Database, RDS, FTP, CFquery... OH MY!

[gridkid]

I am new to and definitely struggling with ColdFusion MX7 (CF), Dreamweaver MX
2004 (DW), and Access on a PC running Windows XP Home SP1. I designed what I
thought would be a fairly simple dynamic web site for a client who sells
autographs. Once I got the site to work locally off my PC, I searched for a
recommended server and chose Crystaltech (CT) based on high recommendations
fraom several CF forums. Once the client purchased space and moved his domain
name to Crystaltech, I assumed we were in business. (I know, I know, never
assume.)

Unfortunately, I have been unable to get any of my site?s CF pages to work. I
keep getting the following error:

Unable to authenticate on RDS server using current security info!

Then I found out that CT doesn?t allow the use of a RDS server, so I changed
to FTP. However, in DW even if the site?s testing server is set to FTP, when
you try to create a database connection, you keep having to:

Specify the RDS login information for Coldfusion server.

And since I can't do that, I can't access my database on my web pages because
I keep being told that it can't find my data source. For example, when I try to
access my site directly via the web, I get this error:

Data source CombsAutographsImages could not be found.

The error occurred in D:\INETPUB\combsautographs\Americana\Americana.cfm :
line 1

1 : <cfquery name="RecAmericana" datasource="CombsAutographsImages">
2 : SELECT FirstName, LastName, Image, Thumb, Popup, PopWidth, PopHeight,
Description, Topic, RetailPrice FROM InventoryImage
3 : WHERE Topic = Americana

Initially, CT has been less than helpful with my pleas for help; mostly
they?ve told me in a sentence of two what I can?t do. So I have been ?haunting?
various forums and other tutorial sites trying to find solutions and/or others
in my situation. Having learned that using a RDS password invites too many
security problems for a host server and that most hosts do not allow its use, I
figured that I would be able to find lots of basic information on how to work
around this with FTP? but alas, no! I have found some confusing info about
?connection strings,? something about DW data bindings vs CF coding,
external/local CFIDE folders, etc. But now I?m so frustrated and confused that
I am beyond lost! And my client?s patience is wearing out?

So, if anyone out there knows of a web site to point me to (one that spells it
out for a brain-dead newbie), has written a basic tutorial (again, for a
brain-dead newbie), or cares to take pity and help me out? I would be ever so
grateful!

Below, is the Local Info, Remote Info, and Testing Server information that
I?ve filled in. (Except for logins and passwords.) I?ve also included the
Cfquery info from the top of one of the site?s pages.

Local Info
Site Name: CombsAutographs
Local Root Folder: I:\Clients\Combs_Gary\_NewWeb\
Refresh local file list automatically: checked
Default Images Folder: I:\Clients\Combs_Gary\_NewWeb\_Working_Files\
HTTP Address: http://
Cache: enable

Remote Info
Access: FTP
FTP Host: 209.xxx.xxx.xx
Host Directory:
Login:
Password:

Testing Server
Server Model: ColdFusion
Access: FTP
FTP Host: 209.xxx.xxx.xx
Host Directory:
Login:
Password:
URL prefix: [url]http://209.xxx.xxx.xx[/url]

Top of Web Page: CFquery

<cfquery name="RecAmericana" datasource="CombsAutographsImages">
SELECT FirstName, LastName, Image, Thumb, Popup, PopWidth, PopHeight,
Description, Topic, RetailPrice FROM InventoryImage
WHERE Topic = Americana
ORDER BY Last ASC
</cfquery>

[paross1]

Well, where is your Access database located? Hasn't Crystaltech set up the datasource on their server?

Phil

[gridkid]

The Access database -- InventoryImage.mdb -- is on the site, in a folder --
Database. And as far as I know, I've set up the Crystaltech datasource via
their DataSource Admin page.

And yes, I've e-mailed them another time and no, they haven't responded. At
this point, I'm signed up on 3 forums trying to figure this thing out. But I'm
in over my head and so confused that I don't even know my URL from my...

Thank-you.

[OldCFer]

You have to have a datasouce set up through The CF Admin. For you it has
to be named 'CombsAutographsImages' and it has to point to the
InventoryImage.mdb
that you uploaded via ftp. I don't know much about how providers do this,
becuse I take
care of my own servers. You said "I've set up the Crystaltech datasource via
their
DataSource Admin page". Do they have some utility where you can do it
yourself? . If
so does it have a button or something for you to test the connection? At a
minimum
you should have Crystaltech check if the 'CombsAutographsImages' datasource
is
set up and connecting.

The good news is at least you are hitting one of your pages, or you wouldn't
get that
error. Your SQL is incorrect, though
WHERE Topic = Americana
ORDER BY Last ASC
ahould be
WHERE Topic = 'Americana' (needs single quotes aorond text values)
ORDER BY LastName ASC (I don't see a field called 'Last' included)