Moving from SQL Anywhere 16 to 17

[glenn_barber]

We have a large application written primarily in PowerBuilder which we want to move from SQL Anywhere 16 to SQL ANywhere 17. we are using the ODBC interface.

What problems or issues might we run into?

Are there any helpful sources about migration?

[VolkerBarth]

I'd recommend to have a look at the "What's New" sections of the v17 docs and the according "read me" files. There have been some changes and many bug fixes w.r.t. ODBC according to the read me files.

That being said, I guess it's difficult to tell whether a particular application needs some adaptions or not – and there are certainly new features and many advantages you may want to make use of... possibly after a migration.

[BudDurland]

Our ERP system is written in an elderly version of PowerBuilder. We had no issues with the upgrade from 16 to 17 when we did it a few years back. I was cautious enough to make sure all the clients got the v17 ODBC drivers, though in testing we didn't have any issues with the v16 drivers. We also took the opportunity to do a DBUNLOAD and a re-load into a freshly minted V17 database.

[Breck_Carter]

...yes, do what Bud did and you will be successful.

Here's a "Just In Case" suggestion: Save a complete installed copy of SQL Anywhere 16. Old copies of dbisql, and of the ODBC driver, have proven to be handy in the past for dealing with minor glitches.

As a developer, I regularly switch between the V17 and 16 dbisql GUIs... V17 to compare plans and V16 because of the productivity [cough] differences 🙂

[glenn_barber]

Productivity differences???

[VolkerBarth]

I guess Breck refers to the lost message pane in V17's DBISQL, see here.

[Breck_Carter]

> the lost message pane

The pain is still fresh ( pun intended 🙂

It's hard to believe 6 years have passed.