Pocket Access - Sync to Linked Table?

[Jason Gyetko]

Is it possible to sync to a linked table within access? I ask because I
have an Access database which has ODBC linked tables to a MySQL database. I
want to be able to sync Pocket Access through those linked tables to the
MySQL database. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Albert D. Kallal]

Well, if you ever used Sql server, Or Oracle, or MySql, or Sybase, then you
will be equally disappointed with pocket access.

In all of the above cases, we are talking about database systems. You can
use sql-server to store data, but sql server, or Oracle, or MySql or any
database engine DOES NOT have any ability to build forms, or reports.

You can't build a form with Oracle, and you can't build a form with
sql-server. You can't build a form with MySql, and you can't build a form
with pocket access.

So, access really is just a condutit, and you have to use embedded visual
basic to build any forms etc, or use any of the data that is sent to the
pocket access.

So, really, while most, if not all mainstream database systems do not let
you make forms, reports etc, using the pocket access "name" is kind of a
poor choice. And, as far as I know..the product name has been dropped. (it
should have been called pocket sql server). There is no pocket access
in the same sense that we have pocket word for example.

Anyway..there is number of good alternatives

Pocket PC Access Database Alternatives
http://www.oreillynet.com/pub/wlg/3358

The "Missing" Pocket PC apps: Access & PowerPoint
http://www.oreillynet.com/pub/wlg/3300

 

[Jason Gyetko]

I'm not sure I follow. Right now I have an access database with tables,
forms, reports, etc. This is all fine and good. I then have a PDA which
through ActiveSync, syncronizes a Pocket Access database with my Access
database. I can then maintain my DB within Access and syncronize the PDA
with it so then I'm viewing current data with my eVB programs on the PDA.
This whole process works great for me the way I have it set up now.
Recently I've re-created my tables in MySQL, set up ODBC connections to them
from my Access database (this way nothing has changed except the DB engine),
I can still use my reports and forms within Access without any modifications
yet. My problem is on the PDA side now. I have no way to syncronize the
Pocket Access database through ActiveSync anymore because the linked tables
(within Access) do not show up when I try to configure the Pocket Access
Syncronization tables. I thought I would just be able to use Access (the
linked tables) as a bridge between my PDA and MySQL.

 

[Albert D. Kallal]

Ok.

What you are tying to do does make sense,but as you mention, odbc
connections don't sync with the conduit.

You have two solutions:

On the access side, pull the data from the server into temp tables..and sync
that to the pda (and, if bi-directional here..then you have to send those
temp tables back to the server database).

You might also check out what Sync options exist for sql server (since
ms-access does include the desktop edition of sql server for free on each
cd). I thought that the eVB stuff included some stuff to sync with sql
server (or that free desktop edition). (I would ask in the pda groups, or
the embed groups to see if you can sync with "any" odbc source. this would
eliminate the need for ms-access as an intermediate step).

So, I am suggesting/hinting that you don' t use a JET mdb file as your data
store.

If you can't use odbc, you likely can use "some" provider to sql server, and
go from that.