need access to read to SQL db and Access frontend

If you want to link to the SQL server tables from a new database, the
simplest thing is to create a new empty database and then instead of using
the link tables option, use the import option. In the case of linked
tables, this imports the links. It doesn't really import the data. So your
new database should have links to the same tables as the old database.

"Janis" wrote in message
...
How do I find the SQL tables? If the Access db is just exporting to those
tables does that mean I won't be able to link to them?
tia,

"Pat Hartman (MVP)" wrote:

Does the documenter product a report and you just can't print it or is
the
documenter just not producing a report?

I can't help you with printer issues with Terminal Services, you need to
talk to your tech people about fixing that.

"Janis" wrote in message
...
The weird thing is I looked at it about a month ago and I could print
the
field definitions. Now I cannot print anything in the documentor. I
don't
know if it got changed but I don't know why someone would do that.
"Pat Hartman (MVP)" wrote:

Starting from the back - dbo_ is the usual prefix for SQL server
tables.
It
is short for database owner. So it is possible for the prefix to be
different. Local Access tables are frequently prefixed with tbl. You
can
tell the source of the table by the icon to its left. Squares that
look
like datasheets are local tables, datasheet squares with arrows to the
left
are linked Jet tables. Globes with arrows to the left are linked ODBC
tables, excel symbols with arrows to the left are linked excel sheets.
So,
anything that is linked will have a right facing arrow to the left of
the
type symbol. If you roll the mouse over a linked table, you should
see a
tool tip with the path to the source database or DSN for the ODBC
database.

If the tables are linked to a SQL Server database or even another
Access
database, you will not normally see the relationships in the
relationship
window of the FE. You would need to view them in the back end
database.
Most developers don't bother to define the relationships in the FE
since
they would be descriptive only. Only the relationships stored in the
physical database are used to enforce RI.

I feel your pain (and your bosses) but you may not be able to get a
usable
copy (unsecured .mdb) from the developer. An .mde will not let you
view
any
code or any design for forms and reports. It will let you view
queries
and
tables though and macros (although if your developer is a pro, there
won't
be more than 2 or 3 of them. If there are lots of macros, your
developer
is
not a pro.)

Is the documenter available in the .mde? Have you tried running it?

I don't like to encourage this, but you may be able to create a new
empty
database and link it to the SQL Server back end if you can identify
which
DSN to use. This will allow you to see the linked tables but I think
you'll
need Enterprise Manager (for SQL 2000) or SQL Server Management Studio
(for
SQL 2005) to view the relationships. If you open a linked table in
design
view, Access will allow you to view the primary key and any other
indexes
but that's about all you can see. Of course, you can't change the
structure
from an .mdb. Actually, you might be able to create an .adp which
gives
you
a lot more capability where SQL server is concerned so with that, you
will
be able to see relationships, etc.

"Janis" wrote in message
...
We have a regional dbA. I was hired to create a new dbB for our
location
because my supervisor doesn't like the interface for dbA. I believe
dbB
is a
separate module/entity from dbA and doesn't need to be related but I
have
access to dbA through terminal services. The structure of dbB
should
be
similar to dbA with some differences. I asked the regional dba to
give
me
his structure so I could benefit from the knowledge. All I have is
the
web
interface to an mde file. It took 2 years for the dba to build our
department dbA.

I noticed that I can't print the fields and tables in the
relationships
window. I could do a print screen of the field and table names. I
don't
see
any relationships in this window only tables and fields. When I try
to
print
the queries I get the message doc_tblObjects already exists? I
could
print
one query, presumably because that is the query for the report they
give
us?
I would love to see the reports, the macros, the queries so as to
build
on
what they have already learned.

Are there no relationships in the Access dbA because it is only a
frontend
to a SQL db or because it is an mde file? I think it is stored in
SQL
because there is a large amount of data or because there are other
databases
stored and it is easier for the dba. All we need is our tables for
our
weekly
Excel report. Do I need to ask for the SQL database structure as
well?
Would
it help to see the Access relationships?

Shouldn't it be acceptable for us to ask him for a copy of the
access
db
itself? We aren't allowed to query this SQL database or read from
it.
I
don't know what his tables and fields mean
1. dbo_XXXX means database open?
2. tbl_XXX means table .?
3. _XXX would this mean a related table or library file?

There seems to be a communication problem but maybe I am lucky I get
the
fields and table names?

Tia,