JDBC-ODBC Bridge Connector for MS Access

In this article you will learn how to quickly and efficiently integrate JDBC-ODBC Bridge data in MS Access without coding. We will use high-performance JDBC-ODBC Bridge Connector to easily connect to JDBC-ODBC Bridge and then access the data inside MS Access.

JDBC-ODBC Bridge driver can be used to consume data from any JDBC Driver in non JAVA apps (i.e. Excel, Power BI, C#). Many apps written in C++ or .net (e.g. Excel, Power BI, Informatica) which don’t have direct support for using JAVA based JDBC driver technology.

Let's follow the steps below to see how we can accomplish that!

Download Documentation

Prerequisites

Before we begin, make sure you meet the following prerequisite:

If you already have a JRE installed, you can try using it too. However, if you experience any issues, we recommend using one of the distributions mentioned above (you can install an additional JRE next to the existing one; just don't forget to configure the default Java in the Windows Environment Variables).

Download your Java application JDBC driver

To connect to your Java application in MS Access, you will have to download JDBC driver for it, which we will use in later steps. Let's perform these two little steps right away:

  1. Visit Maven Repository portal, which is a central location for downloading Java libraries.
  2. Download your Java application JDBC driver matching your running instance version and save it locally, e.g. to D:\Drivers\JDBC\app-jdbc.jar.
  3. Done! That was easy, wasn't it? Let's proceed to the next step.
It is recommended to use JDBC driver compiled for Java 8, if possible.

Create ODBC Data Source (DSN) based on ZappySys JDBC Driver

Step-by-step instructions

To get data from JDBC-ODBC Bridge using MS Access we first need to create a DSN (Data Source) which will access data from JDBC-ODBC Bridge. We will later be able to read data using MS Access. Perform these steps:

  1. Install ZappySys ODBC PowerPack.

  2. Open ODBC Data Sources (x64):

    Open ODBC Data Source
  3. Create a User data source (User DSN) based on ZappySys JDBC Bridge Driver

    ZappySys JDBC Bridge Driver
    Create new User DSN for ZappySys JDBC Bridge Driver
    • Create and use User DSN if the client application is run under a User Account. This is an ideal option in design-time, when developing a solution, e.g. in Visual Studio 2019. Use it for both type of applications - 64-bit and 32-bit.
    • Create and use System DSN if the client application is launched under a System Account, e.g. as a Windows Service. Usually, this is an ideal option to use in a production environment. Use ODBC Data Source Administrator (32-bit), instead of 64-bit version, if Windows Service is a 32-bit application.
  4. Now, we need to configure the JDBC connection in the new ODBC data source. Simply enter the Connection string, credentials, configure other settings, and then click Test Connection button to test the connection:

    JdbcOdbcBridgeDSN
    jdbc:exampleApp://app-service-host-name.com:1234
    com.provider.exampleApp.jdbc.AppDriver
    D:\Drivers\JDBC\app-jdbc.jar
    admin
    *************
    [{"Name":"AppParameter","Value":"12345"}]
    JDBC-ODBC Bridge driver data source settings
    ZappySys JDBC Bridge Driver allows you to connect to any Java application that supports JDBC.
  5. You should see a message saying that connection test is successful:

    ODBC connection test is successful
  6. We are at the point where we can preview a SQL query. For more SQL query examples visit JDBC Bridge documentation:

    JdbcOdbcBridgeDSN
    SELECT * FROM orders
    JDBC ODBC Bridge data source preview
    SELECT * FROM orders
    You can also click on the <Select Table> dropdown and select a table from the list.

    The ZappySys JDBC Bridge Driver acts as a transparent intermediary, passing SQL queries directly to the Trino JDBC driver, which then handles the query execution. This means the Bridge Driver simply relays the SQL query without altering it.

    Some JDBC drivers don't support INSERT/UPDATE/DELETE statements, so you may get an error saying "action is not supported" or a similar one. Please, be aware, this is not the limitation of ZappySys JDBC Bridge Driver, but is a limitation of the specific JDBC driver you are using.

  7. Click OK to finish creating the data source.

Video instructions

Read data in Microsoft Access from the ODBC data source

  1. First of all, open MS Access and create a new MS Access database.

  2. In the next step, start loading ODBC data source we created: Load ODBC data source

  3. Then click next until data source selection window appears. Select the data source we created in one of the previous steps and hit OK:

    JdbcOdbcBridgeDSN
    DSN selection

  4. Continue with tables and views selection. You can extract multiple tables or views:
    DSN Table Selection

  5. Finally, wait while data is being loaded and once done you should see a similar view: In Access DSN Data Loaded

Using Linked Table for Live Data (Slow)

Linked tables in Microsoft Access are crucial for online databases because they enable real-time access to centralized data, support scalability, facilitate collaboration, enhance data security, ease maintenance tasks, and allow integration with external systems. They provide a flexible and efficient way to work with data stored in online databases, promoting cross-platform compatibility and reducing the need for data duplication.

  1. Real-Time Data Access:
    Access can interact directly with live data in online databases, ensuring that users always work with the most up-to-date information.
  2. Centralized Data Management:
    Online databases serve as a centralized repository, enabling efficient management of data from various locations.
  3. Ease of Maintenance:
    Updates or modifications to the online database structure are automatically reflected in Access, streamlining maintenance tasks.
  4. Adaptability to Changing Requirements:
    Linked tables provide flexibility, allowing easy adaptation to changing data storage needs or migration to different online database systems.

Let's create the linked table.

  1. Launch Microsoft Access and open the database where you want to create the linked table.

  2. Go to the "External Data" tab on the Ribbon. >> "New Data Source" >> "From Other Sources" >> "ODBC Database" Load ODBC data source

  3. Select the option "Link to Data Source by creating a linked table: Load ODBC data source

  4. Continue by clicking 'Next' until the Data Source Selection window appears. Navigate to the Machine Data Source tab and select the desired data source established in one of the earlier steps. Click 'OK' to confirm your selection.

    JdbcOdbcBridgeDSN
    DSN selection

  5. Proceed to the selection of Tables and Views. You have the option to extract multiple tables or views:
    DSN Table Selection

  6. When prompted to select Unique Key column DO NOT select any column(s) and just click OK: MS Access Linked Table - Key selection

  7. Finally, Simply double-click the newly created Linked Table to load the data: MS Access Linked Table

Guide to Effectively Addressing Known Issues

Discover effective strategies to address known issues efficiently in this guide. Get solutions and practical tips to streamline troubleshooting and enhance system performance, ensuring a smoother user experience.

Fewer Rows Imported

The reason for this is that MS Access has a default query timeout of 60 seconds, which means it stops fetching data if the query takes longer than that. As a result, only a limited number of rows are fetched within this time frame.

To address this, we can adjust the Query Timeout by following the steps below.
WOW6432NodeODBCQueryTimeout

The path may vary depending on the MS Access bitness, such as 32-bit versus 64-bit.

\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Jet\4.0\Engines\ODBC
\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Jet\4.0\Engines\ODBC
\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\ClickToRun\REGISTRY\MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Access Connectivity Engine\Engines\ODBC

We can identify this issue by examining the Fiddler Log, as MS Access doesn't display any error regarding partial import, which is quite unusual

Please refer to this link : How to use Fiddler to analyze HTTP web requests
fiddlerlogs

#Deleted word appears for column value in MS Access for Linked Table mode

If you used Linked Table mode to get external data and it shows #deleted word rather than actual value for column after you open then most likely its following issue.

Make sure to re-create Linked Table and DO NOT select any key column when prompted (Just click OK) MS Access Linked Table Mode - #Deleted Error
How to Fix
MS Access Linked Table Mode - Do not select Key column

Table Selection UI Opening Delays

The Table selection UI takes a significant amount of time to open after clicking the 'New Data Source' -> 'Other Data Sources' -> 'ODBC'

The reason for this issue is that MS Access sends a dummy query, leading to several unnecessary pagination cycles before an error is thrown. To mitigate this, we can prevent wasted cycles by configuring the 'Throw error if no match' setting on the Filter Options Tab.
Throw error if no match

Enhancing Performance through Metadata Addition (Reduces Query Time)

We can optimize query performance by creating Virtual Tables (i.e. views with custom SQL) on Datasource and incorporating META=static columns. Learn how to capture static metadata in this guide.
Performance Options - Generate Metadata Manually

Execute the query initially, save the metadata by selecting 'Save to Meta' (choose Compact Format), and then click 'Save to Clipboard.' Utilize the resulting list by pasting it into the META attribute as follows: 'META=paste here.'
Generate Metadata in ZappySys ODBC Drivers

SELECT * FROM products
    WITH(
        META='id:String(20); title:String(100);  description:String(500);'
    )

Optimize Workflow with Automated Import

Employ Automated Import when Linked Tables are not feasible, and we need to depend on Imported Tables with static data.

While using Linked Tables sometime it encounter errors, and we are left with no alternative but to utilize Imported Tables, Automatic Refresh becomes crucial in such scenarios.

Here's a guide on automating refreshes. We can set up automatic refresh on different events, such as when the database opens, a form is opened, or a button is clicked.

To initiate the import process, follow these steps:

  • Perform the data import using the standard manual steps.
  • In the final step, we'll encounter a checkbox labeled 'Save Import Steps.' Ensure to check this option.
  • After saving the steps, we can locate their name in the Save Imports UI. Identify the name associated with the saved steps.
  • "Now, we can execute the code as shown below:"
Private Sub cmdYes_Click()
    Label0.Visible = True
    DoCmd.RunSavedImportExport "Import-DATA.products"
    Label0.Visible = False
End Sub

Conclusion

In this article we showed you how to connect to JDBC-ODBC Bridge in MS Access and integrate data without any coding, saving you time and effort. We encourage you to download JDBC-ODBC Bridge Connector for MS Access and see how easy it is to use it for yourself or your team.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact ZappySys support team. You can also open a live chat immediately by clicking on the chat icon below.

Download JDBC-ODBC Bridge Connector for MS Access Documentation

More integrations

Other connectors for MS Access

Other application integration scenarios for JDBC-ODBC Bridge

  • How to connect JDBC-ODBC Bridge in MS Access?

  • How to get JDBC-ODBC Bridge data in MS Access?

  • How to read JDBC-ODBC Bridge data in MS Access?

  • How to load JDBC-ODBC Bridge data in MS Access?

  • How to import JDBC-ODBC Bridge data in MS Access?

  • How to pull JDBC-ODBC Bridge data in MS Access?

  • How to push data to JDBC-ODBC Bridge in MS Access?

  • How to write data to JDBC-ODBC Bridge in MS Access?

  • How to POST data to JDBC-ODBC Bridge in MS Access?

  • Call JDBC-ODBC Bridge API in MS Access

  • Consume JDBC-ODBC Bridge API in MS Access

  • JDBC-ODBC Bridge MS Access Automate

  • JDBC-ODBC Bridge MS Access Integration

  • Integration JDBC-ODBC Bridge in MS Access

  • Consume real-time JDBC-ODBC Bridge data in MS Access

  • Consume real-time JDBC-ODBC Bridge API data in MS Access

  • JDBC-ODBC Bridge ODBC Driver | ODBC Driver for JDBC-ODBC Bridge | ODBC JDBC-ODBC Bridge Driver | SSIS JDBC-ODBC Bridge Source | SSIS JDBC-ODBC Bridge Destination

  • Connect JDBC-ODBC Bridge in MS Access

  • Load JDBC-ODBC Bridge in MS Access

  • Load JDBC-ODBC Bridge data in MS Access

  • Read JDBC-ODBC Bridge data in MS Access

  • JDBC-ODBC Bridge API Call in MS Access