ms access... linked tables?

[pgrimes]

Hi, I'm working with VB.NET and MS Access XP. I've been given a database and, I'm unfamiliar with it's format. It appears to be a "linked database" or a database with "linked tables" (terminology?). The name of the db is "kilopost.dbf". When I open it and view the table it contains (named "kilopost"), a new database file named "kilopost1.mdb" is created which, contains the same information as the "kilopost.dbf". This will repeat as many times as I view the table apparently (kilopost2.mdb, kilopost3.mdb, kilopost4.mdb... etc. will be created). Each one of those files contains a table named "kilopost" which is linked to "kilopost.dbf".

Anyway, my problem is that I'm trying to read from this database using vb.net's "OleDbDataReader". I have no problem reading from my other .mdb files. Here is the error message produced when I try to access the kilopost database:

System.Data.OleDb.OleDbException: The Microsoft Jet database engine cannot find the input table or query 'kilopost'.  Make sure it exists and that its name is spelled correctly.
   at System.Data.OleDb.OleDbCommand.ExecuteCommandTextErrorHandling(Int32 hr)
   at System.Data.OleDb.OleDbCommand.ExecuteCommandTextForSingleResult(tagDBPARAMS dbParams, Object& executeResult)
   at System.Data.OleDb.OleDbCommand.ExecuteCommandText(Object& executeResult)
   at System.Data.OleDb.OleDbCommand.ExecuteCommand(CommandBehavior behavior, Object& executeResult)
   at System.Data.OleDb.OleDbCommand.ExecuteReaderInternal(CommandBehavior behavior, String method)
   at System.Data.OleDb.OleDbCommand.ExecuteReader(CommandBehavior behavior)
   at CT_CPT_DB.Form1.btnPopLists_Click_1(Object sender, EventArgs e) in C:\Documents and Settings\Paul\My Documents\Work\VS_Proj\VB\Create_CPT_DB\CT_CPT_DB\Form1.vb:line 685

The database does exist and the name and path are correct. I am successfully connecting to and reading from another .mdb in the same app.

Here's a snippet of code:

Dim strSQL1 As String
        Dim strSQL2 As String
        Dim strSQL3 As String
 
        strSQL1 = "SELECT * FROM cty_rte_pm_ea"
        strSQL2 = "SELECT * FROM kilopost"
 
        Dim cmdCptMetaData As New OleDbCommand(strSQL1, odbConnCptMetaData)
        Dim cmdKilopost As New OleDbCommand(strSQL2, odbConnKilopost)
 
        odbConnCptMetaData.Open()
        odbConnKilopost.Open()
 
        Try
            Dim cptMetaDataReader As OleDbDataReader = _
                            cmdCptMetaData.ExecuteReader(CommandBehavior.CloseConnection)
            Dim cptKilopost_Reader As OleDbDataReader = _
                            cmdKilopost.ExecuteReader(CommandBehavior.CloseConnection)

Thanks for your help!

Paul

[Foxer]

You lost me with all the .net stuff but on the issue of databases, a dbf file is a DBase file. An older file format that isn't used that often anymore.

MS Access XP can link to a dBase file and read/write data to it even though it's not MS Access format. I suspect that's what you're dealing with.

A MS Access XP file (mdb) that has links to a dBase file (dbf).

Others can pick up the thread here ...

[pgrimes]

Thanks, I tried saving it as an Access 2002 file (.mdb) but, it did nothing. Any other ideas? This is pretty urgent for me.

Thanks

[pgrimes]

*bump*

[pgrimes]

I updated my Jet driver.... that did the trick.