INF: Interoperability Questions & Answers
  
PSS ID Number: Q104386
Article last modified on 02-07-1995
 
1.00 1.10
 
WINDOWS
 

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The information in this article applies to:
 
 - Microsoft Access versions 1.0 and 1.1
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  Microsoft® Product Support Services Application Note (Text File)
 WX0811: INTEROPERABILITY WITH OTHER APPLICATIONS QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
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                                                   Revision Date: 9/93
                                                      No Disk Included
 
The following information applies to Microsoft Access, version 1.0,
1.1.
 
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| Copyright (C) 1993 Microsoft Corporation.  All Rights Reserved.     |
| Microsoft, FoxPro, Microsoft Access, and MS-DOS are registered      |
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| Corporation.                                                        |
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1.  Q. When I export a Microsoft Access table to Microsoft SQL Server
       or Sybase SQL Server and then reattach it to Microsoft Access,
       I cannot edit the data. Why does this problem occur?
 
    A. Microsoft Access can update an attached SQL Server table only
       if the table has a unique index. However, Microsoft Access does
       not build SQL Server table indexes, unique or otherwise, when
       you export data; Microsoft Access allows you only to export
       data to SQL Server back ends. For example, if you attach the
       table immediately after exporting data to it from Microsoft
       Access, the data is displayed in Datasheet or Form view as read-
       only; therefore, updates to the exported table's data are not
       allowed.
 
       To work around this problem, you must create the SQL Server
       table indexes manually after you export the data from Microsoft
       Access to SQL Server. After the SQL Server indexes are created,
       you can create forms based on the attached SQL Server tables
       and update the data.
 
       For information on creating indexes based on SQL Server
       database tables, see the "Microsoft SQL Server System
       Administrator's Guide," or pages 67-72 in the "Microsoft SQL
       Server Language Reference."
 
2.  Q. How do I link a Microsoft Access table to a Microsoft Excel
       spreadsheet using dynamic data exchange (DDE)?
 
    A. The easiest way to use DDE is to create a paste link between
       Microsoft Access and Microsoft Excel. To do this, use the
       following steps:
 
       1. In the Microsoft Access Database window, highlight the table
          you want to link to Microsoft Excel.
 
       2. From the Microsoft Access Edit menu, choose Copy.
 
       3. From the Microsoft Excel Edit menu, choose Paste Link.
 
       The formula resulting from the Paste Link command should look
       like the following example
 
          {¬=MSAccess|'NWIND.MDB;Table <Customers'>!All}
 
       where <Customers> is the name of the table you copied.
 
       For more information on linking Microsoft Access data to data
       in other applications, see the "Microsoft Access User's Guide,"
       version 1.0, Chapter 13, "Using Pictures, Graphs, and Other
       Objects," pages 337-339.
 
3.  Q. Are any new DDE commands included with Microsoft Access version
       1.1?
 
    A. Microsoft Access 1.1 supports the entire DDE functionality of
       version 1.0. In addition, it supports several new topics and
       items that allow DDE clients to do the following:
 
        - Open and close databases
 
        - Obtain the data type of a field in a table
 
        - Execute individual macro actions
 
        - Buffer and execute long SQL strings
 
        - Quit Microsoft Access
 
       For more information about the new DDE topics and items in the
       Microsoft Access 1.1 upgrade package, use Microsoft Access
       Help. To do this, use the following six steps:
 
       1. Press F1 to start Help.
 
       2. From the File menu, choose Open.
 
       3. In your Microsoft Access program directory, select the
          MSA110.HLP file.
 
       4. Choose OK. The "What's New in Microsoft Access Version 1.1"
          Help file is loaded.
 
       5. At the top of the selection list, choose the jump topic
          "Common Questions and Answers."
 
       6. Go to question #22, "How can I use Microsoft Access as a
          dynamic data exchange (DDE) server?," and select "Answer."
 
          You are moved to DDE Server Topics.
 
       To locate the DDE topics in the full Microsoft Access package,
       search for the keywords "DDE" and "Using Microsoft Access As a
       DDE Server" using the Help menu.
 
       For additional information about and examples of using
       Microsoft Access as a DDE Server, please obtain Technical Note
       #89586. You can order this technical note by selecting the
       FastTips Technical Library option from the FastTips Main Menu.
 
4.  Q. Why do the records I delete from an attached dBASE® table
       continue to reappear?
 
    A. When you delete a record in a dBASE database, the record is
       actually only marked for deletion. It is not permanently
       removed until the database is packed in dBASE.
 
       In dBASE, records that are marked for deletion still appear in
       any output form (such as a table in Datasheet view or a report
       in Print Preview), unless SET DELETED is ON. Because of this,
       Microsoft Access continues to display records in an attached
       dBASE table, even if the records are marked for deletion.
 
       To prevent confusion, Microsoft Access provides functionality
       identical to the dBASE SET DELETED command. To take advantage
       of this functionality, use the following four steps:
 
       1. Open the MSACCESS.INI file using NOTEPAD.EXE.
 
       2. Find the section called [dBASE ISAM].
 
       3. Change the Deleted=Off setting to:
 
             Deleted=On
 
       4. Save the MSACCESS.INI file and restart Microsoft Access.
 
       When you view the dBASE data, records marked for deletion no
       longer appear. To permanently remove records marked for
       deletion, you must open the dBASE table in dBASE and run the
       PACK command.
 
5.  Q. When I attempt to import or attach Btrieve files, why do I
       receive the error message "Couldn't find object <table name>"?
 
    A. Microsoft Access uses the FILE.DDF file to determine the
       location of the Btrieve data file. The path statements in
       FILE.DDF may not be correct for the current environment. You
       should verify that the path is correct in the FILE.DDF file.
 
       For additional information on how to resolve this problem,
       please obtain Technical Note #93685. You can order this
       technical note by selecting the FastTips Technical Library
       option from the FastTips Main Menu.
 
6.  Q. Should I use Microsoft Access or Microsoft FoxPro® as my
       database solution?
 
    A. Microsoft FoxPro is the best database solution for users and
       developers of Xbase products, for developers who need a cross-
       platform solution, and for all customers who can benefit from
       FoxPro's incredible speed and unequaled development
       environment.
 
       Microsoft Access is the best database solution for users who
       need seamless access to data in multiple formats, for users who
       are not professional programmers but need to develop powerful
       database applications, and for users and developers who need
       the most productive development environment to design decision-
       support systems.
 
7.  Q. What are the differences between Microsoft Access and Microsoft
       Visual Basic™? Does Microsoft Access support custom controls
       designed for Visual Basic? Do these two applications use the
       same or different programming languages?
 
    A. While Microsoft Access and Visual Basic share the same basic
       programming concepts (an event-driven programming model, visual
       interface creation, and so forth), each has different
       specialties.
 
       Visual Basic version 3.0 is a general-purpose programming
       environment, which uses visual tools that allow software
       developers to design both database applications and other
       applications. Visual Basic has a more granular event model than
       Microsoft Access and supports custom controls.
 
       Microsoft Access is a programmable database designed
       specifically for creating and running database applications.
       Its rich set of tools allows you to create many database
       applications without programming. Microsoft Access supports
       database-oriented events, such as FindRecord and OnUpdate,
       rather than Visual Basic-like properties and events, such as
       MouseMove and MinButton. Microsoft Access currently does not
       support custom controls.
 
       The nature and syntax of Access Basic and Visual Basic are very
       similar, but not identical. Access Basic supports database
       commands and methods, such as CreateDynaset and Clone. Visual
       Basic supports properties and events, such as PathChange and
       MouseUp, that Access Basic does not have. However, the many
       similarities between Access Basic and Visual Basic allow you to
       move between the two products easily.
 
Additional reference words: 1.00 1.10
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Copyright Microsoft Corporation 1995.
