Initializing the Paradox Database Driver

Microsoft Jet SQL Reference

Initializing the Paradox Database Driver

When you install the Paradox database driver, the Setup program writes a set of default values to the Microsoft® Windows® Registry in the Engines and ISAM Formats subkeys. You should not modify these settings directly (unless necessary); use the setup program for your application to add, remove, or change these settings. The following sections describe initialization and ISAM Format settings for the Paradox database driver.

The Paradox database driver will work in one of two modes, depending upon whether the Borland Database Engine (BDE) is installed. Paradox data is only updateable with the BDE. Without the BDE, the Paradox data can be Read, Exported, or Linked to read-only.

Paradox Initialization Settings

The Jet\4.0\Engines\Paradox folder includes initialization settings for the Mspdox35.dll driver, used for access to external Paradox data. Typical settings for the entries in this folder are shown in the following example.

win32=<path>\ mspbde40.dll

PageTimeout=600

CollatingSequence=ASCII

DataCodePage=OEM

ParadoxUserName=Kimberly

ParadoxNetPath=P:\PDOXDB

ParadoxNetStyle=4.X

The Microsoft Jet database engine uses the Paradox folder entries as follows.

Entry Description
win32 The location of mspbde40.dll. The full path is determined at the time of installation. Values are of type String for Windows 95 and Windows NT 4.0, and of type REG_SZ for Windows NT 3.51.
PageTimeout The length of time between when data is placed in an internal cache and when it is invalidated. The value is specified in 100 millisecond units. The default is 600 units or 60 seconds. Values are of type DWORD for Windows 95 and Windows NT 4.0, and of type REG_DWORD for Windows NT 3.51.
CollatingSequence This setting is only used if the BDE is not present on the machine.

The collating sequence for all Paradox tables created or opened using the Microsoft Jet database engine. Possible values are ASCII, International, Norwegian-Danish, and Swedish-Finnish. The CollatingSequence entry must match the collating sequence used when the Paradox table was built. The default is ASCII. Values are of type String for Windows 95 and Windows NT 4.0, and of type REG_SZ for Windows NT 3.51.

DataCodePage This setting is only used if the BDE is not present on the machine.

An indicator of how text pages are stored. Possible settings are:

  • OEM — OemToAnsi and AnsiToOem conversions done.
  • ANSI — OemToAnsi and AnsiToOem conversions not done.

The default is OEM. Values are of type String for Windows 95 and Windows NT 4.0, and of type REG_SZ for Windows NT 3.51.

ParadoxUserName The name to be displayed by Paradox if a table is locked by the Paradox ISAM and an interactive user accessing the data from Paradox (rather than the ISAM) attempts to place an incompatible lock. This entry is not added by the setup program. You must create this entry. Values are of type String for Windows 95 and Windows NT 4.0, and of type REG_SZ for Windows NT 3.51.

Note If you indicate a ParadoxUserName, you must also specify a ParadoxNetPath and a ParadoxNetStyle or you will receive an error when trying to access external Paradox data. Also, if you are accessing a Paradox database in multi-user mode over the network, you will need to add or modify this registry entry manually.

ParadoxNetPath The full path to the directory containing the PARADOX.NET file (for Paradox 3.x) or the PDOXUSRS.NET file (for Paradox 4.x). This entry is not added by the setup program. You must create this entry. The full ParadoxNetPath (including the drive letter) must be consistent for all users sharing a particular database (directory). Values are of type String for Windows 95 and Windows NT 4.0, and of type REG_SZ for Windows NT 3.51.

Note If you indicate a ParadoxNetPath, you must also specify a ParadoxUserName and a ParadoxNetStyle or you will receive an error when trying to access external Paradox data. Also, if you are accessing a Paradox database in multi-user mode over the network, you will need to add or modify this registry entry manually.

ParadoxNetStyle The network access style to use when accessing Paradox data. Possible values are:
  • 3.x
  • 4.x

Note Paradox 3.x users cannot set this to 4.x or the driver will use the wrong locking method. Paradox 5.0 users must use the 4.x ParadoxNetStyle setting to ensure proper locking behavior.

This entry is not added by the setup program. You must create this entry. This entry should correspond to whatever version of Paradox the users in the group are using. It must be consistent for all users sharing a particular database (directory). The default is 4.x. Values are of type String for Windows 95 and Windows NT 4.0, and of type REG_SZ for Windows NT 3.51.

Note If you indicate a ParadoxNetStyle, you must also specify a ParadoxUserName and a ParadoxNetPath or you will receive an error when trying to access external Paradox data.

Paradox ISAM Formats

The Jet\4.0\ISAM Formats\Paradox 3.x folder contains the following entries.



Entry name

Windows NT 3.51
Type
Windows 95 and
Windows NT 4.0
Type


Value
Engine REG_SZ String Paradox
ExportFilter REG_SZ String Paradox 3 (*.db)
ImportFilter REG_SZ String Paradox (*.db)
CanLink REG_BINARY Binary 01
OneTablePerFile REG_BINARY Binary 01
IsamType REG_DWORD DWORD 0
IndexDialog REG_BINARY Binary 00
CreateDBOnExport REG_BINARY Binary 00
ResultTextImport REG_SZ String Import data from the external file into the current database. Changing data in the current database will not change data in the external file.
ResultTextLink REG_SZ String Create a table in the current database that is linked to the external file. Changing data in the current database will change data in the external file.
ResultTextExport REG_SZ String Export data from the current database into a Paradox 3 file. This process will overwrite the data if exported to an existing file.
SupportsLongNames REG_BINARY Binary 00

The Jet\4.0\ISAM Formats\Paradox 4.x folder contains the following entries.



Entry name

Windows NT 3.51
Type
Windows 95 and
Windows NT 4.0
Type


Value
Engine REG_SZ String Paradox
ExportFilter REG_SZ String Paradox 4 (*.db)
CanLink REG_BINARY Binary 01
OneTablePerFile REG_BINARY Binary 01
IsamType REG_DWORD DWORD 0
IndexDialog REG_BINARY Binary 00
CreateDBOnExport REG_BINARY Binary 00
ResultTextExport REG_SZ String Export data from the current database into a Paradox 4 file. This process will overwrite the data if exported to an existing file.
SupportsLongNames REG_BINARY Binary 00

The Jet\4.0\ISAM Formats\Paradox 5.x folder contains the following entries.



Entry name

Windows NT 3.51
Type
Windows 95 and
Windows NT 4.0
Type


Value
Engine REG_SZ String Paradox
ExportFilter REG_SZ String Paradox 5 (*.db)
CanLink REG_BINARY Binary 01
OneTablePerFile REG_BINARY Binary 01
IsamType REG_DWORD DWORD 0
IndexDialog REG_BINARY Binary 00
CreateDBOnExport REG_BINARY Binary 00
ResultTextExport REG_SZ String Export data from the current database into a Paradox 5 file. This process will overwrite the data if exported to an existing file.
SupportsLongNames REG_BINARY Binary 00

The Jet\4.0\ISAM Formats\Paradox 7.x folder contains the following entries.



Entry name

Windows NT 3.51
Type
Windows 95 and
Windows NT 4.0
Type


Value
Engine REG_SZ String Paradox
ExportFilter REG_SZ String Paradox 7 (*.db)
CanLink REG_BINARY Binary 01
OneTablePerFile REG_BINARY Binary 01
IsamType REG_DWORD DWORD 0
IndexDialog REG_BINARY Binary 00
CreateDBOnExport REG_BINARY Binary 00
ResultTextExport REG_SZ String Export data from the current database into a Paradox 7 file. This process will overwrite the data if exported to an existing file.
SupportsLongNames REG_BINARY Binary 00


Note When you change Windows Registry settings, you must exit and then restart the database engine for the new settings to take effect.


See Also

Customizing Windows Registry Settings for Microsoft Jet