BDE ADMINISTRATOR - Information
For GoldMine 5.x to 6.x: In GoldMine, you can access the BDE from:
{Tools} {BDE Administrator}
For GoldBox-7: Access from the Utilities menu in GoldBox-7, or through Windows Explorer. The executable is: BDEADMIN.EXE. Please see the bottom of this page for BDE info and GoldMine 7 / GoldBox 7.
There are 2 Main tabs at the BDE Administrator: Databases and Configuration. We'll take a look at the Configuration tab first, because it contains general settings.
Configuration:
There are 2 critical settings to check.
If you make changes in the big white Definition tab to the right of each setting:
Click back on the Configuration setting, and then click the blue looping Apply arrow above.
1ST SETTING:
Click the PLUS expander at Drivers.
Click the PLUS expander at Native.
Click on DBASE, and verify:
LEVEL: 5
MDX BLOCK SIZE: 1024
MEMO FILE BLOCK SIZE: 512
2ND SETTING:
Click the PLUS expander at System.
Click INIT, and verify:
DEFAULT DRIVER: DBASE
...
MAXFILEHANDLES: 255 (or greater)
...
SHAREDMEMLOCATION: 6BDE (For clarity: Six Bravo Delta Echo)
For GoldMine 7 and GoldBox-7:
Although GoldMine 7 does NOT use the BDE Administrator, GoldBox-7 requires it.
If the BDE Administrator is already on your system, use that for GoldBox-7.
The BEST installer of the BDE Administrator is GoldMine itself - versions 5.x to 6.x. If you have a demo of GoldMine 5.x to 6.x, recommend using it to install the BDE.
Try downloading and installing BDEInfoSetup.zip if you have no other choice. Ensure that you immediately access the BDE and adjust the CONFIGURATION settings as indicated above!
BDE Administrator Databases tab:
Tracks properties for each BDE Alias that you setup.
IF YOUR GOLDMINE 7 DATA IS HOSTED IN MSSQL:
If you are using Microsoft SQL Server 2005, you MUST use an ODBC connection. Check with your administrator for setting it up. If you are using Microsoft SQL Server 7 or Microsoft SQL Server 2000, you DO NOT need to setup an ODBC driver - you can use the native BDE Driver directly.
Before setting up the MSSQL BDE Alias, you will need to know 3 things beforehand:
1. The SQL Server Name.
2. The SQL Database Name of your MAIN GoldMine data (Cal, Lookup, Mailbox, etc.)
3. The SQL User Name for access to the above database.
To setup a NEW BDE Alias for GoldMine's Main data:
Right-click on the Databases tab and select New.
A small box appears in the center of your screen, entitled: New Database Alias. The Database Driver Name defaults to STANDARD, but you do not want that one.
Click the dropdown arrow and select the Driver Name called: MSSQL Click Ok.
The BDE will default the name to: MSSQL1. Right-click at the name and select Rename. Key in a more descriptive name, such as: GM7_MAIN_DATA, then press {Enter}.
At the Definition listing to the right:
DATABASE NAME: Key in the SQL Database Name for GoldMine 7's Main data.
...
SERVER NAME: Key in the SQL Server Name.
...
USER NAME: Key in the SQL User Name.
...
BLOBS TO CACHE: You may want to increase this (max value is 65535), because it indicates how many records will be selected when a memo/text field is included in your SQL query. Suggested value: 15000. You can go higher if necessary. You can always re-access this BDE Alias and adjust this setting.
Click back on the BDE Alias in the left column, then click the blue Apply arrow to Save.
If you have Contact Files OTHER THAN the one in the Main GoldMine database, repeat the above steps for each - if you need GoldBox-7 to be able to access them.
IF YOUR GOLDMINE 7 DATA IS HOSTED IN FIREBIRD:
You must FIRST setup an ODBC driver. Typically, you execute the ODBC Administrator like so:
Access the Control Panel (either directly, or via My Computer / Change a setting).
Double-click Administrative Tools.
Double-click Data Sources (ODBC).
You should see a window entitled: ODBC Data Source Administrator.
Click on the 2nd tab - the one called System DSN.
Click Add. At the window entitled Create New Data Source, select the one called Firebird / InterBase(r) driver.
Data Source Name (DSN):
GM7_FIREBIRD_ORIG (suggested name for GoldMine's MAIN Database)
Driver:
IscDbc (should be defaulted to this value)
Database:
Click {Browse} and get to GoldMine's {Data} folder. You should see a database there called: GOLDMINE.FDB. Select it.
Client:
Click {Browse} and get to GoldMine's root folder. You should see a number of DLL files displayed. Select the one called: fbclient.dll.
Database Account:
GMSYSDBA
Password:
Key in the password you assigned to this database.
Role:
No value required.
Character Set:
NONE
Options section:
Suggest leaving at defaults.
Click the button Test connection to determine success. Then click Ok to exit from the ODBC Data Source Administrator. You can re-access anytime to adjust settings (rare), or to add an entry for another Contact File.
When an ODBC driver is added, typically a BDE Alias is automatically generated. However - you must duplicate that BDE Alias to a New Name in order for GoldBox-7 to be able to use it.
Using the above ODBC DSN as our example, go to the Databases tab in the BDE Administrator and look for one called: GM7_FIREBIRD_ORIG. Right-click the entry.
Select Save As.
Key in a new name. Suggested entry: GM7_FIREBIRD_MAIN
Save your entries, then close the BDE Administrator.
If this entry appears in the list when you click the {Query} menu option at GoldBox-7's main screen, it can now be accessed. Try opening the CONTUDEF table and click Result, as a test.
Review: The BDE Alias name for an ODBC driver must be DIFFERENT than the DSN (Data Source Name). Keep the original in the BDE Administrator, but right-click it and Save As to a new name.