If you have worked with previous versions of Access you are familiar with the .mdb file format, that's the default file format for databases created in earlier versions of Access. Access 2007 now has a brand new file format with the extension .ACCDB that's the default.
Access 2007 can still open and work with databases created in Access 97, Access 2000, 2002 or 2003. Right now I am going to open up the Address Book 97 file in the Project Files folder. I am going to click on the Microsoft Office button and then navigate to Open, this brings up the Windows Open dialog box. Navigate to Part 1, Lesson 01 and then Address Book 97.mdb. You are going to see a database enhancement dialog box. What this is telling you is Microsoft Office Access 2007 can open this file but is recommending that you upgrade to the latest file format to take advantage of all the latest features. If you click No right here which is what I am going to do, so click No, you will see that Access 2007 can still open this 97 database. Everything seems to function but if you try and make design level changes here I am going to close this form, I am going to switch into Design View and you are going to see another message. This is telling you this database is still within that previous version. So you cannot make Design level changes. If I click OK you will see I can move objects around in fields but I will not be able to save the changes.
If I close this form Access does not even ask me if I want to save the form, that's because it's still within the older file format of 97. You can still read and write data into the tables, so I am going to open up the address, these tables here and I can make some changes. I am going to change Nancy's name to Maggy. If I close the table the changes are saved, if I open it back up you will see that the last name has changed. So if you want to Access 97 databases you can still read and write information to the tables but you will not be able to make design level changes to the objects. So you need to be aware of that, if you need to convert from an older file format. Click back up on the Microsoft Office button, Navigate to Close Database and I will show you how to open up another database, click again on the Microsoft Office button select Open and then navigate to the Project Files folder Part I, Lesson 01 and select Asset Tracking 2003. This database is saved in the Access 2002/2003 file format, the latest before Access 2007.
I am going to open this database and as you notice Access 2007 did not ask if I wanted to convert the database. Access 2007 can still work and modify database objects within this older file format.
I am going to close this switchboard form, I am going to right click on here, select Design View on the Assets category's form and if I move one of these fields, close it , here you do see that Access asked if I want to save. So if you want to continue working with the older file format you have some considerations that you need to be aware of to take advantage of all the new features of the ACCDB file format, you should convert to database to use these new features.
Multivalue field lookups, attachment fields, and embedded macros are new features within the latest version. You cannot use these latest features within the older file format .mdb. I am going to click No right on here. Other considerations that you need to be aware of when you are converting a database, if you have user level security or use Data Access pages or replication of any kind in your .mdb file format you will not be able to use these in the new ACCDB file format. ACCDB file formats do not support use level security. So if you attempt to upgrade Access will strip out all security on that file, keep a copy of your older file format as a back up and then create a new one with all the security stripped out.
So if you want to keep the security you must keep the database in the older file format. Data Access pages are supported within this latest version however you can only view and edit existing Data Access pages. You cannot create new ones. If you attempt to create new ones Access 2007 informs you with the message box that you cannot create new data access pages.
Replication also is not supported within this file format. If you need to upgrade to the latest file format and you need to keep replication as an option for your data schemes you are going to have to keep it in the older file format. Before doing any conversion I strongly recommend you make a backup copy of your database in case something happens during the conversion process. Under normal circumstances Access 2007 will keep a copy of your older database during the conversion but I am a little bit of a pessimist and I still like to create a backup for myself before the process, because you never know what could happen.
To convert a database it's only a few steps and let me show you how to do that. Right now on screen I still have the Access 2003 database open. So I am going to click on the Microsoft Office button and as you see the third option down is Convert. So if I click Convert, you will see the Save As dialog box come up. Underneath here you see in the Save As type combo box ACCDB is selected and a file name has been generated. I am going to change the file name, so I am going to click inside there, change it to Asset Tracking 2007 and click Save.
After the conversion process you are always going to see this message. This database has been upgraded to the Access 2007 file format. The new database cannot be shared with users of Access 2003 or earlier versions. Now what does this mean. This means if you have other users still using previous versions of Access they will no longer would be able to not only open this database but they cannot even link to the data tables to make updates to the data. I am going to click OK, Access does the conversion process, I am going to close the Switchboard form and if I click the Microsoft Office button you see that the third option no longer says Convert, that's because we are now working within the latest file version.
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