Updating MS Access Linked Table from VBS file - ms-access

Question

I am currently working on moving 100s of access databases from a variety of folders to another set of folders and need to update any references to linked tables that will be broken during the move. I have identified how to update the location of the linked database table by adding a macro to the access database itself by doing something like the following:
Dim tdf As TableDef, db As Database
Set db = CurrentDb
db.TableDefs.Refresh
For Each tdf In db.TableDefs
' My Logic for checking to see if it is is a linked
' table and then updating it appropriately
Next
Set collTables = Nothing
Set tdf = Nothing
Set db = Nothing
However, I do not want to have to add the code to each of the access databases so I was wondering if there was a way to create a VBS file which would execute the same type of logic. I tried the following code, but I am getting the following error when the line with the for each logic is executed: "Arguments are of the wrong type, are out of acceptable range or are in conflict with one another"
Set MyConn = CreateObject("ADODB.Connection")
MyConn.Open "Provider = Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0; Data Source = MyFile.mdb"
for each tblLoop in db.TableDefs
' business logic
next
set tblLoop = nothing
MyConn.close
set MyConn = nothing
I'm hoping that someone more familiar with doing this type of coding will be able to point me in the right direction. Is there a way to utilize the TableDefs table from outside of Access through a VBS file and if so, what would that code look like.
Thanks,
Jeremy

Answer 1

You cannot use tabledefs with ADO, but you can open the database in VBScript:
Dim db ''As DAO.Database
Dim ac ''As Access Application
''As noted by wmajors81, OpenDatabase is not a method of the application object
''OpenDatabase works with DBEngine: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/152400
Set ac = CreateObject("Access.Application")
ac.OpenCurrentDatabase("c:\test.mdb")
Set db = ac.CurrentDatabase
For Each tdf In db.TableDefs
Etc.
If you have start up code or forms, or database passwords, you will run into some problems, but these can be overcome, for the most part, by simulating the shift key press. This would be easier, I think, in VBA than VBScript, but AFAIK it is possible in VBScript. database passwords can be supplied in the OpenDatabase action.

Answer 2

I was able to expand upon the answer by #Remou to come up with some code that worked. Part of his answer included the following statement which threw an error "Set db = ac.OpenDatabase". As far as I can tell "OpenDatabase" is not a valid method, but OPenCurrentDatabase is. Also, I was getting an error when trying to set db equal to the value returned by OpenCurrentDatabase so I'm assuming that it is a sub and not a function. However, I was able to get access to the Current Database by utilizing ac.CurrentDB once I had established the connection to the the database utilizing OpenCurrentDatabase
Dim db ''As DAO.Database
Dim ac ''As Access Application
Set ac = CreateObject("Access.Application")
ac.OpenCurrentDatabase("D:\delete\UpdatingLinkedTableInAccess\GrpLfRsvs201108.mdb")
set db = ac.CurrentDB
For Each tdf In db.TableDefs
With tdf
If Len(.Connect) > 0 Then
If Left(.Connect, 4) = "ODBC" Then
' ignore these are connected via ODBC and are out of scope
Else
' biz logic
End If
End If
End With
next
set db = nothing
ac.Quit
set ac = nothing
Thanks again #Remou for your assistance.

Answer 3

You don't need to create an Access application instance. Use DBEngine and DAO.Workspace instead.
Option Explicit
Dim db
Dim dbe
Dim strDbPath
Dim tdf
Dim wrkJet
strDbPath = "C:\Access\webforums\whiteboard2003.mdb"
Set dbe = CreateObject("DAO.DBEngine.36")
Set wrkJet = dbe.CreateWorkspace("", "admin", "", 2) ' dbUseJet = 2
' exclusive = True and read-only = False '
Set db = wrkJet.OpenDatabase(strDbPath, True, False)
For Each tdf In db.TableDefs
If Left(tdf.Connect, 10) = ";DATABASE=" Then
WScript.Echo tdf.Connect
End If
Next
db.Close
Set db = Nothing
Set wrkJet = Nothing
Set dbe = Nothing
You would need "DAO.DBEngine.120" for ACCDB format database.
If you're using a database password, include it in OpenDatabase.
Set db = wrkJet.OpenDatabase(strDbPath, True, False, ";pwd=password")