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 Access Connectivity Engine\Engines\Paradox folder includes initialization settings for the Acepde.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>\ ACEPDE.DLL 

PageTimeout=600 

CollatingSequence=ASCII 

DataCodePage=OEM 

ParadoxUserName=Kimberly 

ParadoxNetPath=P:\PDOXDB

The Microsoft Access 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 REG_SZ.

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 REG_DWORD.

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 Access 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 REG_SZ.

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.

  • ANS — OemToAnsi and AnsiToOem conversions not done.

The default is OEM. Values are of type REG_SZ.

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 REG_SZ.

NoteNote
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 REG_SZ.

NoteNote
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

NoteNote
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 REG_SZ.

NoteNote
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 Access Connectivity Engine\ISAM Formats\Paradox 3.X folder contains the following entries.

Entry name

Type

Value

Engine

REG_SZ

Paradox

ExportFilter

REG_SZ

Paradox 3 (*.db)

ImportFilter

REG_SZ

Paradox (*.db)

CanLink

REG_BINARY

01

OneTablePerFile

REG_BINARY

01

IsamType

REG_DWORD

0

IndexDialog

REG_BINARY

00

CreateDBOnExport

REG_BINARY

00

ResultTextImport

REG_SZ

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

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

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

00

The Access Connectivity Engine\ISAM Formats\Paradox 4.X folder contains the following entries.

Entry name

Type

Value

Engine

REG_SZ

Paradox

ExportFilter

REG_SZ

Paradox 4 (*.db)

CanLink

REG_BINARY

01

OneTablePerFile

REG_BINARY

01

IsamType

REG_DWORD

0

IndexDialog

REG_BINARY

00

CreateDBOnExport

REG_BINARY

00

ResultTextExport

REG_SZ

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

00

The Access Connectivity Engine\ISAM Formats\Paradox 5.X folder contains the following entries.

Entry name

Type

Value

Engine

REG_SZ

Paradox

ExportFilter

REG_SZ

Paradox 5 (*.db)

CanLink

REG_BINARY

01

OneTablePerFile

REG_BINARY

01

IsamType

REG_DWORD

0

IndexDialog

REG_BINARY

00

CreateDBOnExport

REG_BINARY

00

ResultTextExport

REG_SZ

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

00

The Access Connectivity Engine\ISAM Formats\Paradox 7.X folder contains the following entries.

Entry name

Type

Value

Engine

REG_SZ

Paradox

ExportFilter

REG_SZ

Paradox 7 (*.db)

CanLink

REG_BINARY

01

OneTablePerFile

REG_BINARY

01

IsamType

REG_DWORD

0

IndexDialog

REG_BINARY

00

CreateDBOnExport

REG_BINARY

00

ResultTextExport

REG_SZ

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

00

Note

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