorer to navigate to the database file. Then double click the file. ACT will then open with the database loaded.
This is akin to the two ways you can open an Excel file.
(1) Open the Excel program and then chose the File/Open menu. At that point the program gives you a Browse box so you can navigate your way to the XLS file.
(2) Use WindowsExplorer to navigate to the XLS file. Then double click the file. Excel will then open with the XLS file loaded.
We've always been able to use both methods, however we discovered today that method #2 will not work on Win7 if another user is accessing that same database. There's no error message or anything like that. You click the database file, but nothing happens.
And yet.... Method #1 does work even if another user is accessing that same database.
Background: I believe that when we first purchased the product it came with two licenses and that's why it will not allow a 3rd user on the system. However this is not a networked version of the program. That means if multiple users are accessing the same record there can be loss of data. We've never had a problem in over 10 years of heavy use (it's very rare for two users to access the same record).
Question: Why does method #2 not work in all cases?
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Gary
ASKER
Hi GLComputing:
Thank you for your response.
In answer to your question:
> Is the database on one of the machines trying to connect?
No
Thank you for your response.
In answer to your question:
> Is the database on one of the machines trying to connect?
No
There should be an entry (or 2) in the event viewer of the PC when the database did not open. What are the event id's and their error codes?
ASKER
Hi GLComputing:
Thank you.
I repeated the problem scenario (described above). Then I opened EventViewer and looked at CustomViews, WindowLogs and Applications&ServicesLogs (except for the MS logs because there are too many to look at). I did not see any errors or warnings for the particular time in question.
Thank you.
I repeated the problem scenario (described above). Then I opened EventViewer and looked at CustomViews, WindowLogs and Applications&ServicesLogs (except for the MS logs because there are too many to look at). I did not see any errors or warnings for the particular time in question.
The errors will only be listed in the Windows Logs under Application or System. Yes, they are crazy large; but, that is where the problem will be listed.
ASKER
Hi Davis:
Thank you for the response.
I repeated the problem scenario (described above) at 7:05pm.
Then I opened EventViewer and checked (WindowsLogs/Application and WindowsLogs/System).
I found nothing in these logs for that particular time.
Thank you for the response.
I repeated the problem scenario (described above) at 7:05pm.
Then I opened EventViewer and checked (WindowsLogs/Application and WindowsLogs/System).
I found nothing in these logs for that particular time.
Have you tried clicking on an icon for a different database (eg the demo)?
ASKER
Hi GLComputing:
> Have you tried clicking on an icon
> for a different database (eg the demo)?
Yes, I repeated the problem scenario (described above) on 5 or 6 different database.
Same issue on all of them.
> Have you tried clicking on an icon
> for a different database (eg the demo)?
Yes, I repeated the problem scenario (described above) on 5 or 6 different database.
Same issue on all of them.
What O/S is running on the machine hosting the ACT database?
So if a user is in one database, the icon for the other databases will work, but not the one that's open?
ASKER
In answer to the question from Davis:
> What O/S is running on the machine hosting the ACT database?
I'm in the middle of migrating everything from Win2000 to Win7, however so far there's only one Win7. In the meantime I'm just experimenting to see what issues may arise when everything is converted.
There are 3 computers.
PC1 - Win2000 , the database host for Database1 (DB1)
PC2 - Win2000
PC3 - Win7
If PC2 opens DB1, PC3 cannot open it by clicking the database's file icon from WinExplorer. (Method2 mentioned above).
However it can open it via the ACT menu , File/Open (Method1 mentioned above).
So far I have only one Win7 machine to experiment with. However PC3 is running VM/XP, so I tested it there.
Here's what I found...
(1) If PC3/XP opens DB1, PC3/Win7 cannot open it by clicking the db's file icon.
(1) If PC3/Win7 opens DB1, PC3/XP can open it by clicking the db's file icon.
So there's something peculiar about Win7, that's doesn’t apply to Win2000 and XP.
In answer to the question from GLComputing:
> So if a user is in one database,
> the icon for the other databases
> will work, but not the one that's open?
Yes.
If User2 on PC2 has DB1 (on PC1) open, User3 on PC3 can open any other database on PC1. He just can't open DB1.
> What O/S is running on the machine hosting the ACT database?
I'm in the middle of migrating everything from Win2000 to Win7, however so far there's only one Win7. In the meantime I'm just experimenting to see what issues may arise when everything is converted.
There are 3 computers.
PC1 - Win2000 , the database host for Database1 (DB1)
PC2 - Win2000
PC3 - Win7
If PC2 opens DB1, PC3 cannot open it by clicking the database's file icon from WinExplorer. (Method2 mentioned above).
However it can open it via the ACT menu , File/Open (Method1 mentioned above).
So far I have only one Win7 machine to experiment with. However PC3 is running VM/XP, so I tested it there.
Here's what I found...
(1) If PC3/XP opens DB1, PC3/Win7 cannot open it by clicking the db's file icon.
(1) If PC3/Win7 opens DB1, PC3/XP can open it by clicking the db's file icon.
So there's something peculiar about Win7, that's doesn’t apply to Win2000 and XP.
In answer to the question from GLComputing:
> So if a user is in one database,
> the icon for the other databases
> will work, but not the one that's open?
Yes.
If User2 on PC2 has DB1 (on PC1) open, User3 on PC3 can open any other database on PC1. He just can't open DB1.
ASKER
I made a mistake in my earlier post, describing my last test.
In that test, the database was on PC3/XP (not on PC1) and here's what happened:
(1) If PC3/XP opens DB3 (which is on PC3/XP), PC3/Win7 cannot open it by clicking the db's file icon.
(2) If PC3/Win7 opens DB3 (which is on PC3/XP), PC3/XP can open it by clicking the db's file icon.
In that test, the database was on PC3/XP (not on PC1) and here's what happened:
(1) If PC3/XP opens DB3 (which is on PC3/XP), PC3/Win7 cannot open it by clicking the db's file icon.
(2) If PC3/Win7 opens DB3 (which is on PC3/XP), PC3/XP can open it by clicking the db's file icon.
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
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ASKER
Hi Davis:
Thank you for article about "Opportunistic Locking".
It mentions ACTdiag.exe.
The ACT6 documentation recommends this be done in order to turn off OpportunisticLocking.
Actually, after installing ACT on the Win7 computer, I did run this program. Receiving no warning messages, I assumed it worked. Now I gather that it did not.
According to the MS article above, there are two registry keys involved in OpportunisticLocking.
(1) OplocksDisabled (for Windows clients)
(2) EnableOplocks (for Windows servers)
I checked the Registry and found EnableOplocks = 0
I did not find the other key.
Since my Win7 machine is a client, and I cannot find #1, I assume it's not supported in Win7 although MS does not say this explicitly.
I guess OpportunisticLocking is a problem I will have to live with.
Anyways, that you so much for your help!
Gary
Thank you for article about "Opportunistic Locking".
It mentions ACTdiag.exe.
The ACT6 documentation recommends this be done in order to turn off OpportunisticLocking.
Actually, after installing ACT on the Win7 computer, I did run this program. Receiving no warning messages, I assumed it worked. Now I gather that it did not.
According to the MS article above, there are two registry keys involved in OpportunisticLocking.
(1) OplocksDisabled (for Windows clients)
(2) EnableOplocks (for Windows servers)
I checked the Registry and found EnableOplocks = 0
I did not find the other key.
Since my Win7 machine is a client, and I cannot find #1, I assume it's not supported in Win7 although MS does not say this explicitly.
I guess OpportunisticLocking is a problem I will have to live with.
Anyways, that you so much for your help!
Gary
OpLocks will actually cause the old Act!6 database to become corrupt ...
If so, does it make a difference if the 1st user is on the host or accessing via the Lan?
As to the number of users, it's one serial number per user - there is no different version for networks
Also, it should have no issue with multiple concurrent users if it's set up correctly.