Data source configuration wizard sets absolute path of the database

[Erden]

Hello,

I am using VS2008 and access database.

I keep my database from application data folder. When I try to run the program in a different computer, I see in the error message, absolute path of the database file even though I used relative path. When I search the path as a string in the entire solution I found it in three files:

Settings.Designer.vb
Settings.settings (xml code)
app.config (xml code)

Is there an easy way to solve this problem or should I edit the files manually?

[jmcilhinney]

If you want to specify the program folder in a connection string then you use |DataDirectory|. If you want to change a connection string after deployment then you change it in the config file.

[Erden]

This is how I define my connection string in the code.

    Dim appDataFolder As String = Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.ApplicationData)
    'connection string
    Dim cnStr As String = "Driver={Microsoft Access Driver (*.mdb)};" & _
                  "DBQ=licence_manager_2003.mdb;" & _
                  "DefaultDir=" & appDataFolder & "\MyDataFolder;" & _
                  "Uid=Admin;Pwd=;"

I also changed settings.designer

        <Global.System.Configuration.ApplicationScopedSettingAttribute(), _
         Global.System.Diagnostics.DebuggerNonUserCodeAttribute(), _
         Global.System.Configuration.SpecialSettingAttribute(Global.System.Configuration.SpecialSetting.ConnectionString), _
         Global.System.Configuration.DefaultSettingValueAttribute("Provider=Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0;Data Source=""|DataDirectory|\MyDataFolder" & _
            "\licence_manager_2003.mdb""")>

I also set |DataDirectory| folder while the main form loads:

    Private Sub Form1_Load(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load

        AppDomain.CurrentDomain.SetData("DataDirectory", Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.ApplicationData))

However it is pointing the debugging directory and I get "not a valid path" error.

What is wrong here? I am a beginner, what is the proper way to do that? Could you please explain in detail?

[jmcilhinney]

There's no point setting the DataDirectory if you're not using |DataDirectory| in your connection string. This:

    Dim cnStr As String = "Driver={Microsoft Access Driver (*.mdb)};" & _
                  "DBQ=licence_manager_2003.mdb;" & _
                  "DefaultDir=|DataDirectory|\MyDataFolder;" & _
                  "Uid=Admin;Pwd=;"

Also, don't use ODBC unless you have to. For Access, use OLE DB.