I don't understand the path issue? Are you using a FILE DSN? If you are simply trying to use a DSN, you don't provide a path. You simply reference it. But you need to make sure that the DSN is created. Did you review the information that I referenced in my first post? Here is that link again http://sqlanywhere-forum.sap.com/questions/11005/access-64-bit-dsn-from-vbnet

As previously stated, the following is looking at the 32 BIT ODBC entries.
Registry.LocalMachine.OpenSubKey( "SOFTWAREWow6432NodeODBCODBC.INIODBC Data Sources", True)

So, the condition check "If sOSBits = "Bit64" Then" means that the OS is 64 bit and you want to look at a 64 bit ODBC entry, you are are incorrectly looking at the 32 bit DSN entry (as Wow6432Node is 32 bit not 64 bit. It is a confusing naming standard but it is what it is.

The following is a 64 bit entry on a 64 operating system (and 32 bit on a 32 bit machine) Registry.LocalMachine.OpenSubKey( "SOFTWAREODBCODBC.INIODBC Data Sources", True)

Hi Chris,

That's what my code does:

Public Function LoadODBC() As Boolean ' this sub calls the registry to get all the odbc files and then before writing them ' to the pick applet will verify they are SQL Anywhere local databases Dim regKey As RegistryKey

    Dim lngCurIdx As Long
    Dim strValue As String
    Dim lngValueLen As Long
    Dim lngDataLen As Long
    Dim strResult As String
    'Dim iListCnt As Integer
    Dim i As Integer
    Dim bValidDLL As Boolean
    Dim strOSName As String
    Dim strOSEdition As String
    Dim strOSSvcPkg As String
    Dim strOSVer As String
    Dim strProcessor As String
    Dim strOSBits As String
    Dim strPgmBits As String

    strOSName = JCS.OSVersionInfo.Name
    strOSEdition = JCS.OSVersionInfo.Edition
    If (JCS.OSVersionInfo.ServicePack <> String.Empty) Then
        strOSSvcPkg = JCS.OSVersionInfo.ServicePack
    Else
        strOSSvcPkg = ("Service Pack = None")
    End If
    strOSVer = JCS.OSVersionInfo.VersionString
    strProcessor = JCS.OSVersionInfo.ProcessorBits
    strProcessor = (String.Format("{0}", JCS.OSVersionInfo.ProcessorBits))
    strOSBits = JCS.OSVersionInfo.OSBits
    strOSBits = (String.Format("{0}", JCS.OSVersionInfo.OSBits))
    strPgmBits = JCS.OSVersionInfo.ProgramBits
    strPgmBits = (String.Format("{0}", JCS.OSVersionInfo.ProgramBits))

    Form1.ComboBoxODBC.Items.Clear()
    If strOSBits = "Bit64" Then
        regKey = Registry.LocalMachine.OpenSubKey("SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\ODBC\ODBC.INI\ODBC Data Sources", True)
    Else
        regKey = Registry.LocalMachine.OpenSubKey("SOFTWARE\ODBC\ODBC.INI\ODBC Data Sources", True)
    End If

    If regKey IsNot Nothing Then
        lngCurIdx = regKey.ValueCount
    Else
        GoTo Exit_LoadODBC
    End If

    If lngCurIdx = 0 Then
        MsgBox("Cannot open key")
        Exit Function
    End If
    lngCurIdx = lngCurIdx - 1
    For i = 0 To lngCurIdx
        lngValueLen = 2000
        strValue = Str(lngValueLen)
        lngDataLen = 2000

        strResult = regKey.GetValueNames(i)

        ' check if either sqlanywhere 8 or 9
        bValidDLL = CheckODBCDll(Left(strResult, lngValueLen), strOSBits)
        If bValidDLL Then
            'strResult = strResult & lngCurIdx & ": " & Left(strValue, lngValueLen) & vbCrLf
            Form1.ComboBoxODBC.Items.Add(Left(strResult, lngValueLen))
        End If
    Next
    regKey.Close()

Exit_LoadODBC: 'MsgBox("Cannot find ODBC Data source entries in the registry") Exit Function End Function

Public Function CheckODBCDll(ByVal sODBCDsn As String, ByVal sOSBits As String) As Boolean

    Dim regKey As RegistryKey
    Dim regValue As String
    Dim sODBCDll As String

    ' query the Registry to see if the ODBC is SQL Anywhere
    ' open the key
    If sOSBits = "Bit64" Then
        regKey = Registry.LocalMachine.OpenSubKey("SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\ODBC\ODBC.INI\" & sODBCDsn, True)
    Else
        regKey = Registry.LocalMachine.OpenSubKey("SOFTWARE\ODBC\ODBC.INI\" & sODBCDsn, True)
    End If
    'regKey = Registry.LocalMachine.OpenSubKey("SOFTWARE\ODBC\ODBC.INI\" & sODBCDsn, True)
    regValue = regKey.GetValue("Driver")
    If regValue <> Nothing Then
        ' Check the ODBCDll to insure it is only SQL Anywhere ODBC entry.
        sODBCDll = Right(regValue, 11)
        If sODBCDll = "dbodbc8.dll" Or sODBCDll = "dbodbc9.dll" Or sODBCDll = "bodbc12.dll" Then
            CheckODBCDll = True
        End If
    End If
    ' close the key
    regKey.Close()

End Function

Since I have the correct ODBC DSN what am I missing to get the connect string to work with the ODBC DSN.

This is what I think your code should look like if the sOSBIts reports the bitness of the OS. Notice that the OpenSubKey calls are reversed.

' open the key If sOSBits = "Bit64" Then regKey = Registry.LocalMachine.OpenSubKey("SOFTWAREODBCODBC.INI" & sODBCDsn, True) Else regKey = Registry.LocalMachine.OpenSubKey("SOFTWAREWow6432NodeODBCODBC.INI" & sODBCDsn, True) End If

You should also verify the DSN manually in the administrator. Check the bitness of the administrator in taskmgr by looking for *32 appended to the exe name. This means it is a 32 bit process. This is important as both the 32 bit and 64 bit administrators are named odbcad32.exe. You should also manually walk the registry to verify you entries actually exist. I am working under the assumption that you have created the DSN correctly and you are wanting to use a 64 bit DSN. When you check the 64 bit dsn, make sure that you pointing to the 64 bit ODBC SQL Anywhere driver particularly if you have not used the SA installer.

Thanks Chris - this all makes perfect sense to me. How would I know whether or not I'm pointing to the 64 bit ODBC SQL Anywhere? As I'm pretty sure I'm calling the 32 bit driver but I don't know how or why.

If you were loading the 32 bit driver in a 64 bit ODBC driver manager, you should get a system error code 126. What is more likely is that you do not have the DSN defined in the 64 bit administrator. To ensure that you are using the 64 bit administrator, open task manager and ensure that the image name is odbadm32.exe (ensure that it is not odbadm32.exe*32 which means it is a 32 bit process). Then verify that the DSN is defined and can connect to your database using the Test Connection button for the DSN. If the DSN exists, is it an user or system DSN. You code is looking for a SYSTEM DSN. If defined at as an user DSN, it may explain the problem as those DSN have limited visibility. Try making it a system DSN and retest,

Just a slight correction: The ODBC Administrator's program file is named "odbcad32.exe", not "odbadm32.exe".

Hi Chris - I got so frustrated with this whole thing that I gave up until now. Now, I need to get this program to work. So, I did as you suggested above. I brought up the ODBC 64 data source manager. I then verified that I am looking at a System DSN. I tested the connection and it worked. Went to the Task Manager and the program running is odbcad32.exe *32. So, this is a 32 bit process running under the 64 bit manager. Any new clues?

I suggest you start over with a new question, separate from this one. Talk about your situation as it exists now: the exact error messages or symptoms you are seeing now, the exact code you are using, the exact regedit export of the DSN you are using, and the proof that the DSN posted is the one being used by the code posted (use a new, unique DSN name). Do not re-type anything, use only copy-and-paste. As explained in Wikipedia here, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satan, ODBC was created to test our sanity.