Remote access to mobile databases
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Requirements

Data Port Sync requires DesktopSqlCe - it is not a standalone component.

Installing Data Port Sync

There are no special procedures to install Data Port Sync. It is distributed in a simple ZIP file containing all the necessary files, VS 2005 projects and samples, so you just need to decompress the file to a folder of your choice.

Before running any of the samples, you will need to copy the dptrack.dll file to either C:\Windows\System32 or to any other directory where your system will look for DLL files. You can also copy this file to your project's output directory. This file contains all the desktop-side preparation and tracking code for Microsoft Access. The corresponding device code is already included in the distribution files of DesktopSqlCe.

Finally, make sure you always install the latest version of DesktopSqlCe along with all the redistributable files, namely RemSqlCe.dll for the device and dssce.dll and LocSqlCe.dll for the desktop. These last two should be copied to the same directory as dptrack.dll.

Synchronization phases

There are four synchronization phases:

  1. Preparation. In the preparation phase theMicrosoft Access database is prepared for synchronization. This includes the creation of tracking tables and tracking columns in the tracked tables. After this process, the Access database can be quickly and easily tracked for any changes (inserts, updates or deletes) in the tracked tables.
  2. Export. The Access database is exported to an SDF format, either SQL CE 2.0 or SQL Mobile. After exporting, a partnership is established with the device.
  3. Tracking. During this phase, both databases are scanned for changes since the last tracking (or since preparation). Any changes are reported to the Data Port Sync code in the form of two ChangedRowCollections. Each object contains a description of the changed row, not the data row itself.
  4. Merge. Finally both lists are sorted according to FOREIGN KEY constaints and all changes are propagated, starting from the SQL CE / Mobile list and followed by the Access changes. The whole process runs in a transaction (in both databases) in order to be atomic. If the process fails, it can be restarted in the tracking phase.

Note that for existing partnerships, only phases 3 and 4 are relevant.