Need Help - Local Synchronization Between SQL Mobile and Local SQL Database

Hi Everyone

I am at the stage of architecting my solution

My goal is to develop the system on a windows application and pda

There is a central server which will create a publication called inventory

The laptops which host the windows application will be subscribers to the central server using merge replication

The client now wants the PDA using SQL Mobile to synchronize with the local subscirber database on the laptop using active sync. They dont want to do it via WIFI to the IIS Server at the central server

I have been reading for days and I am still unsure whether this is possible to do.

I know Appforge provide a conduit for palm to access synchronization but not local sql databases

I would appreciate your help immensley

Can anyone please help me

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If you build your mobile application using VS2005 and SQL Mobile, you can use merge replication between your server-side publication and SQL Mobile. The SQL Mobile Books OnLine are the first place to start - read the section on merge replication.

-Darren Shaffer

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Hi Darren

Yes I got my sql mobile to synchronize successfully with the local desktop sql database called "Inventory"

However I have a new problem

I would like to have the desktop replicating with the server for database "Inventory"

I also got this to work seperately

I would now want the SQL mobile database to replicate with the local desktop database "Inventory" which inturn will replicate with the server copy called "Inventory"

I would like to have both replication scenarios joined together. I know that most people will say get the SQL mobile to talk directly to the server but this is the most expensive scenario I believe

Is this possible?

Thankyou for your earlier post

Touraj

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Touraj,

Sorry for not reading your post more closely - I see what you are trying to do now. You want to have a 3 tier merge replication going on. Yes, this is possible, but the database on the laptop is going to have to be SQL Server 2005, not SQL Express. The way it would have to work is this:

The laptop would have to have IIS installed and the SQL Mobile server tools. As far as the mobile app is concerned, the laptop is the publisher. On the laptop, you have a subscription to the central server in a replication relationship. You would turn around and create a publication on the laptop with the same articles that are in the subscription to the central server. You would need to be extremely careful with uniqueness in this situation - I would avoid identity columns and use GUIDs for everything in this app domain.

Is there any chance that both the laptops and the PDAs can be subscribers to the central server? That would be a much easier implementation, but it is possible to do what you suggested with the extra tier.

-Darren

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Hi Darren

Thankyou again for your kind assistance

Yes you are right. It would be easier and 'cheaper' to get the PDA to synch with the central server via the servers IIS process

I am tossing up between a i-Mate and iPaq 4700. I would be interested to know if you have a preference over the two

Thanks from sunny Australia.

Touraj

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I think both i-Mate and HP make great devices - I have not had any trouble with SQL Mobile on my JasJar or on a variety of iPaqs. My WM5 JasJar seems a little sluggish overall compared to a Dell Axim X50v (WM5), which others have noted as well. Not slow, just not instant to respond to input. I have not had specific experience with the 4700. There are some public newsgroups (microsoft.public.pocketpc.developer) where people tend to talk more about specific devices and you could use Google Advanced Groups search to get previous opinions on the 4700.

-Darren