Account features: ODBC

  1. Installing ODBC
  2. Using ODBC with Microsoft Access (Office 97 & 2000)
  1. Installing ODBC

    1. Download MyODBC from http://www.mysql.com/downloads/api-myodbc.html. Choose the latest version if more than one is availble.
    2. Once downloaded, unzip the contents into a temporary directory with Winzip or similar.
    3. Run (by double-clicking) the setup.exe that is amongst the files you have just unzipped.
    4. Click on "Continue".
    5. Under "Available ODBC drivers", click on "MySQL".
    6. Click on "Ok".
    7. Click on "Add" to create a new data source.
    8. Under "Installed ODBC drivers", click on "MySQL".
    9. Click on "Ok".
    10. Next you need to fill in the following form as follows:

      Windows DSN name:
      Fill in a short, descriptive name.

      Server:
      Type in the name of your Positive domain name. For example: www.example.com

      MySQL database name:
      Type the name of your MySQL database. This will usually be the same as your Positive account login name. For example, fred

      User:
      Unless you have been told otherwise, this will also be the same as your Positive account's username. Again, for this example, fred

      Password:
      This will be your database password. This is usually the same as your main account's login password, unless you have changed it. Email us if you are unsure.

      Other boxes:
      You do not need to fill in a "Port" number, as our installations use the standard port. Don't click on any of the many check boxes, unless there is a feature or emulation you are sure you require.

    11. Click on "Ok"
    12. Click on "Close"
    13. Click on "Ok" on the success confirmation.
    14. You may or may not be prompted to restart your computer. Do so if you are.

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  2. Using ODBC with Microsoft Access (Office 97 & 2000)

    1. Load Microsoft Access - use an existing local database or create a new one.
    2. Under the "Tables" tab, click on "New".
    3. Click on "Link Table" in the list.
    4. Click on "Ok".
    5. At the bottom of the resulting requester, select "ODBC databases" at the bottom of the "Files of type:" drop-down list.
    6. The requester will have changed immediately. Click on the "Machine Data Source" tab.
    7. Click on the data source whose title corresponds with the one you created while installing MyODBC (see above).
    8. Click on "Ok".
    9. Click on "Ok" to confirm the connection.
    10. Select the tables from your remote database to which you wish to link.
    11. Click on "Ok".
    12. Work with your linked tables as with any other. Remember - you are working on the remote database directly, so any changes or additions you make are immediately live! If you want to work off a local copy of the table instead, select "Import table" instead of "Link table" in step 3.

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