The QuickBooks Connection

Each component may connect with QuickBooks in a variety of ways. By default, each component is configured to interactively connect to a copy of QuickBooks running on the same machine. However, a variety of QB connection properties may be set to customize the type of connection. The components can be configured to connect to QuickBooks even if the UI is not running, and can also be configured to share access with other applications and end-users, or to lock them out. Furthermore, the components can also be configured to connect to QuickBooks behind the scenes, or to connect and disconnect on demand. See the help for the QBConnectionString property for details on how to connect using the component. The sections below discuss various connection options.

Remote Connector for QuickBooks

Remote Connector for QuickBooks is a distributable utility that allows you to connect your QuickBooks Integrator applications to remote QuickBooks instances. It is also used to connect your application to QuickBooks in situations where direct COM access to QuickBooks is not available (e.g. Java, ASP, or ASP.NET).

The Remote Connector application contains a lightweight embedded web server, which listens for HTTP requests originating from the QuickBooks Integrator components. Each request contains the XML data to be communicated to QuickBooks as well as configuration settings specifying how the connection is to be opened. Remote Connector then communicates with QuickBooks via COM, and returns the QuickBooks response (or an error message) in the HTTP reply.

Remote Connector for QuickBooks is distributed with the /n software QuickBooks Integrator and it will be installed on your machine automatically when you install the toolkit.

More details on the operation of this application can be found on http://www.remoteconnector.com/.

Accessing the Remote Connector for QuickBooks with your application

To use Remote Connector for QuickBooks you need to set the QBConnectionString property of any of the controls:

controlname.QBConnectionString = "URL='http://www.foo.com:8166' User='Foo' Password='Bar'"

This will instruct the control to direct its request to Remote Connector instead of the local instance of Quickbooks.

There is no additional cost for using Remote Connector. You may redistribute the executable freely as long as you are a licensed user of the QuickBooks Integrator.

The QBConnector Component

The QBConnector object in the /n software Quickbooks Integrator toolkit can be used to build a Remote Connector application that is integrated more closely with your application, includes your own graphical user-interface, or is branded in your name.

Connection to Remote Connector for QuickBooks using SSL

If you have configured SSL in Remote Connector for QuickBooks, you will need to export your public key certificate for any connecting applications. You should add the following code (or something similar) in your application:

controlname.QBConnectionString = "URL='https://www.foo.com:8166' User='Foo' Password='Bar'"
controlname.Config("SSLAcceptServerCertFile=c:\exported_cert.cer")

You may also use the SSLServerAuthentication event of the component to accept the server certificate. Note that if you use SSL, all clients must use SSL (HTTPS) to make connections.