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unable to import Access database?

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capts...@officeformac.com

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Dec 27, 2009, 10:23:42 PM12/27/09
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Version: 2008 Operating System: Mac OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard) Processor: Intel I have an Access database that I use and import into Windows Excel all the time, but am unable to do so with Mac Excel 2008. Am I wrong in believing that MAC-Excel does not allow import of Access data without buying more third-party software?

Jim Gordon Mac MVP

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Dec 28, 2009, 10:11:51 AM12/28/09
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Hi,

You are correct. Neither Microsoft nor Apple provide ODBC drivers for
Mac with their products. You will need to purchase an ODBC driver for
about $30 US.

There articles are little dated, but the connectivity aspects apply
equally to Office 2004 and Office 2008:

Macintosh, Microsoft Office 2004, and Microsoft Access (This will
download a Microsoft Word document.)
http://www.agentjim.com/MVP/Excel/Office2004andAccess.doc

Microsoft Office For Macintosh Database Connectivity Overview
http://www.agentjim.com/MVP/Excel/ODBC/OfficeDBConnectivity.htm

Using Microsoft Office as a Relational Database
http://www.agentjim.com/MVP/Excel/RelationalOffice.htm

-Jim

--
Jim Gordon
Mac MVP
Co-author of Office 2008 for Mac All-in-One For Dummies
http://tinyurl.com/Office-2008-for-Dummies

CyberTaz

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Dec 28, 2009, 12:20:16 PM12/28/09
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It depends on your definition of "import". As Jim says, you need ODBC
capability to dynamically interact with an Access file. However, the Excel
files exported by Access can be used by Mac Excel the same as Win Excel.

Regards |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

On 12/27/09 10:23 PM, in article 59baf...@webcrossing.JaKIaxP2ac0,

Jim Gordon Mac MVP

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Dec 29, 2009, 3:13:29 PM12/29/09
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As Bob points out, you can save the $30 by using the Export feature of
Microsoft Access, where you can export a result set or a table as an
Excel spreadsheet. This presumes that you have the PC with the Access
database physically in front of you, or you can use the free Remote
Desktop Connection client to control that PC from your Mac. Details
about RDC are here:
http://www.microsoft.com/mac/products/remote-desktop/default.mspx

Exporting spreadsheets from Access does not allow you to create linked
data the way ODBC does, so if the data changes your workbooks won't be
able to update without re-exporting everything from Access again.

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