Windows Vista support issues

SQL Anywhere version 10.0.1 supports the Windows Vista operating system. Following are some issues relating to running SQL Anywhere software on Vista:

  • Windows Vista security   Windows Vista incorporates a new security model. User Account Control (UAC) is enabled by default and may affect the behavior of programs that expect to be able to write files, especially when the computer supports more than one user. Depending on where and how files and directories are created, a file created by one user may have permissions that do not allow another user to read or write to that file. If you install SQL Anywhere into the default directories, files and directories that require read/write access for multiple users are set up appropriately.

  • SQL Anywhere elevated operations agent   In Vista, certain actions require privilege elevation to execute when run under User Account Control. The following programs may require elevation in SQL Anywhere: dbdsn.exe, dbelevate10.exe, dblic.exe, dbsvc.exe, installULNet.exe, mlasinst.exe, SetupVSPackage.exe, ulcond10.exe, and ulafreg.exe.

    The following DLLs require elevation when they are registered or unregistered: dbctrs10.dll, dbodbc10.dll, dboledb10.dll, and dboledba10.dll.

    On a Vista system with User Account Control activated, you may receive an elevation prompt for the SQL Anywhere elevated operations agent. The prompt is issued by the Vista User Account Control system to confirm that you want to continue running the identified program (if logged on as an administrator) or to provide administrator credentials (if logged on as a non-administrator).

  • Deployment changes   The program dbelevate10.exe is used internally by SQL Anywhere components to perform operations that require elevated privileges. This executable must be included in deployments of SQL Anywhere.

  • ActiveSync support   The Microsoft ActiveSync utility is not supported in Vista. It is replaced by the Windows Mobile Device Center. You can use the SQL Anywhere ActiveSync Provider Installation utility with Windows Mobile Device Center.

  • SQL Anywhere executables signed   SQL Anywhere executables on Vista are signed by iAnywhere Solutions, Inc.

  • New license files   The installation of 10.0.1 includes procedures that create new license files for SQL Anywhere. License information from an existing installation is extracted from the old location within the executable files and moved to the new location (dbsrv10.lic, dbeng10.lic, and mlsrv10.lic files in the same directory as the executables).

    See Server Licensing utility (dblic).

  • Samples   Samples now correctly handle SQL Anywhere installation path names that contain one or more spaces.

  • Windows services   Vista-compliant services are not allowed to interact with the desktop. On Windows Vista, no SQL Anywhere services interact with the desktop (even if Allow Service To Interact With Desktop is enabled in the service definition). SQL Anywhere database servers can be monitored using the dbconsole utility or from Sybase Central.

    Sybase Central disables the option to allow service to interact with desktop when running on Windows Vista.

  • Using an AWE cache   To use an AWE cache on Windows Vista, you must run the database server as administrator. Starting a non-elevated database server with an AWE cache results in a warning that the database server must be run as an administrator to use AWE. See -cw server option.

  • PowerDesigner, InfoMaker, and DataWindow .NET   The PowerDesigner, InfoMaker, and DataWindow .NET components included with SQL Anywhere are not officially supported on Windows Vista. As a result, you may experience issues running these components in a Vista environment. Refer to the respective product documentation for instructions on how to run in a Vista environment, as well as how to obtain a Vista-supported version of these products.