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Q163256: WD97: Updated WBODBC Files Available

Article: Q163256
Product(s): Word 97 for Windows
Version(s): WINDOWS:97
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbwordvba
Last Modified: 14-NOV-2000

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Word 97 for Windows 
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SUMMARY
=======

Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications requires external libraries to use BSTR
values in string-related functions. Therefore, 32-bit Word add-in libraries
(WLLs) or dynamic-link libraries (DLLs) that use LPSTR values in string-related
functions need to be modified and recompiled to work in Microsoft Word 97.

The string functions in the ODBC add-in (Wbodbc.wll) have been updated so that
the new version of the add-in contains string-related functions that do not
cause errors when the functions are called from Visual Basic. There have been no
other changes or additions to the functionality of the ODBC add-in. However, if
you've written Word 7.0 solutions that use the ODBC functions in Wbodbc.wll, you
must install the updated version of the WLL to run your solution in Word 97.

The template of sample macros that use Wbodbc.wll (WbODBC97.dot) is a Word 97
template. All the macros in this template have been updated to Visual Basic. You
can refer to the sample macros (all of which use data in the Test.mdb database)
as examples for using the functions in Wbodbc.wll.

For complete information about using the functions in this add-in, running the
macros in the sample template, and handling ODBC data sources in general, see
Appendix B in the Microsoft Word Developer's Kit (ISBN 1-55615-880-7). Note that
this WLL is an update to the 32-bit version of the ODBC add-in only; the updated
WLL cannot be used by 16-bit Word solutions.

If you're writing a new Word 97 solution that needs to programmatically access
data in a database, you can use Microsoft(R) Data Access Objects (DAO) instead
of the Wbodbc.wll functions. DAO 3.5, which is included with Microsoft Office
97, is the newest version of DAO. There are two paths to data within one DAO
interface: ODBCDirect and Microsoft Jet. One of the two paths will be more
appropriate, depending on what the solution is doing.

For example, if your solution is accessing a Microsoft Jet .mdb file or any other
file share database, you should use the Microsoft Jet path. ODBCDirect was
created specifically for accessing remote data. For more information about
ODBCDirect, see to "Data Access Objects (DAO) 3.5 and ODBCDirect," a paper on
the Microsoft Access Developer Forum (http://www.microsoft.com/accessdev/). For
more information about accessing the Microsoft Jet database engine, see "Using
DAO from Microsoft Word" in Microsoft Word Visual Basic Help (Vbawrd8.hlp).

The updated Wbodbc.wll and Wbodbc97.dot files can only be obtained from the
Microsoft Internet site:

  http://www.microsoft.com/WordDev/Articles/WbOdbcdl.htm

NOTE: Because the Microsoft Web site is constantly updated, the site address may
change without notice. If this occurs, link to the Microsoft home page at the
following address:

  http://www.microsoft.com/

NOTE: WBODBC is not supported by Microsoft Technical Support and is provided "as
is."

For additional information, please click the article number(s) below to view the
article(s) in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  Q145749 CAPI and WLL Support Policy

Additional query words: wordcon 97 8.0 word8 word97

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Keywords          : kbwordvba 
Technology        : kbWordSearch kbWord97 kbWord97Search kbZNotKeyword2
Version           : WINDOWS:97
Issue type        : kbinfo

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