# Rails apps. with Microsoft Access as a back end?

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/rails-apps-with-microsoft-access-as-a-back-end/171756>\
**Category:** Rails\
**Created:** [July 8, 2009, 6:13pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/rails-apps-with-microsoft-access-as-a-back-end/171756 "2009-07-08T18:13:26Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![weyus](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/w/7ab992/32.png) [@weyus](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/weyus)\
**Post date:** [July 8, 2009, 6:13pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/rails-apps-with-microsoft-access-as-a-back-end/171756/1 "2009-07-08T18:13:26Z")

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Curious as to whether anyone out there has set up Rails as a front end  
to a M$ Access DB?

I have done it with SQL Server, and have used ODBC to do it, so I know  
that this is certainly possible.

I’m interested in gotchas, and good advice.

I’m not interested in hearing questions about why someone would want to  
do such a silly thing ;).

Thanks,  
Wes

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**Author:** ![weyus](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/w/7ab992/32.png) [@weyus](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/weyus)\
**Post date:** [July 8, 2009, 7:10pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/rails-apps-with-microsoft-access-as-a-back-end/171756/2 "2009-07-08T19:10:37Z")

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Hi Wes,

On Wed, 2009-07-08 at 18:13 +0200, Wes G. wrote:

> I’m not interested in hearing questions about why someone would want to  
> do such a silly thing ;).

Understood. Just wanted to send my sympathies 😉

Best regards,  
Bill

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**Author:** ![weyus](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/w/7ab992/32.png) [@weyus](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/weyus)\
**Post date:** [July 8, 2009, 8:16pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/rails-apps-with-microsoft-access-as-a-back-end/171756/3 "2009-07-08T20:16:39Z")

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Never tried it. I think the lack of an adapter is what kills this. I’d  
be curious to hear whether the sqlserver adapter in ODBC mode could be  
fooled into hitting msaccess w/the right connect string…

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**Author:** ![weyus](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/w/7ab992/32.png) [@weyus](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/weyus)\
**Post date:** [July 8, 2009, 8:36pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/rails-apps-with-microsoft-access-as-a-back-end/171756/4 "2009-07-08T20:36:43Z")

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Roy P. wrote:

> Never tried it. I think the lack of an adapter is what kills this. I’d  
> be curious to hear whether the sqlserver adapter in ODBC mode could be  
> fooled into hitting msaccess w/the right connect string…

Good point. Might be that the connect string setup would have to be  
overwritten, but I’m assuming the SQL conversation should work fine.

WG