How do I connect to an Access database?


QUESTION:
How do I connect to an Access database?

ANSWER:
To use Access tables, you will need to install the ODBC drivers for Access tables. These drivers are available from Microsoft via their Website:

www.microsoft.com/MSAccessSupport/

From this location, you will find a button for "Download a Driver, Patch or Sample file." This will reference Microsoft's Library Files. Scroll down their list until you find "ODBC Drivers for Win95 Applications ." This will download the file necessary to install the ODBC 32 bit Access drivers.

Microsoft's installation documentation points out that an ODBC Manager program group will be created and added to your Control Panel. This program group includes an ODBC Manager icon for opening the 32 bit ODBC utility to manage the installed ODBC drivers. From this point, specify the Access driver and select the .MDB database you wish to use.

The next step is to set up the Borland Database Engine, to use the Access driver, and set up the alias. Run the BDE Configuration Utility from the IntraBuilder program group. Select New ODBC Driver using the pushbutton provided. Make the following entries: For SQL Link Driver, enter "Access". For Default ODBC Driver, select the Microsoft Access Driver (*.mdb). Finally, Default Database Source should update automatically, using information provided when installing the ODBC driver using the ODBC Manager. To use these settings, proceed by pressing the OK button.

After the ODBC driver is configured, the next step is to prepare an alias for your database. From the bottom tabs, select Alias. Now, select New Alias, using the pushbutton. Enter the desired name for New alias name. Select ODBC_Access for Alias type. With this information completed, select OK. The new alias will now appear in the Alias Names list. For Parameters, check to see that the path to your server file, *.mdb is correct.

Finally, save these settings in the BDE Configuration Utility, and exit. You now can use your Access database from IntraBuilder. In the IntraBuilder Explorer, select tables. Using the "Look in" list, of the Explorer, select your new Access alias.