Have you ever needed to view a database on a computer without MS Access? Here's an alternative. It uses ADO 2.1 to open, view & edit MS Access, SQL server, DSN and Oracle databases. There are also a few features to let you add, rename and delete tables as well as purge based on a Date/Time field. Clearly not a replacement for MS Access, but you can distribute it to help troubleshoot. Automatically registers itself as the default database viewer for .mdb files on systems without a default already set. Otherwise, it becomes a second option when right-clicking. Its Biggest advantage is its all ADO. No DAO at all. Now you're able to modify older versions of Access databases when Access itself requires a conversion!! I recommend distributing MDAC 2.5 even if you have a 2.1 application. Microsoft seems to have fixed some of the install problems with the MDAC 2.1. Please Note that you MUST HAVE the Oracle client installed on your PC to use the Oracle connection!!http://www.microsoft.com/data/download.htm
** Updated 3/21/2000 **Added Password support for Access databases.Please vote!
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Excellent piece of code specially useful in case the client/customer does not have Access or SQL client installed and the Dev wants to view the database during debugging. (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
This is what I've been thinking of doing myself. Great job! Is there anyway to edit a particular table and change the default property of a field so any new records created will always have at least the default value? I can do this with Access, but many of my sites don't have Access and I need to change that field.
Thanks!
(If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
Thanx. I needed this as I don't have Access and I need to check out a certain *.mdb. You're a star! (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
I really like the program and I can see the utility of it. One option I would add would be the ability to specifiy a password for the Access DB that is being opened because the program can't handle this scenario currently.
Thanks for the code and the program. It's really well-done. (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
I've not looked at the code yet but I presume you are using ADOX to edit the database. I have had some problems setting the default value of a new field when allow nulls is set to true and also setting the allow null in an index . . . any ideas ?? (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
The program is nice, but there are a few error conditions that you should have it trapped, or else the program will bombs out. Keep it up. (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
very cool,what will happen if i stick 1 200 000 records in an access table with 9 rows, and how will it affect the speed at which i do queries? (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
You will see performance hits on tables with huge numbers of rows. However, it is much faster to use a data-bound grid to view the data then it would be to use a recordset and then run through each record adding it into a grid. To limit the query time, use the SQL statement field at the bottom to limit your search. (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
Very slick. Very very slick. Would be nice if you could enumerate the Query collection as well. I have modified it to do so. I only needed this because some imported tables from Clarion(Topspeed) databases have funky non SQL compatible naming conventions. BUT, very slick code. (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
Very, very nice job. Tremendous resource for code examples bundled in a program that is, in itself, very useful. (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
This is great. I create database applications, and I don't need any of the stuff access has to offer. All i need is a thing to crate tables. This is great!! (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
This looks as though it could be a great educational tool for me with regards to Oracle access via VB. I was wondering if you could give specifics regarding the Select Netork Database Type of "Oracel (Needs Client)". I have the oracle DBA software installed for version 8 and I don't seem to be able to connect without setting up an ODBC connection. Is this what you are referring to or have you found a way to bypass the ODBC?
(If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
I am having problems trying to access a Oracle database. I can seem to get to the DSN of it. But how would I open a group??? I don't get errors. I just don't seem to be able to view any data.
- Joe (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
I find this the work of a vb God. It is exactly what i need. For a while i thought the code for a similer program of access would be 10 times longer. But everything in it seems logical and makes sense. Excellent Job. (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
Hahaha, thank you. There are still some bugs in the program especially revolving arount the password protected Access databases. It's not perfect, but it sure is handy when your end user doesn't have Access and you need to troubleshoot your database. Enjoy! Thanks again. PLEASE VOTE! (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
Amazing. This is great. If you added a create new database option, this would be even better than it already is. Exellent code. (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
Can you help me with the command err. I really want to get this code up and running. It loads 8mb in 7 sec's. Really great work... (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
Thanks. This is great! I can only access my oracle database with the odbc style, the oracle specific ole thingy does not seem to work, not just with this program, always. OO4O works, any feelings about OO4O?
(If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
Any odbc compliant database can be accessed pretty much the same way through VB and rdo or ado. I do not use Oracle, but would be happy to post example connecting to Mysql server on unix. Any odbc compliant DB should be the same and is why odbc is exist in the first place. (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
Excellent piece of work, i never found anything else so useful as this bit, keep up the good work (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
This is a great tool especially since I do not have access. But how can I create primarykeys using this? I need autoincremented (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
This is an excellent tool that every serious programmer should have. I have spoted though a very small omission. If you try to compact a password-protected database you get an error that the password is invalid. You can solve that by adding to the startingType string the following : & "Jet OLEDB:Database Password=#####" where ##### is your password. Hope that helps. Keep up the good work! (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
this is for my comment befor (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
9/2/2002 3:07:10 AM:
You are a legend. Very useful for use in SQL Database Administration applications. I especially like the way you use the registry to remeber the settings. 5 stars (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
Great code, but what i'm missing comments throughtout the code. Why are you using the lockwindow statement? (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
thx (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
3/5/2003 8:25:44 PM:
thanks a lot!! it's an excellent piece of work,it's exactly what i need!! (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
3/10/2003 11:10:23 AM:
Frankly, this is a piece of Art. Thanks for sharing it. I wish it had capability to dump some of the queries to Excel. I wonder if you have done any more development on it. Thanks again for one of the best utilities I'd found in PSC. (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
5/28/2003 9:56:22 PM:
Great! u really do me a favor!!! 3k u so much!!! bst rgds (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
5/30/2003 6:04:02 AM:
GREAT ! 5 globes for you... again ! :) (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
Very nice code, especially when a friend gives you some SQL Instructions and you only have a copy of MSDE :) (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
an undo would be nice (i guess i haven't really looked but ctrl Z isn't it). MOST EXCELLENT PROJECT THOUGH ***** (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
7/6/2004 5:13:32 AM:
Brilliant. Just what I needed - this has saved me a lot of time. Thank you. (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
9/1/2004 11:20:55 AM:
excellent program. the best i have seen so far of its kind....but far too complicated for a newbie like me to understand. I would like to know one feature though, how do you achieve the "open access database" function. (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
2/21/2005 6:03:53 AM:
This is exactly what i need Thanks (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
4/19/2005 9:26:14 PM:
excellent program!!!! thanks a lot. (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
works, but for my particular set up here, odbc with oracle, this gives me problems: adoData.Refresh (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
Yes, I'm sorry about that. When I wrote this code, I had access to an Oracle database. I've updated it a few times since then and can no longer test it.... sorry. (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
wat an excellent system.... tnks 4 ur program... through dis i finish my proposal.. in titled" Cashering system"... (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
WEW! INCREDIBLE IDOL! (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
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3/14/2000 12:32:56 PM: 
