Connection Code

[christrinder]

Hello,

I'm learning ASP pretty quickly, but most of the code I copy from a single sheet a friend once coded for me. I need to produce a front end for a Lotus db, but I don't know how to connect to it cause I've only ever used MS Access before. Could anybody show me how to amend the below code to connect to Lotus Notes?

Thanks, Chris

<%
dim oConnection
set oConnection = Server.CreateObject("ADODB.Connection")
oConnection.ConnectionString = "Driver={Microsoft Access Driver (*.mdb)};DBQ="&Server.MapPath ("db.mdb")
oConnection.Open
%>

[raf]

I'm realy curious if someone can turn up with an answer. I've been looking for the exact same thing this week.

As far as i could find out: you can't.

You can use Lotus Notes to build databasedriven websites, but developpers then use Domino as a webserver. The mostly create .nsf files.

You'll frequently find the ASP acronym in pages the searchengines turn up with, but in the Domino context, this stands for 'Applicantion Server Provider'

Here is a tutorial on the matter (Domino 6 for Lotus Notes)

http://www-10.lotus.com/ldd/today.nsf/8a6d147cf55a7fd385256658007aacf1/8f68a440f2182b1e88256a9a005d40da?OpenDocument


I realy hope someone knows the answer to this problem. (If there is any)

[whammy]

http://www.able-consulting.com/MDAC/ADO/Connection/ODBC_DSNLess.htm#ODBCDriverForLotusNotes

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/dnexch55/html/msdn_lotuscon.asp

Don't know if that helps, but if you're determined, and if the answer exists, and someone has posted a solution on the 'net, you can probably find it with google...

[raf]

Thanks whammy:thumbsup:

[christrinder]

Thanks Whammy. I had been looking on Google but can't really find anything. Like Raf said, if you search ASP then you get stuff relating to Domino. I Will keep looking but would be interested to hear from anybody that has done it.

[Mhtml]

Hehe, I love http://www.able-consulting.com/MDAC/ADO/Connection/ODBC_DSNLess.htm#ODBCDriverForLotusNotes

I saved the whole lot to my hard drive for safe keeping I've only used it a few times though, once for connecting to mysql and once for connecting to paradox. It's an awesome compilation of code though.

[christrinder]

I came across this page when I was searching in Google, but I couldn't get the code to work. I'm a little concerned about the file extension it uses because the database I have isn't a *.nsf. Unfortunately I don't have the file here with me but I know it's different to this. Has anybody ever produced an ASP front end for a Lotus DB? Thanks, Chris

[raf]

No. I hanven't. But i'm very ineterested in that. (recently changed job and they work alot with Lotus Notus on there intranet)

I've only seen app where they use LotusScript to build webfronts.
Lotus scriptis very similar to VB Script since it's also a Basic-based language.
So it shouldn't be that hard to learn (but i'm not gonna do that. )

[christrinder]

OK, just an up-date. The Lotus DB that I'm trying to connect to has a file extension; *.apr. Anybody know what this is? I don't even have the software installed to open the database, but I do have a hard copy of all the field names and table names etc. I really want to crack this, but need some big help with the connection code. Hope you can help. Chris

[raf]

files with .apr extensions are Approach database application-files. Viewer for these files is Approach

Never came across that ...

[raf]

There's even a free on line support site for Lotus Approach users.
if they can't help you here ...

http://www.netspace.net.au/~jabrown/approach/webfaq04302675.html

[christrinder]

I've read endless pages and websites regarding Lotus Approach, ASP and ADO, but all I want is the code I need to connect to the database in the first place. It doesn't appear in any of the sites I have viewed, even when they talk about it. Does anybody have such code or know a site where I CAN find it? Thanks for all your help. Chris

[ecnarongi]

Has this ever been solved? I need to connect to a lotus system to send emails from either a PHP or ASP calendar that I've made and I am finding no leads online. Can anyone help?

[gtsikes]

IBM has an ODBC driver available at NotesSQL Link (http://www.lotus.com/products/rnext.nsf/873769A79D9C5B2285256A0800720B96/F8BA31E9F7BDEC3A85256C4700667625?OpenDocument)

The description of the driver reads as:

NotesSQL is an ODBC (Open Database Connectivity) driver for Notes and Domino. It allows ODBC-enabled data reporting tools, database tools, and application development tools to read, report, and update information that is stored in Domino databases (.nsf files). With NotesSQL, end users and application developers can integrate Domino data with their applications using tools such as Crystal Decisions Crystal Reports, Microsoft Visual Basic, Access, Brio and Lotus Approach. Even Internet application development tools that support ODBC can access Domino data. IT professionals can enable their existing ODBC-enabled applications to access data stored in a Domino database.

Hope this helps.

[gtsikes]

OK, just an up-date. The Lotus DB that I'm trying to connect to has a file extension; *.apr. Anybody know what this is? I don't even have the software installed to open the database, but I do have a hard copy of all the field names and table names etc. I really want to crack this, but need some big help with the connection code. Hope you can help. Chris

The apr extension is definately a Lotus Approach file. Approach does not have its own database. The apr file is the views and forms only that someone built using a datasource Approach is compatible with. I used to have Notes 3.x and used Apporach to open an NSF database and manipulate tables and views like a relational database. I could create new records in Notes from Approach, if I connected to the NSF itself and could edit Notes records when connecting to views. I could join dBASEIV, Notes and SQL in a single view. But with Notes 3, I needed the Notes client installed on each workstation and the Notes database I wanted had to be on the users Notes Desktop and the user need to be in the Access Control List for that database.

However I never migrated to the newer releases of Notes and Domino, instead starting my migration to ASP and ASP.Net. There is nothing you can do to the APR alone to extract data. You can purchase LotusSmartSuite quite cheaply on the web, Install Approach and try to open the application. Upon opening your APR, Approach will prompt you for the missing tables. It will force you to resolve each table, in the order of its Tables collection object. Some other information may be found by opening the APR with notepad. While most of the text is code...I was able to see, in a test the ODBC config string Approach was using to connect to my SQL server.

FYI the connection string I used in LotusScript for Notes was;


If (CON.connectto("Lotus Notes - Workspace", , ,"Production Orders.nsf")<>False)Then
Set QRY.CONNECTION = CON
QRY.SQL = "SELECT * FROM""Production Orders.nsf\SPECIALS"" SPECIALS WHERE (SPECIALS.job_no = '"+jobcode+"')"
Set rs.query = qry
If((rs.execute)<>False)Then