Re: [libreoffice-users] Compatibility of LO Base with Access databases

On 30 July 2016 at 16:40, Harvey Nimmo <harvey@nimmo.de> wrote:
> On Fri, 2016-07-29 at 20:53 -0600, Ken Springer wrote:
> > The subject says it all, how successful is Base in importing Access
> > Databases?
> >
> > LO 5.0.x
> >
> > --
> > Ken
> > Mac OS X 10.8.5
> > Firefox 44.0
> > Thunderbird 38.0.1
> > "My brain is like lightning, a quick flash
> >       and it's gone!"
> Unfortunately, MS Access users were spoilt with the 'complete' database
> package supporting tables, queries, forms, reports and modules/macros.
> Although its 'openness' or performance or compatibility with the rest
> of the MS Office suite leave much to be desired (in my humble opinion)
> the MSaccess package is a (more or less) complete solution. LibreOffice
> on the other hand cannot match the user comfort (yet!).
>
> There is a tool, access2sql that to allows you to generate the sql
> needed to build all your 'tables' again (including their data) and
> 'queries'.

Thanks Harvey. I'd like to add to this description. Access2sql seen no
release since beginning of 2013 or so and have not seen, say, Linux
packages for this software. In context of Base: access2sql seems to
convert to mysql's and postgresql's SQL, not HSQL's.

For the same task (converting table design and data) there are also
following converters:
- mdbtools (a FOSS pioneer in the topic, implemented in C),
- jackcess (implemented in Java).

Both are maintained and have fairy regular releases. Disclaimer: I am
only user of mdbtools.

> But for the 'forms' and 'reports' you will have to start
> from scratch in LOBase and, as I say, the user comfort for that is not
> as mature as in MSAccess.

Yes, converting forms and report would be doable if interested parties
joined forces. That would be building "on shoulders" of projects I
mentioned above. I don't understand why MS would not agree to publish
docs for MS Access binary formats. Based on my experience I can't stop
believing MS has no access (pun!) to full knowledge about Access
anymore because employee retention has its limits. If you want to make
sure kids of your kids will be able to open your works FOSS is the
most obvious solution.

There's one thing more. MDB Doc http://mdbdoc.sourceforge.net is an
add-in for Microsoft Access 2000-2013 to automate creation of Access
database design's documentation in XHTML format. All objects are
included. Access is required for it but as soon as you have objects'
definition and data exported, you can start porting using whatever
tool you like.

> In LOBase you can also write modules/macros
> in Visual Basic. I have no experience of that either, but it does
> suggest that VBA macros might with reservation be portable and
> modifiable.

In terms of APIs Access Basic sits between VBA and VB. Having similar
language is not a challenge, having the same API and implementation
that behaves like original... that's challenge. Here, the behavior can
expose specific implementations coming from MS Windows.  VB can call
Windows DLLs natively, can use MS controls;  and I remember in Access
97-2000 times I had to do that to achieve acceptable results as simple
as displaying a tree of data. So sometimes old, legacy behavior is
practically inseparable part of Access apps, software that someone
would like to port.

Because of that, in my opinion in terms of forms, reports, scripting
and even macros a *fresh start* sounds better. That would not map a
single legacy or even current system's components to FOSS tools
(calling it "compatibility") but sane, reasonable behavior that could
be reproduced in multiple implementation or at least in one FOSS
offering that can be adopted everywhere. (and we would call it
standards instead)

I'd like to remind none of these concepts (tables, queries, forms,
reports, etc.) are part of the Open Document Format standard or any
draft I know.

Cheers.

> In other words, i blieve it is not hopelessly impossible and
> I am sure that the experts can add their 'two penn'orth'
>
> Cheers
> Harvey



-- 
regards, Jaroslaw Staniek

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Qt Certified Specialist:
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