ASP.NET, SQL Server, WPF, C#, VB.NET

Hi all, PLEASE HELP.  
  
I'm having a real issue with reading an Excel file from my asp on a  
  
remote server.  
  
A snipit of my script is as follows:  
  
exceldb="serverdetails/adotest.xls"  
  
Set objConn = Server.CreateObject("ADODB.Connection")  
  
' Create a server connection object  
  
objConn.Open "DBQ=" & Server.MapPath(exceldb) & ";" & _  
  
"DRIVER={Microsoft Excel Driver (*.xls)};"  
  
This all work fine. The problem comes when i try to access the file  
  
Exce file on a remote machine. I get the following message  
  
Microsoft OLE DB Provider for ODBC Drivers error '80004005'  
  
[Microsoft][ODBC Excel Driver]General error Unable to open registry key  
  
'Temporary (volatile) Jet DSN for process 0x1050 Thread 0x10ac DBC  
  
0x225e36c Excel'.  
  
I have set up a virtual directory and the pointed it to the location of  
  
the Excel file.  
  
I gave "connect as" permissions of the virtual directory, domain admin  
  
priviledge (over kill i know). I know that the account has full access  
  
to the directory and file.  
  
If i test the url of the virtual directry and file name, i can open the  
  
file, so i know the virtual directory is working fine.  
  
If i change the virtual directory and point it to another location on  
  
the server hosting IIS then all works fine.  
  
I have a lot of articles pointing the problem to the permissions of the  
  
file or the temp directory, but as i am using a domain admin account i  
  
can't see this being the issue.  
  
Can anyone please help.  
  
Thanks in advance  
  
Hoppers

hoppers wrote:  
  
As opposed to a fake issue? ;-)  
  
This is a problem caused by using the obsolete ODBC driver:  
  
http://www.aspfaq.com/show.asp?id=2154  
  
Try switching to using the Jet OLE DB provider per this:  
  
http://www.carlprothman.net/Default.aspx?tabid=87#OLEDBProviderForMicrosoftJetExcel  
  
--  
  
Microsoft MVP - ASP/ASP.NET  
  
Please reply to the newsgroup. This email account is my spam trap so I  
  
don't check it very often. If you must reply off-line, then remove the  
  
"NO SPAM"

Bob, thanks for the funny, and even more thanks for the solution, which  
  
has certainly got me further.  
  
My code now looks like this  
  
Dim objConn  
  
Dim ObjRS  
  
Set objConn = Server.CreateObject("ADODB.Connection")  
  
Set objRS = Server.CreateObject("ADODB.Recordset")  
  
strBaseFilePath = "serverdetails/adotest.xls"  
  
objConn.Open "Provider=Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0;" & _  
  
"Data Source=" & Server.MapPath(strBaseFilePath) & ";" & _  
  
"Extended Properties=""Excel 8.0;"""  
  
objRS.Open "Select * from DataArea", objConn, adOpenStatic  
  
Which works and i can now actually get to my remote file however.....I  
  
now get this  
  
Microsoft JET Database Engine error '80004005'  
  
The Microsoft Jet database engine cannot open the file ' **path to  
  
file** \ Server Docs\adotest.xls'. It is already opened exclusively by  
  
another user, or you need permission to view its data.  
  
/excel.asp, line 11  
  
I have checked that is not already open and i have confirmed that the  
  
virtual directory can see the file, which i can open by opening the  
  
link to the file via the virtual directory.  
  
I have check the file and it have everyone as full control.  
  
Any ideas? I did try and add a user id and password in the opening of  
  
the datasource, but i can't seem to find the correct syntax.  
  
Thanks again.

hoppers wrote:  
  
This is a tough one. If you were opening an Jet database, I would know to  
  
advise you to grant read/write (Modify) authority for the folder containing  
  
the mdb file to all users of the .mdb file so that the locking file (.ldb)  
  
can be created modified and deleted by the users. However, I do not believe  
  
an Excel file uses that type of semaphore-locking strategy. All i can  
  
suggest is that you look at this article:  
  
http://www.aspfaq.com/show.asp?id=2168  
  
--  
  
Microsoft MVP -- ASP/ASP.NET  
  
Please reply to the newsgroup. The email account listed in my From  
  
header is my spam trap, so I don't check it very often. You will get a  
  
quicker response by posting to the newsgroup.