Reading Accsss database using earlier version

[Simon Elliott]

Hi

I'm still using MS Access 97. Increasingly people are sending me .mdb
files created by later versions of MS Access. MS Access 97 refuses to
open these.

One possibility is to upgrade, but to which version? Is there a list
somewhere of which versions of Access can read which databases? Are
there any "killer features" I might want to have in later versions of MS
Access?

Another possibility: I vaguely recall that some version
incompatibilities in Microsoft file formats are just a simple byte swap
in the first few bytes of the file. If so then I could patch newer
databases so that I could still read them with my ancient MS Access 97.

I also recall that for some newer versions of MS Word, Microsoft
provided a tool which allowed the new file formats to be read by users
who had not upgraded to the new version. Is there such a tool for MS
Access?

Thanks for any info.

 

[Kevin3NF]

For what its worth, I have Access xp, 2000 and 97 all installed in separate
directories with no problems, so I can open in the correct version, or a
newer one.

 

[Simon Elliott]

For what its worth, I have Access xp, 2000 and 97 all installed in separate
directories with no problems, so I can open in the correct version, or a
newer one.

That's useful to know. I wouldn't want to lose Access 97 if I install a
later version.

But in order to get a later version, I'll need to actually part with my
CC number. I'm trying to work out whether I can get away with buying a
second hand copy of Access 2000, or whether it would make more sense to
bite the bullet and pay out for the latest version.

 

[John Vinson]

Hi

I'm still using MS Access 97. Increasingly people are sending me .mdb
files created by later versions of MS Access. MS Access 97 refuses to
open these.

No version of Access has ever (since 1.0) been able to read databases
created in a later version. Newer versions can read data from older
(all down the line), but not vice versa.

One possibility is to upgrade, but to which version? Is there a list
somewhere of which versions of Access can read which databases? Are
there any "killer features" I might want to have in later versions of MS
Access?

As above: A2003 can read data from 1.0, 1.1, 2.0, 95, 97, 2000, and
2002. Any version later will work. Versions 2000 and later can - with
some limitations - save a database in A97 format; but you'll need to
convert the database to the version you're using in order to make
design changes. Of course features which did not exist in 97 will not
convert!

Another possibility: I vaguely recall that some version
incompatibilities in Microsoft file formats are just a simple byte swap
in the first few bytes of the file. If so then I could patch newer
databases so that I could still read them with my ancient MS Access 97.

Nope. They entail major (undocumented) structural changes.

I also recall that for some newer versions of MS Word, Microsoft
provided a tool which allowed the new file formats to be read by users
who had not upgraded to the new version. Is there such a tool for MS
Access?

Unfortunately, no.

 

[Douglas J. Steele]

Each version of Access has its own file format.

Access 2002 has an Access 2002 file format, but the default is actually the
Access 2000 format. If you were to save an application in Access 2002
format, you would be unable to open it using Access 2000.

Similarly, I believe that Access 2003 has an Access 2003 file format, but it
can work with both the Access 2002 and Access 2000 file formats. If you were
to save an application in Access 2003 format, you would be unable to open it
using either Access 2002 or Access 2000.

Having said that, though, while all of Access 2000, Access 2002 and Access
2003 can open Access 97 format, you cannot make any design changes to the
application unless you upgrade from Access 97 format. You can, however,
convert from any of the newer formats to Access 97 (it's under Tools |
Database Utilities)

 

[Simon Elliott]

One possibility is to upgrade, but to which version? Is there a list
somewhere of which versions of Access can read which databases? Are
there any "killer features" I might want to have in later versions of MS
Access?

Many thanks for some quick and comprehensive responses. Looks like it
would make sense to get a fairly recent version...