List of supported data sources for importing, exporting, and linking in an Access 2002 database (283294)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Access 2002
This article was previously published under Q283294
This article applies only to a Microsoft Access database (.mdb).

Novice: Requires knowledge of the user interface on single-user computers.

For a Microsoft Access 2000 version of this article, see 180105.

SUMMARY

Microsoft Access can import or link data from other Microsoft Access databases (version 2.0, 7.0/95, 8.0/97, 9.0/2000, 10.0/2002), as well as data from other programs and file formats, such as Microsoft Excel, dBASE, Paradox, or XML (import only). You can also import or link (read-only) HTML tables and lists that reside on your local computer, network server, or Internet server.

Microsoft Access can also export tables to these file formats, as well as to Rich Text format and dynamic HTML file formats. For more information about importing, exporting and linking to data sources in an Access project (*.adp), click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

291133 Supported data sources for importing, for exporting, and for linking in an Access 2002 database project

MORE INFORMATION

The following table lists the formats supported by Access 2002. Listed also are some formats that are not supported, and those that have limited support.

Note The numbers in parentheses refer to the notes that appear after this table.
File typeExtensionImportLinkExport
Microsoft Access 1.x.mdbNoNoNo
Microsoft Access 2.0.mdbYesYesYes
Microsoft Access 7.0.mdbYesYesYes
Microsoft Access 97.mdbYesYesYes
Microsoft Access 2000.mdbYesYesYes
Microsoft Access 2002.mdbYesYesYes
Text (Delimited).txtYesYes (4)Yes
Text (Fixed Width).txtYesYes (4)Yes
Microsoft Excel 3.0.xlsYesYesYes
Microsoft Excel 4.0 Sheets.xlsYesYesYes
Microsoft Excel 4.0 Workbooks.xlwNoNoNo
Microsoft Excel 5.0-7.0 Workbooks.xlsYesYesYes
Microsoft Excel 97 Workbooks.xlsYesYesYes
Microsoft Excel 2000 Workbooks.xlsYesYes (5)Yes
Microsoft Excel 2002 Workbooks.xlsYesYes (5)Yes
Lotus 1-2-3.wk1YesYes (1)Yes
Lotus 1-2-3 3.0.wk3YesYes (1)Yes
dBASE III.dbfYesYes (2)Yes
dBASE IV.dbfYesYes (2)Yes
dBASE 5.dbfYesYes (2)Yes
Paradox 3.0.dbYesYes (2)Yes
Paradox 4.0.dbYesYes (2)Yes
Paradox 5.0.dbYesYes (2)Yes
Exchange/Outlook.pstYesYesNo
HTML Documents.html, .htmYesYesYes
Microsoft Internet Database Connector.idc/.htxNoNoYes
Microsoft Active Server Pages.aspNoNoYes
Rich Text Format.rtfNoNoYes
ODBC Datasources (3)N/AYesYesYes
XML Files.xmlYesNoYes
Notes
  1. Lotus 1-2-3 files can be linked, but they will be read-only.
  2. Linked dBASE and Paradox tables are read-only; however, you can resolve this issue by installing one of the following:
    • The latest Microsoft Jet 4.0 service pack
    • The Borland Database Engine
    For more information, see the articles listed in the "References" section later in this article.
  3. To be able to work with an ODBC data source you must have the correct and up-to-date ODBC drivers for the data source that you are using. For example, Access 2002 does not provide an ISAM driver for Microsoft FoxPro files (.dbc). However, you can use the ODBC drivers that are included with Access to connect to FoxPro files. See the "References" section later in this article.
  4. When linking text files, the existing data cannot be edited. Records can be added to the linked text file, but once the record has been committed, existing records cannot be updated.
  5. In the Microsoft Office 2002 update dated 10/18/05 (KB904018), by design you cannot update a linked Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet.

    For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

    904953 You cannot change, add, or delete data in tables that are linked to an Excel workbook in Office Access 2003 or in Access 2002

The list above differs slightly from the information found in the Access 2002 Help file. The information in the Help file is not accurate, and the list above provides the correct information.

The following Help topics contain inaccurate information:
  • Data sources Microsoft Access can import or link
  • Data formats Microsoft access can export
  • Import or link Paradox tables
  • Import or link dBase files
The third-party products that this article discusses are manufactured by companies that are independent of Microsoft. Microsoft makes no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding the performance or reliability of these products.

REFERENCES

For more information about importing, exporting, and linking to Paradox tables, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

230126 How to use Paradox data with Access and Jet

For more information about importing, exporting, and linking to dBase files, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

230125 How to use dBASE data with Access and Jet

For more information about importing, exporting, and linking to FoxPro files, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

286224 No option to import, link, or export to the FoxPro file type

Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:10/21/2005
Keywords:kb3rdparty kbhowto KB283294 kbAudDeveloper
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