The 'Sybase ASE OLE DB Provider' provider is not registered on the local machine

Question

I am getting this error when trying to connect to sybase database using oledb connectivity from visual studio.net 2005

The 'Sybase ASE OLE DB Provider' provider is not registered on the local machine. 

Solution

For Sybase ASE 12.5 there are at least 2 OLEDB drivers.

Newest:

• Long Name: Sybase OLEDB Provider (or ASE OLEDB Provider by Sybase)
• ShortName: ASEOLEDB.1
• Latest Version: 12.5.1.680 (13 Sep 2008)
• Default Folder: C:\sybase\DataAccess\OLEDB
• Config Tool: C:\sybase\DataAccess\bin\sybdrvadm.exe
• Creates .sod files in C:\sybase\DataAccess\bin for each server config that you create.

Previous:

• Long Name: Sybase ASE OLE DB Provider
• ShortName: Sybase.ASEOLEDBProvider.2
• Latest Version: 02.70.0079 (1 Dec 06)
• Default Folder: c:\sybase\OLEDB
• Config Tool: C:\sybase\OLEDB\sydaadm.exe
• Creates .ids files in this folder for each server config that you create.

If you can use the newest you should!

For oledb connections you need to install some stored procedures on the server, for the newer client they're in $SYBASE/DataAccess/OLEDB/sp, run install_oledb_sprocs.bat.

If these drivers appear installed and you're still not getting it to work try and run "regsvr32 sydaase.dll" to re-register the driver.