Firstly my database skills are self taught and somewhat limited so please bare this in mind. I have a MS Access 2007 database that I would like to convert/migrate to an open office version. The only thing I seem able to do is convert to a spreadsheet and subsiquently import that. However doing so loses all the formatting of the cells and simply places in the values. I have followed a few tutorials but I don't seem to be having much success. It is a very simple coin collection database with descriptions and pictures. So here are my questions. 1) Am I wasting my time as the OO database is pants compared to Access? 2) Are there better free alternatives? 3) Are there any good, easy to understand resources/tutorials out there? The reason I ask is that I have trial version of MS Office and love the OO writer and was rather hoping the database would be as good. However an initial look at it seems to be indicating that it is not. Any advice apreciated.
I gave up with the OO database and just went the whole hog and installed mysql its a bit more work though. I'd try the oo database again don't worry about the formatting that should be controlled by the cell type just make sure the data is in the spreadsheet as either a number, character or a date.
If you've got an inclination to use PHP, look at Doctrine. Secondly with the Access, if you set up an ODBC adapter (control panel - admin tools) you might be able to "Connect" to it much like an SQL Database and scrape the information across to your MySQL. Linky to Win2000 Tutorial
I will give the OO database a good look over before I go else where. Yes I can conect to the Access database but it means having it installed. I'd rather bin it if I can find a decent alternative. I was looking into PHP and MySQL today I might pursue that further. Thank you both for the advice.
Actually the Access ODBC driver is free with Windows, and once the database has been created you can then update it with anything that can push SQL through the ODBC connector.
I am absolutely positive that what you have writen is some very sage advice, unfortunately I am a bit dim and have no idea what it means. Are you saying that now I have the database set up in Access I can use other software to update it?
Wow, so few alternatives being offered? PostgreSQL is free Mssql server express is also free and I'm sure you can upsize from access so you retain all your structure & data but lose your forms. I think you're confusing a database system with a database interface. Access gives you an application layer that you don't get with the others, that's why it's so expensive - reports, forms, IDE for more complex programming. But if you can get your head around it, the free edition of vb.net combined with mssql express with advanced services will provide you with similar functionality for free.
