Datasource could not be found

Report · Mar 06, 2008

Been working on this problem for several days now. My CF 7 server with developer configuration (using the built-in CF server) is fine, so I copied my production-ready site to my new CF 8 production server (using IIS). The problem, now, is that I'm getting a "Datasource dimdbcfm could not be found."

The datasources on the CF 8 server have been set up in the CF admin, so that shouldn't be the problem. In fact, if I use the built-in CF server as a test ( http://s355ab5:8301/CFIDE/index.cfm) I get the expected page with it's menu form and database-driven options. However, the CGI values are missing ... not showing int the debug or cfoutputs. For example, remote_user and auth_user is blank, but remote_host is good. On the other hand, if I use the IIS server ( http://s355ab5/CFIDE/) it gives me the CGI values just fine but the datasource can not be found.

I've researched the problem across the net, through my books, even check with some in-house help and can't figure it out ... mostly because I can't find the same problem. I'm thinking it's a case where it's either a misunderstood/ambiguous cause or something is not right with my IIS or my CF.

Another potential problem is the location (directory path) of the site and/or the IIS settings.
• I kept the site under the \JRun4\servers\KIMprod\cfusion.ear\cfusion.war\CFIDE directory.
• I didn't bother with the \Inetpub\www\CFIDE directory.
• I reset the default site to the same JRun4 directory.
• I checked "local path" and the associated permissions. Seem OK.
Other checks done.
• I checked the Authentication Methods and set to "Integrated Windows authentication".
• I have CF configured as Multiserver.
• I even tested this with a temporary ODBC connection. The test connection was successful.
• I also added a JRunScripts virtual directory as suggested by another web site. (Didn't get created automatically.)
• Also created sandbox settings. No change.

Seriously stuck here, and I'm hoping it's a simple problem, even though I might hang my head in embarrassment if it is.

Let me know if you need more info or clarification.

Report · Mar 07, 2008

Your error means exactly what it says. Your production CF server does not have a datasource named "dimdbcfm". In cfadmin turn on debugger settings -> "enable robust exception information". That will show you the exact line and page that reports it. If that page and line has a cfquery that starts:
<cfquery datasource="dimdbcfm" ...
then you need a datasource defined in your cfadmin datasources named, "dimdbcfm". Define it.

If your query starts as:
<cfquery datasource="#request.dsn#" or similar, and you do not expect "dimdbcfm" as the value of request.dsn, you need to figure out how it is getting set to "dimdbcfm".

You may want to spend some time skimming through the
CF8 Administrator's Guide.

Report · Mar 10, 2008

Sorry, Ken, I should have explained that the administrator's guide didn't have the necessary info, or not that I could find. Please see my other reply to Ian for further update(s). Thanks.

Report · Mar 07, 2008

skylabpictures wrote:
> ? I have CF configured as Multiserver.

This means that you can have multiple ColdFusion instances running on
the server and it sounds like you do. One of the main reasons to do
this is so that each instance can have its own separate and unique
configurations such as DSN settings.

This instance you have running and configured to use the built in web
server and is accessed from the URL
' http://s355ab5:8301/CFIDE/index.cfm' has the DSN configured. But the
built in web server is not a Windows IIS web server and thus 'Windows
Integrated Authentication' is meaningless to it and cgi.auth_user is
never going to be populated automatically.

The instance you have running and configured to the URL
' http://s355ab5/CFIDE/' does not have the DSN configured. But this one
is an IIS web server and thus the 'Windows Integrated Authentication'
means something and your cgi.auth_user is populated as desired as long
as the user is using a Windows browser on a Windows OS client connecting
to the Windows server over a Windows domain network. (Thus the 'Windows'
part of the integrated security.)

Compare and contrast these too administrator settings, especially the
DSN settings.

http://s355ab5/cfide/administrator/

AND

http://s355ab5:8301/cfide/administrator/

AND just for fun

http://s355ab5:80/cfide/administrator/

Which should be the same as the first one, but may more clearly
distinguish why these are different web sites. Different ports means
different web sites.

Report · Mar 10, 2008

Thanks, Ian. I've played around with this for a little while longer and found exactly what you were talking about, or at least similar.

I added the same datasource kimdbcfm to the "main" instance (port 8300...which answers on 80 with IIS) so all datasources, including the samples (e.g. cfartgallery) show up there now. Sure enough, it now works. Not only does the index.cfm page show up but the CGI values are showing up as well.

You'd think I'd stop there and just be happy about it, but I'm a glutton for punishment. I'd like to know if my datasource under 8301 can be recognized by IIS, or, are all datasources supposed to be together under 8300? Again, I'm not used to this because my dev server has datasources named within each instance/port. So can/does CF get adjusted, or does IIS, or both?

Clear as mud? Let me know if I need to re-explain.

Thanks.

Wayne

Report · Mar 11, 2008

skylabpictures wrote:
> Thanks, Ian. I've played around with this for a little while longer and found
> exactly what you were talking about, or at least similar.
>
> I added the same datasource kimdbcfm to the "main" instance (port 8300...which
> answers on 80 with IIS) so all datasources, including the samples (e.g.
> cfartgallery) show up there now. Sure enough, it now works. Not only does the
> index.cfm page show up but the CGI values are showing up as well.
>
> You'd think I'd stop there and just be happy about it, but I'm a glutton for
> punishment. I'd like to know if my datasource under 8301 can be recognized by
> IIS, or, are all datasources supposed to be together under 8300? Again, I'm
> not used to this because my dev server has datasources named within each
> instance/port. So can/does CF get adjusted, or does IIS, or both?
>
> Clear as mud? Let me know if I need to re-explain.
>
> Thanks.
>
> Wayne
>

I think you are asking if the datasources in one instance of ColdFusion
are shared with datasources in another intance of ColdFusion. No, the
instances are separate, that is largely their purpose.

At least the way I use them.

Report · Mar 11, 2008

No, I don't expect or need to share datasources between instances, I'm just hoping to get IIS to recognize and work with the datasource in the first instance (8301) where it was originally entered.

Here's the breakdown:
8300 has kimdbcfm and all other datasources from the installation. This entry of kimdbcfm is the one that works.
8301 also has kimdbcfm but this entry doesn't work, and this is what I'd like to understand and rectify as it's the instance of the (soon to be) production site. Once rectified I'd like to delete the kimdbcfm entry from 8300, so only one remains (in 8301).

Report · Mar 11, 2008

skylabpictures wrote:
> No, I don't expect or need to share datasources between instances, I'm just
> hoping to get IIS to recognize and work with the datasource in the first
> instance (8301) where it was originally entered.
>
> Here's the breakdown:
> 8300 has kimdbcfm and all other datasources from the installation. This entry
> of kimdbcfm is the one that works.
> 8301 also has kimdbcfm but this entry doesn't work, and this is what I'd like
> to understand and rectify as it's the instance of the (soon to be) production
> site. Once rectified I'd like to delete the kimdbcfm entry from 8300, so only
> one remains (in 8301).
>

Ah, sorry. Different issue. To connect an external web sever (IIS,
Apache, ect) to a specific ColdFusion instance, one uses the Web Server
Configuration Tool [WSConfig] tool. Which is a bin located in the
ColdFusion directory, and usually accessible from the Start menu under
ColdFusion on Windows systems.

You may have to disconnect the built in server connected to the desired
instance first. I am not sure of this process. I have never used the
built in server having always used Apache or IIS or it's predecessor PWS
(Personal Web Server).