Can the contents of a DSN file be retrieved from variables embedded in an Access ACCDB?
I have at long last decided to migrate some old Access "projects" (.ADP) to Access 2016 ACCDB applications.
I am retaining my SQL Server back-end database and (with a little help from EE) have made the connections to the SQL-Server Tables, Views and Stored Procedures via a DSN file.
When I used the the Access "projects" (.ADP) method, there was a "CurrentProject" variable that contained the various parameters of the Access-SQLServer connection. This allowed me to present on my Access users' screens a few pieces of data relating to their current database connection.
That "CurrentProject" variable still compiles in Access 2016, but does not seem to behave exactly as it did in the ADP applications.
Is there a "simpler" embedded object in Access ACCDB that holds the contents of the DSN file? My DSN file appears to be a simple "text" file that can be opened with Notepad. Do I just need to do my own interrogation of the DSN text content?
Many thanks.
I am retaining my SQL Server back-end database and (with a little help from EE) have made the connections to the SQL-Server Tables, Views and Stored Procedures via a DSN file.
When I used the the Access "projects" (.ADP) method, there was a "CurrentProject" variable that contained the various parameters of the Access-SQLServer connection. This allowed me to present on my Access users' screens a few pieces of data relating to their current database connection.
That "CurrentProject" variable still compiles in Access 2016, but does not seem to behave exactly as it did in the ADP applications.
Is there a "simpler" embedded object in Access ACCDB that holds the contents of the DSN file? My DSN file appears to be a simple "text" file that can be opened with Notepad. Do I just need to do my own interrogation of the DSN text content?
Many thanks.
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You just put it in the connect string, which is the tabledefs.connect property.
The way ODBC is setup in Access is that it first looks there. Then if a DSN is referenced, looks there. Between the two, it expects to have all the values required to connect to the data source. If something is missing, you'd get prompted for it.
So you can have it all in the connect, all in the DSN, or a mix of the two.
This article here:
http://www.accessmvp.com/djsteele/DSNLessLinks.html
talks about putting everything in the connect property (because it's easy to distribute an app this way) and has code to help move DSN elements into the connect property.
Jim.
The way ODBC is setup in Access is that it first looks there. Then if a DSN is referenced, looks there. Between the two, it expects to have all the values required to connect to the data source. If something is missing, you'd get prompted for it.
So you can have it all in the connect, all in the DSN, or a mix of the two.
This article here:
http://www.accessmvp.com/djsteele/DSNLessLinks.html
talks about putting everything in the connect property (because it's easy to distribute an app this way) and has code to help move DSN elements into the connect property.
Jim.
Thanks for the prompt reply, Jim.
The suggested link gives me more meaty, low-level properties to investigate.
I guess, as ever, I was looking for a "simple" method handed to me on a plate!
Everything I need is in there; I just need to tease it out.
Many thanks.
The suggested link gives me more meaty, low-level properties to investigate.
I guess, as ever, I was looking for a "simple" method handed to me on a plate!
Everything I need is in there; I just need to tease it out.
Many thanks.
The biggest thing with SQL is security. SERVER you always need for example, but depending on the security setup in SQL, it's either using a trusted connect or a username / password pair.
A good source for connection string examples BTW is:
https://www.connectionstrings.com/
at it's simplest, it would be this if your using ODBC (linked tables):
https://www.connectionstrings.com/microsoft-sql-server-odbc-driver/
Fastest way to find out what you need for ODBC is to use Access itself to create a linked table without using a DSN. You can then look at the connect property in the debug window:
? CurrentDB().TableDefs("myT
There are also the native client drivers, which covers later versions of SQL. If you were using OLEDB/ADO, then you can use something like this:
https://www.connectionstrings.com/sql-server-native-client-11-0-oledb-provider/
Jim.
A good source for connection string examples BTW is:
https://www.connectionstrings.com/
at it's simplest, it would be this if your using ODBC (linked tables):
https://www.connectionstrings.com/microsoft-sql-server-odbc-driver/
Fastest way to find out what you need for ODBC is to use Access itself to create a linked table without using a DSN. You can then look at the connect property in the debug window:
? CurrentDB().TableDefs("myT
There are also the native client drivers, which covers later versions of SQL. If you were using OLEDB/ADO, then you can use something like this:
https://www.connectionstrings.com/sql-server-native-client-11-0-oledb-provider/
Jim.
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