Excel & .dbf Files

[John Williamson]

Does anyone know how to get Excel for Mac to open an Access database
file? I am running Office for Max .X Professional and can't seem to get them
to open up.

 

[Jim Gordon MVP]

Hi John,

Excel can open MS Access database tables a variety of different ways.
The only way to open the table directly is to use ODBC. There is an
article here that explains how to set your computer up to do this:
<http://www.microsoft.com/mac/produc...IBRARY/how_to_articles/office2004/xl_ODBC.xml>

ODBC lets you manipulate the Access data tables using Structured Query
Language (SQL) commands with a Graphical User Interface (GUI) in
conjunction with MS Query. So in addition to being able to import data
directly into Mac Excel you can work with the data tables.

There just isn't a way to directly open an Acces .mdb file on the Mac.

Other options are to request that whomever is using MS Access save the
data using Save As in Access. The most compatible Save As format is
Excel worksheet. There are other compatible database formats such as
..dbf and .dif that can be used, but I've had the best luck with Excel
format.

-Jim

 

[Jamie Collins]

ODBC lets you manipulate the Access data tables using Structured Query
Language (SQL) commands with a Graphical User Interface (GUI) in
conjunction with MS Query.

To me, this sounds a bit confused. May I suggest, "MS Query lets you
manipulate Jet data tables via ODBC using either a Graphical User
Interface (GUI) or Structured Query Language (SQL) commands." However,
I still wouldn't consider this as opening the table 'directly'.

Jamie.

--

 

[Jim Gordon MVP]

Hi Jamie,

I won't quibble with your wording - it's fine as far as I'm concerned.

I probably should be pointed out that ODBC does not use the Microsoft
Jet DB engine (although the utility is the same) and that ODBC can
connect to other types of databases in addition to Microsoft databases.
Most of the time you need a different driver for each type of database
that you want to connect to.

-Jim

--
Jim Gordon
Mac MVP
MVP FAQ
<http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;EN-US;mvpfaqs>

 

[John Williamson]

Hi Jim,

Thank you for the help! I'll check out the link and get it set up. This will be
very helpful. Do you know if the new 2004 Office/Mac is able to do this
directly?

John

 

[Jim Gordon MVP]

Hi John,,

A direct connection between Office Mac and Excel can be established
using a data channel provided by the ODBC driver. SQL commands can flow
in both directions. Visual Basic programmability that was provided by
the ODBC add-in is not provided at this time.

-Jim

--
Jim Gordon
Mac MVP
MVP FAQ
<http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;EN-US;mvpfaqs>

 

[Jamie Collins]

Jim Gordon MVP wrote ...

I probably should be pointed out that ODBC does not use the Microsoft
Jet DB engine

Yes, you should <g>.

Jamie.

--

 

[Jim Gordon MVP]

I should be in bed asleep when I post things instead of sitting asleep
in my chair ;-)

-Jim