ACC2000: Using dBASE Data with Access 2000 and Jet

• Microsoft Access 2000
• Microsoft Data Access Components versions 2.1, 2.1 SP1, 2.1 SP2, 2.5

SYMPTOMS

The dBASE database driver works in one of two modes, depending upon whether the Borland Database Engine (BDE) is installed. dBASE data is only updateable with the BDE. Without the BDE, dBASE data can be read, imported and exported, or linked to read-only.

There may be incompatibilities with certain versions of BDE. The symptoms of the incompatibilities vary, depending on the version of the BDE. Version 5.01 of the Borland Database Engine is recommended. The following table lists the behavior supported for each of the dBASE file formats:

Version	Behavior
dBase 3, 4, 5 ISAM Only	Import\Export\Link-Read Only
dBase 3, 4, 5 ISAM w/BDE	Import\Export\Link-Read Write
dBase 7-8	No support provided

RESOLUTION

Contact Inprise Inc. or a third-party vendor to obtain the BDE. Obtain licensing and run-time distribution requirements for the BDE from Inprise.

Third-party dBASE ODBC driver vendors include Merant (http://www.merant.com), Borland.Com (http://www.borland.com), and Inprise Inc. (http://www.Inprise.com). For additional information about how to contact Merant, Borland.Com, or Inprise Inc., please see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q65416 Hardware and Software Third-Party Vendor Contact List, A-K

Q60781 Hardware and Software Third-Party Vendor Contact List, L-P

Q60782 Hardware and Software Third-Party Vendor Contact List, Q-Z

MORE INFORMATION

• If the BDE is not installed:



• Microsoft Access will not prompt for, use, or maintain dBASE indexes as in earlier versions of Microsoft Access. If the BDE is installed, Access will use and maintain the indexes via the BDE.



• The dBASE ISAM will place an exclusive lock upon opening dBASE files. This includes opening linked dBASE tables or dBASE tables opened via DAO.



• Multi-user capability is no longer supported.



• Concurrent ODBC connections to the same table, from the same computers, or from multiple computers is no longer supported.



• APPEND, UPDATE, and DELETE are no longer supported.



• Microsoft Access will not allow you to sort fields in table Datasheet view. If you try to do so, Access returns the following error message:




The database engine can't lock table <tablename> because it is already in use by another user or process

• The dBASE ISAM only supports the 8.3 naming convention as in earlier version of Microsoft Access.



• dBASE extensions are not supported via the Microsoft dBASE IISAM, regardless of whether a version of the BDE is installed that supports it.



• When using the dBASE ISAM with the BDE for dBASE III, you must have an INF file defined to associate the indexes with the DBF file. For dBASE IV and dBASE 5 the INF file is optional.



• When using the dBase ISAM with the BDE to link to a table in Access 2000, you must be able to exclusively lock the table to create the link. If any other applications have the .dbf open, the attempt to create the link in Access 2000 will fail.

REFERENCES

For more information about using the dBASE Database driver, click Microsoft Access Help on the Help menu, type Initializing the dBASE Database Driver in the Office Assistant or the Answer Wizard, and then click Search to view the topic.

For additional information about other drivers that use the BDE, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q230126 ACC2000: Using Paradox Data with Access 2000 and Jet

Additional query words: prb

Keywords : kb3rdparty kbdta IsmXbase ObcNonms ObcHowto
Version : WINDOWS:2.1,2.1 SP1,2.1 SP2,2.5,2000
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type : kbprb