I have two workstations that use QODBC.  One station runs its process in a matter of seconds whereas the other seems to want to do a full invoice optimization (3 hours) before every process.  Both machines run the same code.  The settings are the same in the optimizer panel.  What could be the problem?

On a side note...
When looking up invoice lines using oRecordset.Fields("InvoiceLineDesc"), inch and foot marks sometimes get replaced by question marks.  It doesn't always do it though.

In QB the description might look like:
10” x 17” Stainless Mat Heater w/
MISS-K919-A-007-07/16 (126.00 Ohms)
120V, 1.0A, 114W, @ 16.3W/ft.
Tag: CMF 025

in QODBC it sometimes comes out as:
10?x 17? Stainless Mat Heater w/
MISS-K919-A-007-07/16 (126.00 Ohms)
120V, 1.0A, 114W, @ 16.3W/ft.
Tag: CMF 025

Any thoughts?

Check that the date and time settings are the same on both workstations. Check the QODBC Message Tab and message logs (in the QODBC Setup Screen) for errors. If the optimization fails, it will try to do another full optimization every time you connect.

How does the InvoiceLineDesc data appear in VB Demo? Have a look at: QB Multi-Line fields not displayed properly in MS Access reports also.

On the multi-line problem, the inch marks appear as question marks in the VB Demo.

Both computers have the same date & time according to the "net time" command.  Yes, there are some errors in the log.  Here is the log file text.  It is currently in the middle of yet another optimization so there's probably more errors to come.

2008-01-17 09:27:43 QODBC Ver:  8.00.00.240 *********************************************************************************************************************
IsAService: False
SQL Statement: SELECT * FROM "Invoice" CALLDIRECT
Error Getting XML in BuildAndLoadXMLForNextRecord
Input XML:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?>
<?qbxml version="6.0"?>
<QBXML>
    <QBXMLMsgsRq onError="continueOnError">
        <InvoiceQueryRq requestID="1" iterator="Continue" iteratorID="{ffb6dcff-e855-44e7-8e5b-3eac1c044b29}">
            <MaxReturned>00000500</MaxReturned>
            <IncludeLineItems>1</IncludeLineItems>
            <IncludeLinkedTxns>1</IncludeLinkedTxns>
            <OwnerID>0</OwnerID>
        </InvoiceQueryRq>
    </QBXMLMsgsRq>
</QBXML>

2008-01-17 09:27:43 QODBC Ver:  8.00.00.240 *********************************************************************************************************************
IsAService: False
SQL Statement: SELECT * FROM "Invoice" CALLDIRECT
Error Getting XML in StopIterator
Input XML:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?>
<?qbxml version="6.0"?>
<QBXML>
    <QBXMLMsgsRq onError="continueOnError">
        <InvoiceQueryRq requestID="1" iterator="Stop" iteratorID="{ffb6dcff-e855-44e7-8e5b-3eac1c044b29}">
            <MaxReturned>00000500</MaxReturned>
            <IncludeLineItems>1</IncludeLineItems>
            <IncludeLinkedTxns>1</IncludeLinkedTxns>
            <OwnerID>0</OwnerID>
        </InvoiceQueryRq>
    </QBXMLMsgsRq>
</QBXML>

2008-01-17 09:28:01 QODBC Ver:  8.00.00.240 *********************************************************************************************************************
IsAService: False
SQL Statement: SELECT * FROM "TxnDeleted" CALLDIRECT WHERE ("TimeModified" >= {ts'2008-01-15 16:34:02.000'})
Error Getting XML in BuildAndLoadXMLForNextRecord
Input XML:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?>
<?qbxml version="6.0"?>
<QBXML>
    <QBXMLMsgsRq onError="continueOnError">
        <TxnDeletedQueryRq requestID="1">
            <TxnDelType>Bill</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>BillPaymentCheck</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>BillPaymentCreditCard</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>Charge</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>Check</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>CreditCardCharge</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>CreditCardCredit</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>CreditMemo</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>Deposit</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>Estimate</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>Invoice</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>InventoryAdjustment</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>JournalEntry</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>PurchaseOrder</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>ReceivePayment</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>SalesReceipt</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>TimeTracking</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>VendorCredit</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>SalesOrder</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>ItemReceipt</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>SalesTaxPaymentCheck</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>ARRefundCreditCard</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>BuildAssembly</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>VehicleMileage</TxnDelType>
            <DeletedDateRangeFilter>
                <FromDeletedDate>2008-01-15T16:34:02-06:00</FromDeletedDate>
            </DeletedDateRangeFilter>
        </TxnDeletedQueryRq>
    </QBXMLMsgsRq>
</QBXML>

2008-01-17 09:28:02 QODBC Ver:  8.00.00.240 *********************************************************************************************************************
IsAService: False
SQL Statement: SELECT * FROM "TxnDeleted" CALLDIRECT
Error Getting XML in BuildAndLoadXMLForNextRecord
Input XML:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?>
<?qbxml version="6.0"?>
<QBXML>
    <QBXMLMsgsRq onError="continueOnError">
        <TxnDeletedQueryRq requestID="1">
            <TxnDelType>Bill</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>BillPaymentCheck</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>BillPaymentCreditCard</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>Charge</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>Check</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>CreditCardCharge</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>CreditCardCredit</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>CreditMemo</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>Deposit</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>Estimate</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>Invoice</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>InventoryAdjustment</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>JournalEntry</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>PurchaseOrder</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>ReceivePayment</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>SalesReceipt</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>TimeTracking</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>VendorCredit</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>SalesOrder</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>ItemReceipt</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>SalesTaxPaymentCheck</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>ARRefundCreditCard</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>BuildAssembly</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>VehicleMileage</TxnDelType>
        </TxnDeletedQueryRq>
    </QBXMLMsgsRq>
</QBXML>

2008-01-17 09:28:03 QODBC Ver:  8.00.00.240 *********************************************************************************************************************
IsAService: False
SQL Statement: SELECT * FROM "ReceivePayment" CALLDIRECT WHERE ("TimeModified" >= {ts'2008-01-16 12:40:43.000'})
Error Getting XML in BuildAndLoadXMLForNextRecord
Input XML:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?>
<?qbxml version="6.0"?>
<QBXML>
    <QBXMLMsgsRq onError="continueOnError">
        <ReceivePaymentQueryRq requestID="1" iterator="Start">
            <MaxReturned>00000500</MaxReturned>
            <ModifiedDateRangeFilter>
                <FromModifiedDate>2008-01-16T12:40:43-06:00</FromModifiedDate>
            </ModifiedDateRangeFilter>
            <IncludeLineItems>1</IncludeLineItems>
        </ReceivePaymentQueryRq>
    </QBXMLMsgsRq>
</QBXML>

2008-01-17 09:28:06 QODBC Ver:  8.00.00.240 *********************************************************************************************************************
IsAService: False
SQL Statement: SELECT * FROM "ReceivePayment" CALLDIRECT
Error Getting XML in BuildAndLoadXMLForNextRecord
Input XML:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?>
<?qbxml version="6.0"?>
<QBXML>
    <QBXMLMsgsRq onError="continueOnError">
        <ReceivePaymentQueryRq requestID="1" iterator="Start">
            <MaxReturned>00000250</MaxReturned>
            <IncludeLineItems>1</IncludeLineItems>
        </ReceivePaymentQueryRq>
    </QBXMLMsgsRq>
</QBXML>

2008-01-17 09:28:07 QODBC Ver:  8.00.00.240 *********************************************************************************************************************
IsAService: False
SQL Statement: SELECT * FROM "ReceivePayment" CALLDIRECT
Error Getting XML in BuildAndLoadXMLForNextRecord
Input XML:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?>
<?qbxml version="6.0"?>
<QBXML>
    <QBXMLMsgsRq onError="continueOnError">
        <ReceivePaymentQueryRq requestID="1" iterator="Start">
            <MaxReturned>00000500</MaxReturned>
            <IncludeLineItems>1</IncludeLineItems>
        </ReceivePaymentQueryRq>
    </QBXMLMsgsRq>
</QBXML>

2008-01-17 09:28:07 QODBC Ver:  8.00.00.240 *********************************************************************************************************************
IsAService: False
SQL Statement: SELECT * FROM "TxnDeleted" CALLDIRECT
Error Getting XML in BuildAndLoadXMLForNextRecord
Input XML:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?>
<?qbxml version="6.0"?>
<QBXML>
    <QBXMLMsgsRq onError="continueOnError">
        <TxnDeletedQueryRq requestID="1">
            <TxnDelType>Bill</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>BillPaymentCheck</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>BillPaymentCreditCard</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>Charge</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>Check</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>CreditCardCharge</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>CreditCardCredit</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>CreditMemo</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>Deposit</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>Estimate</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>Invoice</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>InventoryAdjustment</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>JournalEntry</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>PurchaseOrder</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>ReceivePayment</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>SalesReceipt</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>TimeTracking</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>VendorCredit</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>SalesOrder</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>ItemReceipt</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>SalesTaxPaymentCheck</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>ARRefundCreditCard</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>BuildAssembly</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>VehicleMileage</TxnDelType>
        </TxnDeletedQueryRq>
    </QBXMLMsgsRq>
</QBXML>

2008-01-17 09:28:08 QODBC Ver:  8.00.00.240 *********************************************************************************************************************
IsAService: False
SQL Statement: SELECT * FROM "TxnDeleted" CALLDIRECT
Error Getting XML in BuildAndLoadXMLForNextRecord
Input XML:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?>
<?qbxml version="6.0"?>
<QBXML>
    <QBXMLMsgsRq onError="continueOnError">
        <TxnDeletedQueryRq requestID="1">
            <TxnDelType>Bill</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>BillPaymentCheck</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>BillPaymentCreditCard</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>Charge</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>Check</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>CreditCardCharge</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>CreditCardCredit</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>CreditMemo</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>Deposit</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>Estimate</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>Invoice</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>InventoryAdjustment</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>JournalEntry</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>PurchaseOrder</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>ReceivePayment</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>SalesReceipt</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>TimeTracking</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>VendorCredit</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>SalesOrder</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>ItemReceipt</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>SalesTaxPaymentCheck</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>ARRefundCreditCard</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>BuildAssembly</TxnDelType>
            <TxnDelType>VehicleMileage</TxnDelType>
        </TxnDeletedQueryRq>
    </QBXMLMsgsRq>
</QBXML>

OK, the update is in progress.  In the mean time I had another invoice where a question mark replaced a foot mark.  I took the line out of the invoice and pasted it into a new invoice to make a single line lineitem just to see if it was a multi-line issue.  I ran the VBDemo and it had the question mark in it still.  Here's the text:

The first foot mark is read in properly, but the second foot mark comes in as the question mark.  The text is copied an pasted from MS Word.

Ok, Tom's Law states: NEVER paste anything from MS Word. Paste it into Notepad to remove any embedded characters first. I just did:

complete Interior door
20' Stranded Trails, 2' Cold Lead 1468
40' Trails, 4' Lead 1468

and there's no question marks: