Kexi/Migration/MDB

This is a MDB file migration driver for KEXI.

MDB files are the native database format of Microsoft Access (and also some other MS applications). Access was created in early 90's and is still offered today. We often use shortened term MSA for it.

MDB files are self-contained; they contain both data and database schema.

• Location of the sub-project is in KEXI's src/migration/mdb dir.
• Read the project README.
• You are invited to join the project.
• Contact for support here.

Introduction

The Kexi MDB driver is based upon mdbtools.

Currently the Migration Driver is developed, what means MDB driver can only import MDB databases as a new KEXI database. It cannot be used to edit an MDB database.

Supported features

Currently .mdb and .mde database files are supported because they are the formats supported by mdbtools. They are created with MS Jet Engine version 3.0 (MS Access 95 and 97) and MS Jet Engine 4.0 (MS Access 2000, XP, 2003...). Access 2007's .accdb files are currently unsupported. This format has not been reverse engineered. It also has nothing in common with MS Office Open XML format so there is still no official documentation. Our advice is to avoid this format if possible and stay with older .mdb file format if you have to use Access.

Files created with MS Jet 2.0 (MS Access 2) are not and probably will not be supported. You can use free Microsoft conversion tools (Windows-only) to convert these files to a supported mdb format and import the converted files using the MDB migration driver.

Packaging

mdbtools source code is maintained within the KEXI migration scope to ensure that exact version that is required, not too new, not too old, is in use.

Future plans

As soon as mdbtools provide full write support for MDB databases, we wouldd like to extend the MDB support to a full KDb driver. However, it's possible that a read-only KDb Driver could also be developed before.

Maintaining mdbtools within the KEXI migration scope can be stopped if it's possible and practical.

Comparison to Libre/OpenOffice support

mdb-sdbc-driver: oo.org uses .mdb files in read-write mode on Win32 using a native libraries. On Linux, it uses the MDBTools library too. You can also take a look at the patches published on the page. Bqack in 200x years when we monitored the situation, there were just SQL parsers that we wouldn't like to use in KEXI because KDb already had its own, more advanced SQL parser.

Sample Databases

• Northwind Traders Sample Database
  • See also analysis of this design
• Free MS Access templates from Microsoft useful for test purposes (TODO jstaniek: I have them locally as msa_templates.tar.gz, will upload to github)