Msvcr80.dll then Runtime errors...

[deazo]

  Hi all,

 After updating to the latest version I am getting a few problems and can't open my database anymore.
 
 First I received a MSVCR80.dll error so I searched this forum and found a post on the problem. I more or less followed the instructions in that post. I downloaded that .dll file and put it in the System32 folder.
 A new error came up, a C++ Runtime error, the same Raldo was getting. So I did what Raldo did and created a "fake" videodb.exe.manifest file in the pvd directory.
 I have also completely uninstalled pvd (removed settings as well) and now pvd opens, but does not want to load my database.
 When trying to open it I receive an error message and my database file is automatically modified with the added ".old" extension.

 I am now lost and thinking of using the last pvd version (I don't want to!).
 I am attaching a debug report.
 Can u help?

Thanks!

[attachment deleted by admin]

[nostra]

Have you used Firebird 2.1 before? If so then you will need to replace the fbembeded and fbclient files with those from Firebird 2.1 package.

[deazo]

 OK I have replaced firebirds files in the pvd folder but I am now getting a SQL error when trying to open my database...
 
 error code =-206

 What should I try?
 
  Could I modify the database file instead of modifying the pvd folders, so that I don't have to go through this every time I update pvd   version?
 
 
 

[buah]

What version of Firebird do you use? I used to use PVD v0.9.9.14 without any Firebird, then after a while I installed Firebird v2.5, had no problem. Then, I updated PVD to v0.9.9.16 and had no problem, and still don't?

[deazo]

 I am not using any version of firebird actually.
 Here is the story in short: A few months ago I wanted to try out using the the pvdimport plugin with J river MC, so I followed all instructions, installed firebird and so on, only to find out that in my configuration, no matter what I was trying the plugin was not working, so I gave up on this.
 I then realized I did not need firebird and removed it from my system, only to find out that now my database needed firebird services to run if I wanted to access it. I really wanted to get rid of firebird services as they were a waste of resources and i did not need them.
 So Nostra addressed my problem and after a few posting here he gave me the solution, put the 2.1 firebird files in my pvd directory.
 This worked perfectly and i could finally open my database without Firebird.
 Now with this new version of PVD it looks like the solution does not sort my problem (I'm getting an SQL error when opening my file) so that's why I am asking for help.

 (While asking for help I am also wondering if I could not change the database file itself in order to have it run without worrying about firebird files. That would avoid running into the same problem once I upgrade again pvd)

 Another solution would maybe to find a way to import my current database into another one, but I don't know if that can be done.

 I'm stuck basically...

Thanks for the assistance.

 

[buah]

Wow, now I'm worried if I decide not to use Firebird anymore!
What I would try to do is to install Firebird 2.5, then to open PVD, and if everything went ok, I would make a backup of it, then uninstall PVD, then Firebird, then install PVD and try to restore backuped database.
What else I would do if I were you is to try to export your database and then import it into new one.
What I have to say is that I use a backup of my database locally on several remote computers without Firebird and without any problem. I modify it on those computers, backup it, and then restore it on whatever computer.

[patch]

I am not using any version of firebird actually.
....
 So Nostra addressed my problem and after a few posting here he gave me the solution, put the 2.1 firebird files in my pvd directory.
 This worked perfectly and i could finally open my database without Firebird.
 Now with this new version of PVD it looks like the solution does not sort my problem (I'm getting an SQL error when opening my file)

Sounds like new version of firebird is compatible with old data files but old firebired is not compatible with new data files.

The solutions for which are
1) continue to put new firebird 2.1 files PVD directory
2) Convert firebird 2.1 data files back to older format
3) Nostra update version of firebird used in standard PVD package.

I suspect 1) is easiest till 3) is done (which I suspect will be required at some time for nostra's convenience)

[rick.ca]

Does this really have anything to do with the database file? I thought the problem had something to do with how the DLL files involved are registered in Windows. In other words, Windows—as a result if a previous installation of Firebird server—is preventing PVD from using the embedded version. Thus the workaround of providing the DLL file Windows is now expecting to find.

I would be shocked and dismayed to learn we've been advising people to use Firebird server without warning them this would render their database forever unusable with Firebird embedded. I do understand this appears to be a situation where the effect seems to be the same. But if the source of the problem is the Windows configuration, then that's where the solution lies. If the problem goes away if and when Firebird embedded is updated, fine. But in the meantime (and, I don't know, maybe that won't resolve the problem), I would try installing Firebird 2.5 and using the server. Based on my experience, I don't believe any noticeable or otherwise significant resource or performance issues will result from doing so. I'll defer to any expert on the matter, but, for all I know, the server may be more efficient than the embedded version.

Not only might using the server version resolve this problem, but maybe something has changed in the last six months that would allow deazo to install and use PvdImport. There has, for example, been a new major release of PvdImport. I find it heart-breaking to think there is any serious user of PVD and MC is foregoing the opportunity to integrate PVD with their media manager.

[deazo]

  To all,

 Patch: Replacing firebird files by 2.1 files does not solve the problem as I am getting an SQL error when trying to open my database. It used to work with the previous pvd version.

 Buah: I have installed firebird and re-installed pvd 16. The database opens fine, and I created a backup. Then I uninstalled firebird and PVD, re-installed PVD and tried to restore the previously created backup. I received an error message "expected backup version 1,2,3,4,5,6 or 7. Found 8."   Whatever that means....?

 The conclusion here is that my database is at the moment unusable without firebird services running. Yes Rick I know the services are not particularly demanding but I am using pvd on two computers and really don't want to be running unnecessary services, especially on the one supposed to play high quality videos.
 Also after trying a few time pvdimport and MC with no success I reported my attention to XBMC, which is not perfect but looks good for my wife and guests  so I want to keep it for now.

 Maybe Nostra would know what I need to manipulate in my database file in order to have it open without firebird, or with the 2.1 firebird files in pvd directory?
 FYI, pvd16 opens my old database files (test files and so on) with no problem so really there must be something in the file.
 I have posted a reduced database file in one of my post for you to test out. Let me know if you need it again.

If that is not possible, does anyone know how to import a pvd database into pvd? XML is fine but what about posters and so on?
I would not mind doing that. (I would use the old pvd14 to generate the export files and pvd16 to import them, is that possible?)

In the meantime I shall run firebird on both my PC's because I need to update many movies and enjoy the new features Nostra has designed for us all.

 Hope you can help.


 

 

[buah]

Deazo,

I don't know what that error message means, but it's not SQL error any more, right? For now, what I'm able to conclude based on your last post is that you didn't follow step by step my previous post, meaning what version of Firebird to install, and in what order what and when to uninstall and install. Also, I would try fbembeded and fbclient files from Firebird 2.5 package.

Please don't be offended if you did all step by step, but I'm just trying to help here, and how you described it here I'm unsure of it.

[deazo]

 Buah you are right, I had installed firebird 2.1 and not 2.5. If I am right this should be the only mistake I made, right?
 I will try to install 2.5 and do everything again and post the results.
 In the meantime let me know if you think I missed anything else please.
 
 Don't worry about offense, I'd rather get offended and solve my problems!
 

[deazo]

 OK I have redone everything and still get the error when restoring the backup.
 The only difference is that instead of "found 8" it says "found 9"...

 Do you know why?

 Just for info, I am using PVD17 now.
 

[deazo]

 Hang on....

 I think Nostra must have changed something in PVD17 because I copied Firebird 2.1 files in the PVD directory and I can now open my database !

 I can now open my database by using the old trick of placing 2.1 embedded files into the pvd directory.
 Don't know if that's what Nostra intended in version 17 but thank you anyway!

 Now still, I would like to be able to 100% fix this. What should I do in order to use PVD just as it is (without firebird 2.1 files) and my database?
 Can I export it into a new file that I could then open with PVD wihtout the firefbird 2.1 files?

 I hope this is not too messy and that we still understand each other...
 

[buah]

Buah you are right, I had installed firebird 2.1 and not 2.5. If I am right this should be the only mistake I made, right?

It seems that you also uninstalled Firebird prior to uninstalled PVD. And I would clean registry of any PVD and Firebird references, restart the computer and than install PVD .17.

It has to be something with Windows, as Rick suspected.

[nostra]

I did not change anything regarding database engine in .17, so you must have done smth right
The conversion from an older version of firebird to the new one is a bit tricky and sometimes (should be seldom) can't be done automatically, so I am a bit afraid to move to the new version.
I do not know if there is an easy way to convert your database back to 2.03 (used in PVD), but I'll investigate thi8s problem and will let you know if I have some new info on the topic.

[deazo]

 Buah I did try in the order you suggested and that did not change the problem.
 Neither the backup nor my database are opening with the current pvd17 version without adding the firebird 2.1 files.

 Nostra, thanks for having a look, I really do hope you will give me a way to sort that out and not have to use firebird 2.1 files.
 Just so you know, I can send you a reduced size database (10mb) (that behaves the same than my 600mb one) with which you can play if needed...

 

[buah]

I'm sorry it didn't work. You should be able to export your database to an xml file. It creates "images" folder, and there's a colum with path to every exported image. Try this and export it to xml while having firebird files. Then uninstall PVD, open xml with MS Excel, save it as xls, install PVD and then try to import it to a new PVD database, with option "Save images to database" checked.

[rick.ca]

I do not know if there is an easy way to convert your database back to 2.03 (used in PVD), but I'll investigate thi8s problem and will let you know if I have some new info on the topic.

I don't understand. How did the format of his database get changed? I'm using Firebird Server 2.1.3 and have no problem using the same database with Firebird server or embedded. I suppose, if the database format for the two versions is different, the newer server version maintains the old for compatibility. But if that's the case, how did deazo's database get converted to the new format? Why am I unable to create a new database that exhibits the same problem? And is this a Windows configuration issue, a database format problem, or both?

I'm concerned we should be providing PvdImport users clear instructions on how to install and use Firebird Server, and perhaps a warning about about potential problems like this one.

I'm not sure it has any bearing on this topic, but I also suspect there could be changes made to PVD's Connect to server function that would make it more foolproof. Raldo made a change to how it's done on the PvdImport side, and that seemed to substantially reduce the number of problems users were having.

[deazo]

 Rick,

 You can find my reduced database file here: http://hotfile.com/dl/22931781/2213196/NOS_FILMS.PVD.html

 It might help if you see if you can reproduce the problem on your side, or even examine the file.
 Remember to disable firebird services when you try to open it.

 

[rick.ca]

Yes, I can see it's clearly a database version problem. I suppose that's why the file is renamed with an "old" extension—the program is trying to update the file, but throws an exception because it doesn't recognize the newer version.

The question remains, how did it get that way?