Gowator Posted July 8, 2003 Report Share Posted July 8, 2003 Im pretty certain there are no third party tools for Access Databases. Its typical M$ , you get locked in with the initial ease of use becuase doing anything with it later is just too hard. The probem reading it is becuase the forms, reports and everything are all hidden in the mdb file. The options are depending on what he needs to read. If its pretty basic forms he just needs to fill in then perhaps create a mysql dastabase, you can run this in WinDoze at his work ... Then you can connect the data etc. from access using ODBC .... Im not a mysql expert but I know how to do it in Oracle and its pretty easy. Once you have the mysql database he can access it either across the net to work or take dumps back and import them into a linux mysql.... You will still need some forms etc, but you can choose from web based (i.e. you access from a browser, like php or perl) or even make custom forms. If you know sql then I find perl dbd and dbi the easiest way to do this. Another completely different way, but costs money is to do this in a VMWARE session. You can connect mysql direct to an access database running on the VMWARE session. In reality he could skip the linux side and just enter it into Access but thats defeatist .... I think it retails at $299 so it isn't cheap but it allows you to run Windows OVER linux. If you think its expensiive look at what Access retails for nowadays. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emh Posted July 9, 2003 Author Report Share Posted July 9, 2003 Im pretty certain there are no third party tools for Access Databases. Its typical M$ , you get locked in with the initial ease of use becuase doing anything with it later is just too hard. The probem reading it is becuase the forms, reports and everything are all hidden in the mdb file. Judging by the suggestions previously given, I don't think this is the case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gowator Posted July 9, 2003 Report Share Posted July 9, 2003 It diesn't work like that The only way to read it Ive seen on this post is via ODBC. ODBC requires your datbase is up and running. It only applies to table data. You can't use the forms or anything. Up to 2 yrs ago i spent most a lot of my professional job developing in Oracle and there simply wasn't a way to read a closed mdb file. You can see all the data once its up and you have an ODBC connection but back then you certainyl couldn't just read the file and convert the forms. So far as I know StarOffice only comes with Adabas but you have still to have a running Access DB AND then make your own forms. You can also export the data to files such as dbase or csv and load it into a unix database but you will still have to rewrite all the forms/reports either way: through ODBC or through flatfiles it will be the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emh Posted July 9, 2003 Author Report Share Posted July 9, 2003 What about the link given in the post right before yours? My dad wasn't entirely clear on what he does with the Access databases, but I got the impression that he merely needs to access (no pun intended) the data, to either use in other programs or something else. I doubt he needs to generate forms or reports from the Access file itself. But if he needs to have Access running to access the database, wouldn't it be enough to have it running on the computers at work? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gowator Posted July 9, 2003 Report Share Posted July 9, 2003 It links to the Microsoft MSDAC ... Data Access Components. System RequirementsSupported Operating Systems: Windows 2000, Windows 98, Windows ME, Windows NT Available for x86-based computers only How do I access my Microsoft Access database files in OpenOffice.org?Like in StarOffice 5.2, you of course still can access your Microsoft Access database. Just the names and the syntax changed .... First, you need the Microsoft Jet Engine for accessing MS Access database files. It is part of the Microsoft Data Access Components MDAC. Download the latest version of this package and install it. Second, go to Tools/Data Sources, and in the upcoming dialog create a new data source of type ADO, and as URL enter PROVIDER=Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0;Data Source=<path_to_mdb_file> (The "<"/">" belong to the "variable" ?when replacing the path, this should result in something like "Data Source=C:AllMyFilesMyDB.mdb"). This RUNS on Windows .... You are just running a binary Win32 executable which basically makes the database 'run' . This means you are running it on windows. StarOffice or openOffice then connects to the ODBC source. Read it CAREFULLY.... This is for the windows Version of OpenOffice/StarOffice. I guess you might be able to Wine it !! If you can then you are RICH.... you just solved the thing that has stopped so many companies from Dumping M$.... I'm not sure what youd put for the C:pathtomdb .... The MSDAC Runs on windows ..... I don't see anything here that says you can use the forms or reports.... :wink: Listen .... I don't usually insist I'm right. It just happens I looked into this specifically a couple of years ago and its my job. I know the one part of Office that Lindows couldn't get to run through Wine was M$ Access and this was the reason they had to withdraw the Runs M$ office claim. At the same time they could Install Lotus notes faultlessly. Another reason is the third party .NET stuff. .NET can use a jet database (the db engine behind access) like php uses mysql. However, none of the commercial .NET applications for UNIX/LINUX webservers can handle the jet database part. The leaders in asp.NET on linux were Chillisoft, now part of SUN. They can't do it either. However, if you purchase the SUN ONE webserver 6 they offer a "Microsoft Access-to-MySQL migration utility and ASP-based MySQL database management system (DBMS) Simplifies migration and administration of ASP applications " In other words using the webforms from asp.NET they change the code to Access the data in a MySQL database. the data migration itself I guess being done by ODBC as I suggested could be done last post. Its not impossible, its certainly easier than cracking palladium security on an XBOX but ... I might have missed something in the last 2 years .... but I don't see anyway of doing this native to Linux. I could actually document the whole procedure to move the data into Oracle from my head, Ive done it so many times.... It's not significantly different from MySQL in the code but my company has other reasons for using Oracle. If you do find out how I'll be more than happy to be corrected, Hell, you'd probably get me a promotion at work. :wink: My company spends hundreds of thousands of dollars per MONTH becuase of this problem. We have old access databases like festering sores everywhere and always the same problem .. the forms and reports. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emh Posted July 9, 2003 Author Report Share Posted July 9, 2003 I wasn't meaning to imply that you didn't know what you were talking about. I respect your thoughts and comments, thank you for sharing them. However, I'm still going to try the suggestions given, because things have changed in the last 2 years, while you may still be right, there's also a chance that what my dad needs will be fulfilled natively in Linux. Worst case scenario, I'll just give my dad my copy of Crossover Office, since it supports Access 2000. (I don't use it much anymore, since I got Win4Lin, mostly for games) I do appreciate your comments. Thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BooYah Posted July 9, 2003 Report Share Posted July 9, 2003 Whoops! That link popped up on the OOo users list, I remembered this thread and posted it without really reading it. But, if you search the OOo users list you'll see that there's quite a bit of information on this subject already. And of course, you could always post any further questions to the list as well. Search Open Office.org user list Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gowator Posted July 10, 2003 Report Share Posted July 10, 2003 Sorry emh .... I was just raving .... not your fault ... Its ridiculous noones done this, hell everything else is broken from Xbox protection to whatever ..... It literally holds companies into M$ based on the same easy to get started and hell to get rid off scenrio. If tou have the time and effort you can always port it to my SQL.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
static Posted July 10, 2003 Report Share Posted July 10, 2003 I've already chosen the distro for him. Three guesses which one. :wink: I don't need three guesses - It's gotta be beehive linux! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gowator Posted July 11, 2003 Report Share Posted July 11, 2003 I checked out the cross over office site It shows access to the tables and relationships ... That looks hopeful but it's also possible to set that up as smoke and mirrors .. I.e. As I said, accessing the data isn'øt the problem via ODBC, the problem is the forms. Anywat, Im really interested myself so I emailed them to qualify from work .... No response yet .... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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