ADT: Description of the Visual Basic Compatibility Layer

• Microsoft Access Developer's Toolkit version 2.0

SUMMARY

Moderate: Requires basic macro, coding, and interoperability skills.

Microsoft Visual Basic version 3.0 has the ability to communicate with Microsoft Access databases. However, the modules supplied with Visual Basic version 3.0 can communicate only with Microsoft Access version 1.x-created databases.

For Visual Basic to communicate with Microsoft Access version 2.0-created databases, a group of files referred to as the Visual Basic Compatibility Layer (VBCL) is required. Some of these files are new, while others replace or modify existing files.

You can obtain the VBCL from the following sources:

• The Microsoft Access Developer's Toolkit (ADT) version 2.0
• The Microsoft Office Developer's Kit (ODK) version 1.0

  ~ COMLYR.EXE (size: 741798 bytes)

  contains the VBCL and is available for download from the Microsoft Software Library.

   ARTICLE-ID: Q119591
   TITLE     : How to Obtain Microsoft Support Files from Online Services

MORE INFORMATION

The Microsoft Access Developer's Toolkit version 2.0 supplies the VBCL and the Microsoft Jet database engine version 2.0, along with numerous other database development tools.

The Microsoft Office Developer's Kit version 1.0 contains the VBCL, along with other tools to aid in the development of Microsoft Office applications, but does not include version 2.0 of the Microsoft Jet database engine. Version 1.1 of the Microsoft Jet database engine is included.

To obtain pre-sales information about new or updated Microsoft products, call the Microsoft Sales Information Center at (800) 426-9400. If you are outside the United States, contact the Microsoft subsidiary for your area. To locate your subsidiary, please see the Microsoft World Wide Offices Web Site at:

      http://www.microsoft.com/worldwide/default.htm

VBCL Files

NOTE: The file locations listed below assume default installation directories.

Files Replaced or Modified by the VBCL:

File          Description                            Location

VBDB300.DLL   VB to Jet DB engine 1.1 Interface DLL  C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM
PDCTJET.DLL   Run-time DLL for Crystal Reports       C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM
PDIRJET.DLL   Run-time DLL for Crystal Reports       C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM
PDBJET.DLL    Run-time DLL for Crystal Reports       C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM
CRW.EXE       Crystal Report Designer application    C:\VB\REPORT
VB.INI        Visual Basic initialization file       C:\WINDOWS
SETUPWIZ.INI  Setup Wizard initialization file       C:\WINDOWS

Files Needed to Upgrade Visual Basic Version 3.0:

File          Description                            Location

MSAJT200.DLL  Version 2.0 Jet database engine        C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM
MSAJT112.DLL  Jet DB engine 2.0/VBCL                 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM
VBDB300.DLL   VB to Jet DB engine Support DLL        C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM
BTRV200.DLL   Btrieve ISAM driver library            C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM
PDX200.DLL    Paradox ISAM driver library            C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM
XBS200.DLL    Microsoft FoxPro ISAM driver library   C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM

              files to work with Microsoft Access
              version 2.0 databases
ACC2COMP.TXT  Readme file for VBCL                   C:\VB

1. Performance improved in queries based on multisegmented indexes and indexes based on Type 8 - COBOL Numeric datatype fields

2. No longer returns incorrect results when a query uses an index based on Type 8 - COBOL Numeric dataype fields

3. No longer returns "Unexpected Error from External Database Driver [7]" error message when using Btrieve 6.x NLM