Using Access Database

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clowtown - 09 Mar 2005 06:04 GMT

I'm fairly new to database programming with java but I have used odbc
to make connections to my database and do basic sql commands. However,
I want to connect directly to the database and not use odbc. Do I need
to download any drivers and what code would I need to make this
connection. Thanks in advance

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Bjorn Abelli - 09 Mar 2005 06:43 GMT

"clowtown" wrote...

> I'm fairly new to database programming with java but
> I have used odbc to make connections to my database
> and do basic sql commands. However, I want to connect
> directly to the database and not use odbc. Do I need
> to download any drivers and what code would I need
> to make this connection. Thanks in advance

Unfortunately the best option AFAIK to connect to an Access Database, is
through the jdbc-odbc bridge.

However, that doesn't mean that you need to set up a DSN on your machine
beforehand. E.g. if you have an Access mdb-file "bar.mdb" in directory
"c:\foo":

DriverManager.registerDriver(new sun.jdbc.odbc.JdbcOdbcDriver());

String url = "jdbc:odbc:" +
"DRIVER={Microsoft Access Driver (*.mdb)};DBQ=c:\\foo\\bar.mdb";

Connection con
= DriverManager.getConnection(url);

There do exist some third-party drivers for Access, but mostly of type 3,
which means additional installation of a middle-ware application...

A possibly better option is to use another database than Access...

// Bjorn A

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clowtown - 09 Mar 2005 13:52 GMT

thank you for the help and not for bashing my use of Access like others
have done. this is just a learning experience.

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Tom Dyess - 11 Mar 2005 01:50 GMT

> thank you for the help and not for bashing my use of Access like others
> have done. this is just a learning experience.

Lol. I think almost every one of us used Access at one point or another in
our careers. It's a great learning tool for relational entities and
normalization if nothing else. Besides, we all started from not knowing
anything, that's just where you start!

Signature

Tom Dyess
OraclePower.com

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Dan Nuttle - 11 Mar 2005 03:07 GMT

Access, like any other database, is a tool. You wouldn't use a hammer to
drive a huge wooden pile into a river bed; you wouldn't use a pile driver
to tap a tiny nail into your wall.

People who bash any given tool as being worthless for all situations don't
understand the nature of tools very well. Access can be a great learning
tool...it can also be a great database in the right situation. Like a
single-user desktop app, for instance. And there's nothing wrong with the
Jdbc-Odbc bridge...for the right purpose. For learning. Or for a small,
low-volume, non-mission-critical web app, like internal reporting.

> thank you for the help and not for bashing my use of Access like others
> have done. this is just a learning experience.

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Using Access Database

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