ChemDraw ChemFinder: I am not able to access the ChemACX or ChemACX-SC databases through CombiChem

ChemACX and ChemACX-SC have security which prevents ChemCombi from using these databases. To work around this, ChemFinder installs ACX2000INDEXA.CFW and ACXSC2000INDEXA.CFW (located in the ChemFinder\Samples directory) as alternate ChemACX and ChemACX-SC forms, which can be accessed by CombiChem.

They can be installed for use by copying each of these forms into the same directory as the original ChemACX and ChemACX-SC forms.

If you are using ChemACX and ChemACX-SC from the CD-ROM, it isn't possible to copy the files there. In that case they can be left in the samples directory. ChemFinder must be configured to allow the ACX2000INDEXA.CFW and ACXSC2000INDEXA.CFW forms to find the data.

If ChemACX is installed on a hard drive: Copy the \samples\ACX2000INDEXA.CFW and \samples\ACXSC2000INDEXA.CFW into the directory with the rest of the ChemACX and ChemACX-SC files respectively.

To use off CD or to leave the form in the samples directory:

In the [OPTIONS] section of the CFW.INI (go to the Start menu, choose Run and type cfw.ini and press the Enter key to open the cfw.ini) file add or edit the DB_SEARCH_PATH key so that it points to the directory on the CD-ROM which contains the ChemACX files and ChemACX-SC. Make sure that if there are any previous paths in DB_SEARCH_PATH, that they are seperated from this path by a semi-colon.

IMPORTANT NOTE: The path MUST end in a backslash. For example:

DB_SEARCH_PATH=D:\ChemACX\; D:\ChemACX_SC\;

Testing the setup:

To make sure you won't have any problems when loading the database from CombiChem, test the database out by double clicking on the icons of ACX2000INDEXA.CFW and ACXSC2000INDEXA.CFW from the Windows Explorer, or start ChemFinder and use File-Open to load the forms. When using the CD-ROMs remember to have the correct CD-ROM in the CD-ROM drive. Only one form can be tested at a time when using the databases off the CD-ROM drive.

If the message "The database named in this formfile [path of Acx99IndexA.cfw]\CSACX99.MDB] cannot be located. Do you wish to select a new database to be associated with this form?" answer No, close ChemFinder. Check your DB_SEARCH_PATH to make sure its correct. Check to make sure the trailing backslash is present. And check to make sure the correct CD-ROM for appropriate database is inserted into the CD-ROM drive.