I am comfortable using Access97, but have a need to grab data from two legacy
Paradox systems to use elsewhere. I've had no luck trying to link/ODBC from
Access to Paradox. I suspect that it isn't possible for anything but ancient
Paradox file formats? What are the format choices. Even the latest Access
seems to think there is only 4.5 and 5.0. I can read both legacy data stores
with a copy of Paradox 8. How can I determine what version the db's are?


==
Details: Need to grab snapshots of data from a facilities resources scheduler
built on Paradox, and to print reports of what data has changed since the
last snapshot (usually once a day). Down the road, I hope to have it auto
update the HVAC schedules via BACNET. I'd also like to use some of that data
to auto update the schedule of another Paradox based package that controls
door schedules.
==

James B wrote:
Paradox ships with excellent ODBC drivers for its format. Access works just
fine with those.

The drivers that MS ships with some versions are dirt. :-) They are based
on very old third-party software that works poorly.

The Paradox format, incidentally, is hardly "old" nor obsolete. It's quite
alive and well.


----
ChimneySweep(R): F-A-A-ST table repair at a click of the mouse!
http://www.sundialservices.com/products/chimneysweep

On 9 May 2006 20:30:37 -0400, "James B" <jbirchwood (AT) comcast (DOT) net>
wrote:

Hi James,

I needed to create a process to access snapshot data from an exported
Paradox table for an Access97 app a few years ago. First I wrote a
process in the Paradox app to export the data as a Paradox 5.0 table.
Then I found that the Access ODBC driver would only let one user
access the the Paradox 5.0 table at a time. It only opened it
exclusively, even for read-only! Because my app required multiple
users to view the data concurrently I wrote a routine that imported
the data into the Access97 app.

You mentioned you have a copy of Paradox 8 and can read the tables
from it. From within Paradox, open the table in question. From the
View menu select "Table Structure...". The title bar at the top of the
dialog box that opens displays the Paradox version of the table. (The
rest of the dialog box displays details about each index and field in
the table, which you will probably find helpful as well.)

Here's a code snippet with how to create an exported table in Paradox
5 format. stExportTo and stSource are string variables containing the
names of the destination and source tables.

; Create a new empty table based on the source table's structure
try
taExportTo = Create stExportTo
Like stSource
VersionLevel 5
LanguageDriver "ASCII"
Where "LoanID" is "LoanIDNumber",
etc. (rest of fields desired)
Key "ClientID", "LoanIDNumber", "BizID"
EndCreate
onFail
-- error handling goes here --
return "NO"
endTry

Index taExportTo
On "ClientID"
EndIndex

; Append data from your source table into the newly created table
taSource.attach(stSource)

if not taSource.add(stExportTo, true, false) then
-- error handling goes here --
return "NO"
endif


I hope this helps...

Shauna

OK.. but if you were using the current version of Access, you wouldn't be
having any of these "table level" problems..

--
Steven Green - Waldorf Maryland USA

Diamond Software Group
http://www.diamondsg.com/main.htm
Paradox Support & Sales - Corel CTech Paradox

Diamond Sports Gems
http://www.diamondsg.com/gemsmain.htm
Sports Memorabilia and Trading Cards

James B wrote:

I'm with Steve Green on this one. Present-day versions of Access
effortlessly import/link to .db files. The 'Files of type' drop-down
does not even distinguish among Paradox versions, it just says "Paradox
(*.db)"

On Wed, 10 May 2006 18:44:10 -0700, Ed Nash <name (AT) mail (DOT) com> wrote:

There are reasons to stay with Access97 rather than upgrading,
depending on your particular situation. But if it's easy for you to
obtain the upgrade to XP, go for it! If not and you're stuck with
Access97, the method I described will work for that.

Shauna