importing data from a Database

[Kimla]

Hello,
Does anyone know if it's possible to import data from another database into
Access?
There is an old MS DOS First Aider programme that needs upgrading as to
prevent any future programme crashes, it must be updated into Access.

It is a list of Council staff first aiders; Name, Dept, certificate update
date, next update date. The database has about 400 staff with the above
details.

Is there a way of synchronising the programs so as not to have to type
everything over & set us back my weeks?

Thank you

Kim Johnson
(e-mail address removed) or (e-mail address removed)

 

[John Nurick]

Hi Kimla,

There are several possibilities depending on just how the old program
works.

1) First, see if it can export its data into a standard file format
(e.g. text, CSV, DBF) that Access can import.

2) If not, make a copy of the First Aider program's folder - the one it
keeps its data in if there's more than one - on the hard drive. Using
this, look for files with .DBF or .DB extensions whose datestamp shows
they've been in use and therefore could be the data store. Try importing
these into Access.

3) Next, if you have access to a scanner and OCR program, you could
print the list from the DOS program, scan it into an Excel or text file,
clean it up and import into Access.

4) Or copy the list screen by screen from the DOS window and paste it
into a textfile, clean it up and import into Access.

5) Finally it's almost certainly possible for a computer expert to
analyse and extract the data from the files ... but with only 400 names
it would be cheaper to re-type them.

 

[Kimla]

Thank you very much! Very helpful.
Kim

Hi Kimla,

There are several possibilities depending on just how the old program
works.

1) First, see if it can export its data into a standard file format
(e.g. text, CSV, DBF) that Access can import.

2) If not, make a copy of the First Aider program's folder - the one it
keeps its data in if there's more than one - on the hard drive. Using
this, look for files with .DBF or .DB extensions whose datestamp shows
they've been in use and therefore could be the data store. Try importing
these into Access.

3) Next, if you have access to a scanner and OCR program, you could
print the list from the DOS program, scan it into an Excel or text file,
clean it up and import into Access.

4) Or copy the list screen by screen from the DOS window and paste it
into a textfile, clean it up and import into Access.

5) Finally it's almost certainly possible for a computer expert to
analyse and extract the data from the files ... but with only 400 names
it would be cheaper to re-type them.