CODEWITHSUNDEEP
visual-studio-2008windows-cesql-server-ce-3.5
Rich Shealer
Rich Shealer

Reputation: 3524

What approach should I take to synchronize a mobile SSCE database with Access?

The target machine is a Datalogic Skorpio X3 hand held scanner. The references say it is CE 6.0 with no mention of Windows Mobile. I am replacing an older app for older hardware that ran Pocket Access and used ActiveSync to upload from the scanner.

Replacing the Access side of things is not an option right now.

I have been having difficulty sorting out they correct way to do this because of the older technology.

I have determined that the database of choice here is SQL Server Compact Edition 3.5 SP2. Mainly because SSCE 4.0 is not supported in a Windows mobile (CE/Mobile/Phone) environment.

I have installed: Visual Studio 2008 and SQL Server Compact Edition Server Tools

I've know that there is replication available using SQL Server revisions prior to SQL 2012. SQL Server Management Studio 2012 doesn't support the CE 3.5 connection.

Do I need to install SQL Server Express 2005 to set up the sync to upload the scans and then write some code to transfer the data from SQL Server 2005 to the Access DB or can I somehow sync the Compact DBs directly?

Upvotes: 0

Views: 265

Answers (1)

Rich Shealer
Rich Shealer

Reputation: 3524

This is the approach I'm going to take.

In order to automatically replicate the SQL Server Compact Edition it requires an installation of SQL Server 2008 R2 or earlier. SQL Server Express editions can not act as a publisher and therefore cannot take on this role.

Also Microsoft Internet Information Server must be also be used as part of the process.

I've found that Microsoft has deprecated SQL Server Compact Edition. It is not supported directly VS 2013 nor SQL Server Management Studio 2012. Making using a fully licensed version of SQL Server even less likely.

This was a bit too much for this replacement project.

The bottom Line I will use:

  • SSCE 3.5 SP2 on the handheld
  • RAPI using the OpenNETCF Desktop Communications Library

The process:

  • I will have a custom .Net utility on the desktop PC that waits for a connection event
  • The utility copies the target SSCE database SDF file from the handheld
  • Process the data in the app copying the required records
  • Delete the records in the SDF
  • Copy the now empty SDF back to the handheld

There may be a way to do this using the Microsoft Sync Services library, but I wasn't able to get very far in understanding how it would talk to the remote device.

Upvotes: 1

Related Questions