setting database path at runtime [RESOLVED]

[RichardAtherton]

Her is the scenario, I have an application, gone through all the heartache of development and most of the heataches in deployment. Now my dilemma.

It is meant to work as both a LAN based applcation and single computer.
My cunning plan is to install the database and the crystal reports on the server and a simple .exe on each of the client machines that reference the reports and database on the server.

My problem., what is the best way to tell the client.exe where to find the reports and the database.

Its an MSACCESS 2000 database, but it really should not matter as all I need to do is to be able to modify a connection string to point to the right location.

At the moment the best idea I can come up with is a text based file which is read on start up and contains the path to the folder on the server, but that seems so inelegant and manual requiring a virtual manual installon each client machine, I have to think there is a better way.

Has anyone else had to face this situation and if so what method did they adopt.

By the way I am talking simple workgroups ,here not full Server 2003, as the appplication has to work on basic windows 98 machines and not a full winsock type installation just a more file server approach.

[DevGrp]

A text file is the best place to store that information. You can use an xml based configuration file. Thats the only way you are gonna get the db path at run time. And if you decide to change the db server you can always edit the xml file.

[RichardAtherton]

Thanks Devgrp, I knew that would be a method that would work, just hated the fact that I would have to create an 'installion diskette' that you used on every workstation, to create the text file.

I did a good search on the net and could find no better answer so I'm closing this as resolved.

Thinking about it, there are just too many variables, you would have to know the name of the server and create the mapped drive connection. Simply better to install the database at a known location and then supply that inofrmation in a text file and use that whenever you connect.