For all of you trying to get access to MS Access 2.0 .mdb
database files via ODBC drivers in Delphi. Here's how:
[Before I continue, however, I must warn you that accessing
databases via the ODBC drivers is much slower than accessing
Paradox or dBase databases directly. Also, this procedure appears
to work for both 16-bit and 32-bit versions of Delphi and ODBC.
Anyhow, on with the show...]
1. First, you must get the latest ODBC drivers for your operating
system. Go to URL...
http://www.webbase.com/odbcC.htm
and get them. Install these first!
2. Next, we'll create an ODBC connection to the database:
a) Open Control Panel.
b) Start the ODBC service.
c) When the Data Sources dialog appears, press "Add...".
d) If the ODBC drivers have been installed correctly, select
"Microsoft Access Driver (*.mdb)" from the list of
Installed ODBC Drivers. Once selected, press "OK". NOTE:
If listed, do not select either the "Access Data (*.mdb)"
or "Access Files (*.mdb)" from the list.
e) Next, you'll be presented with the ODBC Microsoft Access ver
Setup dialog. Type-in a unique, one word name for the Data
Source Name -- preferably, with 8 characters or less (like a
DOS filename). Type-in a full description. Then, press
"Select..." to select the database file. Upon completion,
press "OK".
f) If your new Data Source is listed, press "Close" to close the
Data Sources dialog, then exit Control Panel.
3. After making the proper ODBC database connections, we must inform
Delphi about your new ODBC database:
a) Open the BDE Configuration Utility. This program should be
located in your \delphi\bde directory.
b) Press the "New ODBC Driver" button.
c) Give your "SQL Link Driver" a name. Preferably for SQL, 12
upper case characters or less, with a possible underscore.
d) From the "Default ODBC Driver" drop-down listbox, select
"Microsoft Access Driver (*.mdb)" item.
e) If your new data source does not show in the "Default Data
Source Name" drop-down listbox, then select it. It should be
f) the same name you typed-in for step 2.5, above.
g) If everything is setup properly, press "OK" to go back to the
BDE Configuration Utility. Your ODBC driver name should appear
in the "Driver Name" listbox. If so, continue...
h) Next, press the "Aliases" tab, then press the "New Alias"
button.
i) In the Add New Alias dialog, enter a "New alias name". You can
use the same name you typed-in for step 2.5, above.
j) For the "Alias type" drop-down listbox, select your SQL Link
name (it begins with "ODBC_").
k) If everything is setup properly, press "OK" to go back to the
BDE Configuration Utility. Your new alias name should appear
in the "Alias Names" listbox. If so, continue...
l) Finally, pull down the "File" menu and select "Save". Then
exit the BDE Configuration Utility.
4. These final steps are optional, since they involve getting into
Delphi and viewing your ODBC database:
a) Start Delphi.
b) Create a new project, application, or form.
c) In the new form, add a TTable component, TDataSource component,
and a TDBGrid component.
d) For the TDBGrid component, set these properties:
i. DataSource := DataSource1
e) For the TDataSource component, set these properties:
i. DataSet := Table1
ii. For the TTable component, set these properties:
iii. DatabaseName := name of your ODBC database.
iv. SessionName := Default.
v. TableName := select a table from the database.
vi. TableType := ttDefault
f) Next, double-click on the TTable component residing on your
form -- this invokes the Field editor. Right-click in the
listbox to invoke the pop-up menu. Select the "Add fields..."
menu item. In the Add Fields dialog, ensure that all available
fields are selected, then press "OK". Once all the fields are
listed in the listbox, close the Field editor.
g) Finally, set the "Active" property of the TTable component to
"True" and watch the TDBGrid fill-in with data!
Hope this cures your ODBC blues with Delphi...
Enjoy,
-Jim Rofkar.
