# Connecting to Microsoft Access

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/connecting-to-microsoft-access/104405>\
**Category:** Rails\
**Created:** [May 17, 2007, 4:42pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/connecting-to-microsoft-access/104405 "2007-05-17T16:42:48Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Lewis](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/l/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Lewis](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Lewis)\
**Post date:** [May 17, 2007, 4:42pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/connecting-to-microsoft-access/104405/1 "2007-05-17T16:42:48Z")

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Can anyone tell me if it is possible to connect to Microsoft Access db  
and how? I have several systems that use Access and I need to create  
new front end functionality to the Access tables.

Thanks

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**Author:** ![Lewis](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/l/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Lewis](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Lewis)\
**Post date:** [May 17, 2007, 5:02pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/connecting-to-microsoft-access/104405/2 "2007-05-17T17:02:50Z")

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Hey Lewis,

I’ve never done that but I’m wondering if ODBC or ADO aren’t your  
friends  
here.

I believe there are examples flying around for both ODBC and ADO  
connections.

Try that and let us know how you get on.

Cheers,  
Mel

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**Author:** ![Lewis](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/l/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Lewis](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Lewis)\
**Post date:** [May 17, 2007, 8:37pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/connecting-to-microsoft-access/104405/3 "2007-05-17T20:37:39Z")

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On 17-May-07, at 11:01 AM, Mel R. wrote:

> Cheers,  
> Mel
> 
> On 5/17/07, Lewis [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote:
> 
> Can anyone tell me if it is possible to connect to Microsoft Access db  
> and how? I have several systems that use Access and I need to create  
> new front end functionality to the Access tables.
> 
> Thanks

I will be going down that path shortly and have these bookmarked:

[http://ruby-dbi.rubyforge.org/](http://ruby-dbi.rubyforge.org/)  
[http://groups.google.com/group/comp.lang.ruby/browse\_thread/thread/](http://groups.google.com/group/comp.lang.ruby/browse_thread/thread/)  
ce3a7a464e3f37c/aac2e8db2b89a8f5%23aac2e8db2b89a8f5

> **[Ruby DBI: Database Access](http://www.troubleshooters.com/codecorn/ruby/database/index.htm)**
>
> A website devoted to the Ruby programming language

If you discover anything useful, I’d appreciate you post back.

Cheers,  
Jodi  
General Partner  
The nNovation Group inc.  
www.nnovation.ca/blog  


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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Lewis](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/l/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Lewis](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Lewis)\
**Post date:** [May 18, 2007, 4:37am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/connecting-to-microsoft-access/104405/4 "2007-05-18T04:37:07Z")

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Are you able to use the SQL Server upsize wizard (not sure if that’s  
the exact name - the thing that converts Access DBs to SQL Server),  
then use e.g. the free SQL Server engine? Your data would remain  
intact, but you’d then be using SQL Server which is far more  
scalable/robust than Access. It’s probably a lot easier to find help  
for Rails/SQL Server than for Rails/Access…

BTW, I suggested using the free version of SQL Server, which supports  
a limited number of users and database size, because I assume this  
would meet your requirements if you’re starting from Access to begin  
with; if not, just use one of the for-pay SQL Server versions. From  
Rails’ perspective, it shouldn’t care which version of SQL Server you  
use.

Regards

Dave M.