--NOTE!-- There are many messages that can appear when the software fails to connect to the database. The message you received may not be indicated in this article. Nevertheless, if the software fails to open, this article offers you the best shot at resolving the issue.
When launching Gradience the twin messages below may be encountered:
You do not need to do anything with the Sysdba Password. That message is just a secondary popup that is essentially communicating the fact that the software is unable to connect to the data. Rather than trying to enter a password, please review the 15 known causes of a loss of connectivity between the software and the data that are shown further down in this article, each with it's own solution.
Alternately, you may see something very similar to:
Other messages may also appear indicating that the software is unable to connect to the database.
Quick Tip #1 If you're remotely connecting to the computer via RDP, LogMeIn, etc.; you will need to change the SERVER= in the hrware.ini to the IP address of the computer hosting the data or to the loopback address of 127.0.0.1 - See step 4 below for more information.
Quick Tip #2 If Gradience opens successfully on another client computer, copy the hrware.ini file from that computer and use it to replace the hrware.ini file on the computer where Gradience fails to open. This file is located at c:\Programdata\Gradience. The Programdata folder may be hidden.
Quick Tip #3 If you got the error in Windows 10 while using version 12 it is likely due to one or both of the recent Windows 10 updates (Creator & 1709).
These two updates to Windows 10 have rendered Gradience version 12 non-functional on that operating system. If you have been using version 12 on Windows 10 updating to our latest build resolves the issue.
List of Causes:
Any one or any combination of these causes may be in play.
Cause #1. The client cannot ping the server.
Cause #2. The IP Address of the host computer is Dynamic. ...The IP must be static.
Cause #3. The shortcut is set to run in compatibility with another operating system.
Cause #4. Running Gradience on Citrix or Terminal Services. ...Unsupported.
Cause #5. Unsupported Operating System. Must be Win 7, 8,10, Server 2008/R2, 2012/R2.
Cause #6. Software is not pointed properly. Never use UNC or a mapped a drive.
Cause #7. Inadequate permissions to data/ini. The User and System need Full Control.
Cause #8. Missing line from the Services file at C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc.
Cause #9. TimeStation is lacking a local instance of Firebird.
Cause #10. There is no Gradience folder in the Programdata folder. The software is blind.
Cause #11. Firebird is missing or not started or you have the wrong version.
Cause #12. Port 3050 is unavailable on the host machine. - Even if the firewall is disabled.
Cause #13. Remote Access. Re-point the client ini file to the server's IP Address.
Cause #14. Old Version/New Operating System.
Cause #15. Running Gradience version 12 on Windows 10 after recent Windows 10 updates.
Solutions:
Cause 1. The client cannot ping the server.
Solution:
1. Open Command Prompt and enter CMD. A small black screen with white text will appear.
2. Where the cursor is blinking, type the word ping followed by a space and the server name.
3. Press Enter to see the result.
4. Read the first line to see what the command is doing.
5. Read the body of the output to see how long it took the address to respond.
6. Read the summary.
You may click here for more details that include illustrations.
Cause 2. IP Address of the computer hosting the data (server) is Dynamic.
Solution:
Ask your IT professional to assign a static IP address to the computer that hosts the data.
Cause 3. The shortcut is set to run in compatibility with another operating system.
Solution:
Go to C:\Program Files (x86)\Gradience\Professional. Scroll to GCore.exe and right-click on it. Click Properties > Compatibility. Uncheck Run this program in Compatibility mode for...
Cause 4. You’re attempting to run the software on Citrix or Terminal Services.
Solution:
Move Gradience and the Data of Citrix or Terminal Services. Gradience Software is not supported when deployed on Citrix or Terminal Services. You may use either of the links below to access a PDF that may help.
Running Gradience Pro / Ent in Citrix (not supported)
Running Gradience Pro / Ent in Terminal Services (not supported)
Cause 5. Unsupported Operating System.
Solution:
Gradience is only supported on Win 7, 8,10, Server 2008, & 2012 so you will have to move the software to one of these operating systems.
Click here to move to a New Server and Re-point the Client Workstations.
Click here to move Gradience Pro & Data from One Standalone to Another.
Click here to install Gradience on a new client workstation.
Cause 6. Software is not pointed properly. Incorrect server name/IP address/database path.
Solution:
1. Go to C:\ProgramData. The ProgramData folder may be hidden. If so, you can go online to see how to unhide it for your operating system.
2. After opening the ProgramData folder, open the Gradience folder and then open the hrware.ini file.
3. Under [HRWARE] look at PATH=. The drive letter must be a physical drive, not a mapped drive. It must be the [actual] drive as seen from the host machine. Eliminate any double back slashes.
4. Next, look at SERVER=. The server name or IP address must be correct and eliminate any double back slashes from this line as well.
Cause 7. Permissions to the folder containing the database are Inadequate.
Solution:
The end user needs to either have [ local admin rights on his/her computer only ] or at a minimum, the user needs to have full rights to the folder containing the database file and full rights to the [ local ] Hrware.ini file on his/her computer.
To give the end-user rights to the data, go to the computer/server where the database file resides. Right-click the folder containing the database file. Typically, this folder is named Data. Choose Properties. When the Properties popup opens, click the Security tab and verify that the User and System have Full Control.
To give the end-user rights to the local Hrware.ini file go to his/her own computer and navigate to c:\Programdata (generally this folder is hidden). If so, you can go online to see how to unhide it for your operating system. After opening the ProgramData folder,
Open the Gradience folder and then right-click the Hrware.ini file. Choose Properties. When the Properties popup opens, click the Security tab and verify that the User and System have Full Control.
Cause 8. Missing line from bottom of the Services file at C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc.
Solution:
Option One:
Right-click the Gradience shortcut on the desktop and select Run As Administrator (you should only need to do this once).
Option Two:
1. Go to C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc.
2. Right click on the Services file and open it with NotePad.
3. Scroll down to the bottom of the file and enter gds_db in the first column and enter 3050/tcp in the second column and enter # InterBase Server in the third column. As an example, please see line second from bottom below.
Cause 9. TimeStation is lacking a local instance of Firebird.
Solution:
TimeStation is unique in that unlike TimeClock or Attendance or FMLA Tracker, it does not use the instance of Firebird that runs on the server. It uses a local instance of Firebird.
Please go into Services to verify whether you have Firebird Server and Firebird Guardian and that they are both started. One will be shown to be automatic while the other will be shown to be manual but [ both ] must be started.
If they are not, please start one and the other will automatically start. If you do not even have an instance of Firebird on the local machine where TimeStation is running, please uninstall Gradience and then reinstall as a client This will cause Firebird 3.0 to install. Alternatively, you may go online to search for a free downloadable Firebird 3.0. If you manually download and install Firebird, please accept the defaults during installation.
By the way, please also follow the steps for cause #4 in these instructions to ensure that Port 3050 is open on the local machine for the new, local instance of Firebird.
Cause 10. There is no Gradience folder at C:\ProgramData.
Solution:
OPTION ONE: Gradience opens at the server but not at a client.
1. At the server, go to C:\Programdata\Gradience.
The ProgramData folder may be hidden. If so, you can go online to see how to unhide it for your operating system.
2. Copy the hrware.ini file and save it to a neutral location where you can access it later.
3. At the client with the issue, go to C:\Programdata and create a folder named Gradience.
4. Get the copied hrware.ini from the neutral location and paste it into the new Gradience folder.
5. Open hrware.ini and change SERVER= from Localhost to the name or IP address [of the server].
--CAUTION!-- Do not use a mapped drive and do not use UNC (\\). If you do, Gradience will not open.
OPTION TWO:
Open NotePad to create your hrware.ini file. All you need are three lines.
[HRWARE]
PATH=
SERVER=Localhost
Enter a drive letter and path following PATH=. On a standalone, the default path is ...
C:\ProgramData\Gradience\Hrware.gdb
Your path will be different if your database file is located elsewhere on the standalone computer. Paste this file on the client at C:\Programdata\Gradience.
Cause 11. Firebird service is missing or is not started or you have the wrong version.
Solution:
First see whether it is started.
Open Services. Look for Firebird. Depending on the version of Firebird, you may only see one line or you may see two lines. If you see two lines, one will be Firebird Guardian and the other will be Firebird Server. One will be automatic while the other will be manual. Both however, must be running.
- If it is missing altogether, you must install it by reinstalling the software.
- If you see only one instance of Firebird, click on it. If you see Start above and to the left, it means it is [not] started. In that case, click Start.
- If you see two instances of Firebird, click on either one. If you see Start above and to the left, it means that [neither one] is started. In that case, click Start for just the one you clicked on and the other one will start automatically.
Version: Except for TimeStation, Gradience uses the instance of Firebird that resided at the computer or server where the data reside. TimeStation uses a [local] instance of Firebird.
- Versions of Gradience older than 11.0.1606.29 use only Firebird 1.5.
- Version 11.0.1606.29 works with Firebird 1.5 & Firebird 2.0.
- Gradience version 12 can only function with Firebird 3.0.
--CAUTION!-- before installing Gradience, you must be sure that you are installing the same version of Gradience that may be running elsewhere. If you mix versions, you can corrupt the data beyond repair and get poor performance that cannot be resolved.
You can find the full, multi-digit version number inside the software by clicking Help > About. There are also two ways to view the version from [outside] the software.
1. Go to Programs & Features to view it on the list. If it shows Gradience Professional, it will also give the version number. If it doesn't have the words Gradience Professional disregard it and go to step 2 below.
2. Go to C:\Program Files (x86)\Gradience and open the Common folder. Then scroll down to and right-click on GCore.exe and click on Properties > Details to view the full, multi-digit version number.
If you are running various releases of version 11, you must click here to bring all of them up to version 11.0,1606.29. When you reinstall version 11 on the affected computer, it will install Firebird for you on that machine.
If you are running version 12, you may click here to install it but you will be installing version 12.17.0614.16 so if any are older than this like 12.17.0510.16, you must install version 12.17.0614.16 there as well so that all of them match.
Cause 12. Port 3050 is not configured where the database resides.
--NOTE-- This port must be configured on the host machine [ computer where the database resides ] even if the firewall is turned off. Below are the steps you must follow at the computer where the database resides. This may be an actual server or another workstation.
Solution:
1. Open your Control Panel and then open your Windows Firewall and click Advanced Settings.
2. Click Inbound Rules in the upper left and then click New Rule in the upper right and a popup window will open called [Rule Type].
3. In the center, select Port and then click Next. Another popup window will open called [Protocol and Ports].
4. Select TCP and Selected local ports. In the field next to [Selected local ports], enter 3050 and click Next. A new popup window will open called [Action].
5. Select Allow the connection and click Next. A popup window will open called [Profile].
6. You must select Domain. You [may] select Private and/or Public if you wish and then click Next. A popup window will open called [Name].
7. In the field under [Name] enter Firebird.
8. In the field under [Description] enter "Firebird is the Gradience database engine. It uses Port 3050 on the host machine." Click Finish.
9. Click Outbound Rules in the upper left and in the upper left and then click New Rule in the upper right and repeat steps 3 through 8 above.
--NOTE-- Click here for more in-depth Firewall instructions or visit http://goo.gl/JD0AZw
--CAUTION!-- You may have a policy on the server that is overriding the domain policy and allowing partial filtering in the Windows firewall that is blocking port 3050 on the server. There’s more than one place where the firewall can be set. Please check all of these places to be sure that nothing is blocking Port 3050. If you are not an IT professional, ask your IT person to help with this. This is beyond the scope of our support.
Cause 13. Remote Access: The remote tool can’t resolve the server designation in the ini file.
Solution:
You must alter the server designation on the hrware.ini file.
- If remoting to the server or standalone computer, change the designation Localhost to it’s own IP address or the loopback address of 127.0.0.1
- If remoting to a client computer; change the name of the server to the server’s IP address.
Go to C:\ProgramData. The ProgramData folder may be hidden. If so, you can go online to see how to unhide it for your operating system. After opening the ProgramData folder, open the Gradience folder and then open the hrware.ini file.
Look at SERVER= following [HRWARE].
-
If remoting to the server or standalone computer (RDP, etc.), change the designation from Localhost to it’s own IP address or the loopback address of 127.0.0.1 and click Save > Close and try to open the software.
If remoting to a client computer (RDP, etc.) change the name of the server to the server’s IP address.
Don’t worry about any other lines other than the two lines that directly follow [HRWARE]
Additional Details on this Matter:
…At the Server or Standalone: (computer where the software and the database reside)
[HRWARE]
PATH= This drive letter and this path must be identical on the server and the clients.
SERVER= Server Name is OK unless you are remoting-in. In that case, change this to the server’s IP Address.
…At a Client: (computer where only the software resides)
[HRWARE]
PATH= This drive letter and this path must be identical on the server and the clients.
SERVER= Server Name is OK unless launching remotely. In that case, change this to the server’s IP Address.
--NOTE-- Do not concern yourself with RUN PATH or any other portions of the hrware.ini file.
Cause 14. Old Gradience Version on Win 8, 10, or on Server 2008/2012
Gradience versions older than 12 were never tested on Windows 8. Windows 8.1, Windows 10, or on Servers 2008 or 2012 but they have been found to work.
The problem people generally encounter is not software functionality but installation. It is common on the operating systems listed above to fail to create a Gradience folder at C:\ProgramData so there is no place for the hrware.ini file to reside.
This ini file points the software to the database. Without this file the program has no idea where the database is located so it cannot connect to the database when you try to open the program.
Once you create a Gradience folder at C:\ProgramData, and then install the program, this all-important hrware.ini file will be created. The program will then be able to connect to the database.
Solution:
You do not have to uninstall anything. Simply create the Gradience folder at C:\Programdata and then reinstall. If you do not see a ProgramData folder at C:\ it is because it is being hidden. You may go online to see how to unhide hidden folders/items for your particular operating system.
--CAUTION!-- Versions older than 11 or 12 are not supported.
Cause 15. Running Gradience version 12 on Windows 10 after Windows 10 updates.
In late 2017 Microsoft issued two updates to Windows 10. They were Windows Creator and 1709. The result was that Gradience 12 became non-functional on any Windows 10 computer where these two updates have been implemented.
Solution:
Make sure you update to the latest version of the software. Latest release is version 12.18.1214.15. You can get it HERE.
See also these articles:
Runtime Error 217 on a Windows 10 Server after Update 1709
Runtime Error 217 on a Client Workstation after Windows 10 Update 1709
Runtime Error 217 on a Standalone Workstation after Windows 10 Update 1709
Still Won't Open?
--NOTE-- Please see our advanced troubleshooting document if none of the solutions above helped you to resolve this issue.
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