Hi SP,

You should have no problems accessing the Design Workflow database on your other XP PC (PC#1) from your current Vista PC (PC#2).

You will need to make some small changes to your database in the Wilcom Design Workflow Administration application though.

Note: Page 41 (chapter "Sharing the sample database with other users") of the Wilcom Design Workflow user manual covers these steps is detail.

First and foremost, both PC's must be on the same Domain or Workgroup network.

Secondly, you need to share all the folders containing the Design Workflow files on your "server" which from what you described is your XP machine (PC#1):

Default file locations are:

    Designs             C:\SampleDatabase\Designs
    Stitch Files        C:\SampleDatabase\Machine Files
    Associated Files    C:\SampleDatabase\Associated Files

You can simply share the master folder C:\SampleDatabase

Next, as you accessing the database through a network you will need to change the File locations from a System Path to a Network Path. IE:

System Path = C:\SampleDatabase\Designs

Network Path = \\server\SampleDatabase\Designs

("SERVER" being the computer name which you can find out by right-clicking on "My Computer" and selecting Properties)

This needs to be done so when you access a database record and attempt to open a file it will look for the design on the Server computer (PC#1) and not the local C: (PC#2) you are using at the time.

[Page 67 of the Design Workflow user manual]

Finally, to access the database you need to the UDL file in a shared location as well. Best to put it in the same location you shared above. IE: \\server\DatabaseFiles\wilcom\

From both PC's you Add a database in Workflow and browse to the same UDL file in the shared location.

This will access the correct database on the correct PC (Server).

Again check out the chapter "Sharing the sample database with other users" on page 41 of the DW user manual.

Good luck and happy Workflowing

Brenden,

I completed all the steps as you described and when I try to connect/add the database UDL to the Vista DW DB, I get a connection failed message stating "The attempt to connect to the database timed out, Would you like to try again?" .  I click retry and the same message pops back.   I've made all the folders shared as you described and changed the file locations to point to my server\\office\DW_database\designs).  And the UDL file resides on the same main shared folder: \\office\DW_database\.

Am I missing anything?

My server PC (WinXP) is still running the service pack 3 and MSDE, do I need to upgrade the XP MSDE to the SQL 2005 server?

Thanks,

SP

I have recently spend a lot of time working through some file sharing issues between my Vista and XP networked computers and I think I can help--but cannot guarantee my solution will work on your system.  The first time I saw the SQL server was when I installed MS Office 2003.  It was supposed to add a Business Contact Manager program onto Outlook.  Apparently there was a bug in the original XP version.  Microsoft has released a new version of the SQL server that works on the XP and Vista programs and allows some programs that could not communicate with each other in my system to do so now.  Some useful information can be found at:  http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/access/HP030895781033.aspx?pid=CH062526811033.  For my system, I found the correct file to download through Office Update 2003.

I can't tell you which version of their many updates to install, but you should be able to go to MS Update on your XP computer and specify updates for your Windows Version and the other MS programs you are running and, with a bit of difficulty, find the correct file to download and install (I recommend using the System Tools to make a Restore Point before the download and install just in case...).

It was not until I had correct SQL Server installed that my file sharing between Vista and XP fully worked.  Let me know if this helps you.

Sharon