HELP With DATA and Make Table Query

Hi,
SQL Srv2000 and Production Database - what I want to do is open the live
database, keep the data and save it to be manipulated in a
"non-connected" manner (so that I have NO effect on the real database)
and keep that newly manipulated (need to remove certain fields in order
to import it into a new application)data set aside to later import -
Using both Office 2000 and 2003 with Access to ODBC to database.


Is a Make-table query the BEST way? I have three tables linked and have
created a Query with the fields I want to 'manipulate and change' - I
have created a COPY of that linked Query -

MY issue is FEAR. Don't want to damage or change ANY live data on our
server. Am I on the right track?

Many thanks for any help.

A Make Table query is a SELECT INTO. It should not be changing any data
except in the new table that will be created on the Access side of the house
(or the SQL Server BE, depending on how you specify your INTO table).

Why can you not simply import the source into an Access DB and play with it
there?

If you are really PARANOID (can be a good thing), you can always back up
your Production DB prior to doing anything. My SQL Server knowledge is rusty
( 1 year since I've played), but I don't think it had to be taken offline
to backup.

--

Chaim


"Doc" wrote in message
...
Hi,
SQL Srv2000 and Production Database - what I want to do is open the live
database, keep the data and save it to be manipulated in a
"non-connected" manner (so that I have NO effect on the real database)
and keep that newly manipulated (need to remove certain fields in order
to import it into a new application)data set aside to later import -
Using both Office 2000 and 2003 with Access to ODBC to database.


Is a Make-table query the BEST way? I have three tables linked and have
created a Query with the fields I want to 'manipulate and change' - I
have created a COPY of that linked Query -

MY issue is FEAR. Don't want to damage or change ANY live data on our
server. Am I on the right track?

Many thanks for any help.

Chaim,
Thank you for your response..
"Why can you not simply import the source into an Access DB and play
with it there?" -

Part of this is MY own lack of real experience with Access, SQL and so
forth. I have set up this ODBC link and "thought" it was just an IMPORT
device until I monkeyed with the DB fields and got a call from our
CFO asking "what I did to such and such info" (OUCH!) - fortunately I'd
not 'saved' the change so I just cancelled out, all was well.

But it appears that the link and the 'two table query' is live - so
I could import but we have over 1400 tables in the DB and I really ONLY
want about 100 of them -

The ODBC link brings them ALL over, I did the query - linked the two
tables I wanted then opened the "copy" of that query in 'design view'
-then I created a 'make-table query' upon the advice of another forum
respondant (I read up on it however and could not find sufficient
disclaimers about 'messing up any active data' - so was asking again).

I have the make-table query from the copied 'original' live query but
each time I GO to OPEN it, the warning about 'permanent changes to the
data" comes up and I get cold feet.

Thanks for any help. Doc
PS: I backup the production DB every night - to hard drive and tape.
Never hurts to be paranoid ;^)

Chaim typed this:

A Make Table query is a SELECT INTO. It should not be changing any data
except in the new table that will be created on the Access side of the house
(or the SQL Server BE, depending on how you specify your INTO table).

Why can you not simply import the source into an Access DB and play with it
there?

If you are really PARANOID (can be a good thing), you can always back up
your Production DB prior to doing anything. My SQL Server knowledge is rusty
( 1 year since I've played), but I don't think it had to be taken offline
to backup.

--
Chaim

Hi,
SQL Srv2000 and Production Database - what I want to do is open the live
database, keep the data and save it to be manipulated in a
"non-connected" manner (so that I have NO effect on the real database)
and keep that newly manipulated (need to remove certain fields in order
to import it into a new application)data set aside to later import -
Using both Office 2000 and 2003 with Access to ODBC to database.

Is a Make-table query the BEST way? I have three tables linked and have
created a Query with the fields I want to 'manipulate and change' - I
have created a COPY of that linked Query -

MY issue is FEAR. Don't want to damage or change ANY live data on our
server. Am I on the right track?

Many thanks for any help.