Choose which tables to upsize

Choose which tables to upsize

You can select the Microsoft Access database tables you want to upsize to a Microsoft SQL Server database. This topic provides reference information about:

Linked tables

Aliasing queries

The effect of Declarative Referential Integrity (DRI)

Linked tables

The Available Tables list box includes all linked tables except for Microsoft SQL Server tables already in an SQL Server database. Linked tables that point to an SQL Server database that has been selected for upsizing, automatically appear in the Export to SQL Server list box and can't be removed. Any table that has a name ending in "_local" is excluded from the list of available tables to prevent upsizing tables that have already been upsized. If you do want to upsize these tables again, rename them before you run the Upsizing Wizard by removing the suffix "_local". Tables that are not currently visible in the database window are also excluded, including hidden tables and system tables.

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Aliasing queries

If you choose to link Microsoft SQL Server tables to your Access database, the Upsizing Wizard may create an aliasing query to handle name differences between Microsoft Access and Microsoft SQL Server 6.5, which doesn't allow spaces or special characters in field names other than pound sign (#), dollar sign ($), and underscore (_) characters. The Upsizing Wizard automatically replaces spaces and illegal characters with the "_" character. If field names are changed when a table is upsized, the Upsizing Wizard names the linked table with the suffix "_remote" (for example, Employees_remote) and renames the original table by adding the suffix "_local" (for example, Employees_local). The Upsizing Wizard then creates an aliasing query called Employees so that forms, reports, and queries continue to work properly on the new linked SQL Server table.

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The effect of Declarative Referential Integrity (DRI)

If you are upsizing to SQL Server version 6.5, and you selected Declarative Referential Integrity (DRI) to upsize tables previously, DRI prevents you from overwriting related tables that were previously upsized. You can drop (delete) an entire upsized SQL Server database by using SQL Server's Enterprise Manager, and then upsizing the Access database again. If you want to re-upsize only some tables, you must drop those tables and any other tables they are related to starting with the "many" table in a one-to-many relationship (a table that has no references to its primary key from another table) first, and then upsize the entire set of tables again. The Upsizing Wizard can only establish DRI relationships between related tables that are upsized at the same time, but it can't establish relationships between those tables and pre-existing tables on the server.

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