Convertin Apple/Mac database to Access .mdb

[Guest]

We need to convert a large database in OS9 (almost 4,000 records, with
perhaps 15 fields per record) into .mdb. This client is converting from
Macintosh/Apple to a Windows/MS Office environment, and we cannot abandon
this database. Does anyone have any experience with this?

 

[Albert D.Kallal]

You should be able to export the data to a comma delimited file. Save that
to a cd, or floppy. You can then import that comma delimited file into
ms-access.

And, you might even consider pulling the data into a Excel sheet on the mac
side. You then save that sheet to a CD...and then import it on the pc side.

So, moving the data should not pose too much of a problem. However, the
forms, and reports will have to be re-done. Even if you were not switching
from a Mac to a pc, when you switch applications, then you need to re-write
the application part. So, if you write a program in VB for windows, it don't
work c++, or FoxPro, or ms-access. So, switching applications requites a
re-write of the forms and reports EVEN when you do this under windows....let
alone changing from a mac to a pc.

So, as a general rule, moving the data should not be too hard at all.
However, the application part, be it written in VB, and converting to
FoxPro, or c++ (or OS9 to ms-access), that will most certainly require a
re-write of the application part.

 

[Mike Painter]

We need to convert a large database in OS9 (almost 4,000 records, with
perhaps 15 fields per record) into .mdb. This client is converting
from Macintosh/Apple to a Windows/MS Office environment, and we
cannot abandon this database. Does anyone have any experience with
this?

What Albert said but you will probably be offered tab delimited in the MAC
environment and Access will import that as well.
4000 records is not particulalry large but you should examine it to see if
changing to a relational model will help.

 

[Guest]

Albert & Mike -

Thanks for your advice. I've done what you described on the Windows side
for years and generally am comfortable with the concept and execution, but
when we tried it on the Mac, it was an unreadable file. We will try again,
this time within the Mac from whatever file type it is in the database to a
file with known Windows/Access compatibiity. Maybe that will work for us.
Secondly, we were aware that we would have to recreate the program once we
got it into Acess. I'm not an Access user (ran everything is Excel, but I
had total control of the main database, therefore can't do that here), so I
may be back asking for help again.
Thanks both.

Charlie

 

[Arvin Meyer [MVP]]

The Excel file should be readable. CSV files may need a bit of help since
Macs are Unix based and don't use the same line ending characters. Here's
some code to convert Unix to DOS based text:

Public Function UNIX2DOS(ByVal str As String) As String
UNIX2DOS = Replace(str, Chr(10), Chr(13) & Chr(10))
End Function

It replaces the Unix line ending character ... Chr(10)
with the DOS/Windows characters ... Chr(13) & Chr(10)
--
Arvin Meyer, MCP, MVP
Microsoft Access
Free Access downloads:
http://www.datastrat.com
http://www.mvps.org/access