Sage 100

Question about SAGE 100 v2015 STD - When you install a Workstation client on a computer the routine creates the ODBC Data Source - SOTAMAS90 that contains the data tables for the modules in your SAGE 100 installation. Where in the SAGE system on the server is that file located or how is the ODBC ""assembled"" so that it contains only the data tables for that particular installation of SAGE? Heavy technical question for Monday morning.

Michael, I think the ODBC driver simply points to the Providex.ddf file that is located in the MAS90 directory. That Providex.ddf file is what contains information about the data tables and field names specific to that installation.

So would you expect that if my client has a ""bad"" (missing tables) Profidex.ddf file, I could replace it with a correct Profidex.ddf file from a different installation and then the ODBC driver would ""see"" all the tables it should reference?

isn't there a way to recompile the ddf table via VI or a program like svcompile? There have been several posts on this topic.

I think that might be risky unless you know that the other installation has exactly the same tables and fields. have you tried doing File > Run then type in SVCMPL to recompile the data dictionaries

@DavidOverholt I should have mentioned my issue is with the legacy PAYROLL module, and a master developer enhancement, and trying to upgrade from 4.50 to v2015. In a prior post I asked if SVCMPL might fix the ODBC and Alnoor responded: ""No SVCMPL is for different legacy dict and different purpose. Start by asking the Ext Solns developer if PR_AD was added to the Legacy ODBC dict that is the PRFILE.DD and PRFLD.DD (or just say PR_AD does not appear in list of tables on my Crystal report)"" So I'm trying to determine if the table I'm missing in the ODBC driver is also missing from Providex.ddf, PRFILE.DD or PRFLD.DD. Is there any way to ""read"" (DFDM?) those three files?

Michael - ProvideX.ddf is for framework ODBC and PRFILE.DD is P/R legacy ODBC. You can DFDM PRFILE.DD in fact. You may need to change the key search in the bottom left of the DFDM screen so you search by alphabetical order of file name. Or you could try the DFDM Print button. About the other thing when a SOTAMAS90 ODBC connection is made the first dictionary is ProvideX.ddf to get the file names (and DDE for the field names) but it knows to also looks under /DDICTS folder for legacy dictionaries. The xxFILE.dd has the Legacy file names (look for PR_AD record) and xxFLD.dd has the field names. In the end if you verify it's missing why don't you just shoot off an email to the M/D asking if they can add it? I don't know your situation or relationship but I say the above nonchalantly because this issue has happened to us too (where we were the M/D) and coincidentally for a P/R mod. We remoted in to the client, dropped a tool in, added the missing table and fields to the PR DD files, removed the tool, all was good. Then later we updated the build and sent the new installer for the mod to the client in case they ever needed to reinstall.

Turns out during a test upgrade I somehow managed to skip the developer update to PRFILE.DD and PRFLD.DD files. Performed another upgrade in my computer lab and this time the PRxxx.DD file were properly updated to include developer tables. Copied the PRxxx.DD files into the DDICTS folder at client site. The ODBC driver was then automatically updated when I ran another workstation install. Being able to read the PRxxx.DD files using DFDM was extremely helpful. Thanks @DavidOverholt and @AlnoorCassim

Thanks everyone for the great discussion on where and how data definition files are stored for Sage 100. Very enlightening.