Linking to an external Actinic.mdb file

[skinnybloke]

Hi - I am using Actinic Developer v7.05 and trying to create several sites whose products will reside in one external database.

I thought that the easiest way I could do this is to set up a new Actinic site called "Master File" which I did not upload anywhere. This would give me the Actinic front end to change product details prices etc.

When I try to use "Link products to a table in an external database" from within a new site I get the error message "You are not allowed to link to a Catalog database. Please select another database"

If I choose to link to "previous.mdb" or "backup.mdb" it allows me to so I assume it checks the name of the database.

Why does it do this and is there a way I can get it to link to "Access.mdb"?

[Guest]

Hi David,

Rename the file "ActinicCatalog.mdb" to a different name and try linking it. If you go to "File|External Links", you will see the 'Select Database' window where you click 'Browse' to select the database to link to. Then you will see the 'Select Table' window where you select the table you want to link to.

[skinnybloke]

Hi Sumiya - it does allow me to access a renamed version of the database but I do not really want to ask my client to have to rename the database and rename it back again, or to remember to backup so that he can use backup.mdb.

Why can't I use ActinicCatalog.mdb from another site?

[DBurrows]

The only way to do this is to patch the Catalog.exe to bypass the check (it's only a name check).

Im not sure if you will come up against any other errors however seeing as you have tried it with a renamed database.

If you know assembly then you need to edit the exe with a hex editor and change offset 001991E0 from 74 to EB - i this is way beyond you let me know and ill send you a modified exe, however I dont think actinic will support you if you do (as they dont with modified perl scripts.)

[PeterKillian]

Hey there,

Just to help you out, A good hex editor I use is XVI32. Plus it free to download.

[skinnybloke]

Thanks for advice and offers of help. I have decided not to go down this path as the product data without the components and attributes information is a bit worthless for what I want to do.