[Darryl Turner]

We just upgraded from Dynamics GP 2013 R2 to Dynamics GP 2016 with the latest tax table update for Canadian Payroll.  As part of the upgrade we ran the conversion process in Integration Manager to update the IM database.  Now we get a lock file on the database once any user attempts to launch IM (successful or not).  After that first attempt, everyone else gets an error message referring to Microsoft Access ODBC and is unable to launch.  We were able to just copy in the old database and everything so far seems to be working, but I am curious if anyone else has run into this and if the conversion is a process that everyone should avoid.  Very strange.

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Darryl Turner
I.T. Manager
Nuna Logistics Limited
Edmonton AB
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[Beat Bucher]

Hi Darryl;
this might be a shot in the dark (as I don’t use actively IM), but have you changed anything else as part of the upgrade to 2016 ? like the Office application or maybe you need to check if the Access driver for IM has changed (which is possibly le culprit )..

You mention that you took a copy of the IM database and it works fine now… do you mean it was an old backup from prior the update ?

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Beat Bucher
Business Analyst, Dynamics GP MVP
Ultra-Electronics Forensic Technology Inc.
Montreal QC/Canada
+1-514-489-4267
@GP_Beat http://dyngpbeat.wordpress.com/
Montreal QC GPUG Chapter Leader
GP2013R2 / MR2012 CU14
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[Darryl Turner]

Hi Beat,

While there were a lot of changes in this project (i.e. new server VM, went from SQL 2012 to 2014, new tax tables, additional 3rd parties) there was no change to MS Office or drivers on the workstations.

The IM upgrade process created a file with an .imd extension.  This database has a lock file created when any user tries to launch Integration Manager (even if not successful).  The previous IM database had a .mdb extension.  We put the .mdb file from our Dynamics 2013R2 system into the Production Dynamics 2016R2 system and everything seems to work fine.  I’m not sure why the file conversion is recommended, as the old file works fine.  So we are able to work again, but I am still curious about this.  Our experience with this whole IM upgrade process indicates that file conversion is something to avoid!

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Darryl Turner
I.T. Manager
Nuna Logistics Limited
Edmonton AB
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[Beat Bucher]

Darryl,

The .imd format has been around for a while.. This KB article from Microsoft explains how to configure the path in the config file (both file formats are mentioned):

https://community.dynamics.com/gp/f/32/t/104634

followed by the link from the discussion

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/953217

.mdb is an old extension format inherited from Access 2000/2003.. which was replaced since 2007 by .accdb format.

I couldn’t find any description for the .imd extension, but my belief is that this was a custom format created by Microsoft to ‘hide’ the Access mdb file from the full MS-Access application, so it doesn’t get opened by accident when double -clicking on the file.. .IMD sounds better for Integration Manager Database

It is also fully possible (as far as I recall) that the .imd file is protected somehow by a password to avoid potential alteration by the full Access application..

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Beat Bucher
Business Analyst, Dynamics GP MVP
Ultra-Electronics Forensic Technology Inc.
Montreal QC/Canada
+1-514-489-4267
@GP_Beat http://dyngpbeat.wordpress.com/
Montreal QC GPUG Chapter Leader
GP2013R2 / MR2012 CU14
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[Darryl Turner]

Beat,
I reviewed that information, but it only refers to how to set the path to the Integration Manager database.  I have no problems getting the computers configured to use the correct IM database.  And I thought it would make sense to use the newer file format — i.e. *.IMD file.  The problem that I ran into is that this new format does not seem to allow multi-user access, and I have about a half-dozen users for IM.
If more than one user on our system wants to use Integration Manager then if I use this new file format all of them get error messages before they can even open an Integration.  Just like the old days of MS Access, a lock file is created that blocks access to the database.
I had to revert back to the old *.mdb file because it still works and allows multiple IM users to access it.
Since this scenario works. I guess I will stick with it.

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Darryl Turner
I.T. Manager
Nuna Logistics Limited
Edmonton AB
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