Switching from dBase to MySQL on fs 4.x

[sdwedemeyer]

We are finally switching our sites over to MySQL. A number of issues/complaints have come out of this and I will not waste on the complaints since fs5 will be different. I do need help on two issues.

* All sites are running Windows XP Home with FS 4.x (four on 4.012 and one on 4.013).
* All sites have MySQL 4.0.27 and the ODBC driver is 3.51.04.
* All tables created exactly as defined in the user's guide.

1. In development, I had no problem setting the DSN to the mysql dsn in the Authentication Server menu. However, in the 4 servers I did change, every one of them refused to accept the new dsn. When I enter the file (entire path and file name), click Save, it reverts back to the dBase dsn file. At first I thought it was the mysql or something but even with a new, empty database, it did this. Only by editing the config.ini file was I able to get the system to start using the mysql database. My best guess is that once you start populating the dBase tables with data, it will not switch. We have a new server setup in the back, waiting for a license, that did not have this problem. Maybe it is a problem between trial and licensed modes. In any case, is there some potential problem or problem or is this expected/known behavior?

2. Of the 4 sites we changed, the first 2 are running fine, but the 3rd and 4th crash. By now I have the procedures very detailed so they are installed as similar as possible. After tsrating up using mysql, everything looks fine, the data is there and I can access the Configuration Manager and I can VNC into the box (both from the internet). Sometime with in an hour or so, it crashes and I have to request someone on site to power cycle the boxes. One of them has been switched back to dBase and is running fine. I am waiting for the other to be power cycled so that I can switch it back as well.

The first issue may just be a nuisance, but the second is critical. I need to switch over to mysql and this is a major stumbling block. My last site is my biggest site, heaviest usage, cannot try this there until I know this will not happen there as well.

For the record, all of my sites experience the Apache crashes, but so far, does not appear to interrupt service. Though the error is on the screen, the service is always running. I have no idea how long it is taking for the service to restart.
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Stephen D Wedemeyer

[alan]

1. We confirm that this is an issue with the FirstSpot UI. The workaround is, like what you did, to edit the config.ini directly. We will fix this in the next v4 update.

2. When you say it crashes, can you elaborate a bit more? Is it the whole Windows or just dispatchservice.exe crashes?

I don't think switching to the MySQL will crash Windows though. Maybe it is another factor that is causing your problem?

3. While the Apache crash is a bit annoying, it shouldn't affect your FirstSpot operation at all.

Can you use the workaround : set Apache service to "Auto-restart" after failure. Just go to Properties -> Recovery within the Windows Services console.

The long-term fix is actually in the upcoming v5, since we switch to Apache 2 in v5
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