[AccessD] Access 2010 Native client mystery solved

 > Is there a security issue with the Native Client? Do you have a reference?

No, what I meant is that if the Native Client driver is not installed, and it probably won't be, 
then the database unceremoniously pukes if there are connection strings specifying that driver.

I discovered this because "it works on my system" but not on the client machines I was trying to 
install on.  Always embarrassing, especially when at that time I hadn't a clue why it wasn't working 
on the client machine.

The reason it "works on my machine" is that in all cases where I was testing, I had done some sort 
of SQL Server install, whether full, express or via Visual Studio.  In order to get a better test 
case I build a fresh Virtual Machine and just installed Office 2010 and ... it didn't work with 
Native Client drivers specified in the connection string.

I then went out and found, downloaded and installed a dll driver package on that VM and now it does 
work.

But I do not want to get in the business of doing that driver install on every client machine I 
install a database on.

You see my point.

John W. Colby
Colby Consulting

Reality is what refuses to go away
when you do not believe in it

On 2/28/2012 12:05 PM, Doug Murphy wrote:
> <  Anyway, AFAICT it is not safe to use native client in Access if you plan
> to distribute the FE to workstations (most cases?).>
>
> Is there a security issue with the Native Client? Do you have a reference?
>
> Doug
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com
> [mailto:accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of jwcolby
> Sent: Tuesday, February 28, 2012 5:45 AM
> To: Access Developers discussion and problem solving
> Subject: [AccessD] Access 2010 Native client mystery solved
>
> I just attempted to create a new DSN directly in Access 2010 on my new test
> VM and guess what?  No "Native Client" driver selectable for Access 2010 on
> that machine.  Yesterday I was reading that the native driver client is
> installed when you install SQL Server, thus it appears (if I am reading this
> right) that you can only use the native client driver if you have
> intentionally installed the driver on a given workstation.
>
> How silly would that be?  One would think it would be part of the Access
> installation package.
>
> Anyway, AFAICT it is not safe to use native client in Access if you plan to
> distribute the FE to workstations (most cases?).
>
> I for one am defaulting to the "SQL Server" driver from here on out.
>
> --
> John W. Colby
> Colby Consulting
>
> Reality is what refuses to go away
> when you do not believe in it
>
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