Import Lotus Notes Database into Access/SQL - What about Documents? - sql

Question

I have a few Lotus Notes 'databases' that i'd like to import into Access or SQL.
I think I have most of the steps down (install NotesSQL ODBC driver, setup ODBC connection to Lotus DB, import data into Access), but I can't figure out what to do with all the documents, eg: Word Files, PDF Docs, Excel Workbooks that were in the Lotus DB.
The Lotus Notes DB is full of them. After importing, I do notice a table in Access called 'Documents,' but I don't know what to do with it. I see a line/record for each document in the Lotus DB, but it's not like SQL where there is a column for the actual file data.
Please let me know how I can actually use the documents I pull out of the Lotus DB.

Answer 1

Your best bet is to extract the documents from the database and store them on a file share. That will give you the most flexibility. To retain the association with the original Notes documents, you may want to export them with filenames or into folders with folder names that include the ID of the associated record in Access. Or at least make sure the records include the path of the document.
I don't believe you can pull in attachments via the NotesSQL driver.
Here's an example script that you can put into an Agent to extract attachments from your database: (from http://www.notes411.com/dominosource/tips.nsf/0/4F1FF33C52F08D76802570C2003A2FD6!opendocument)
Sub Initialize
Dim session As New NotesSession
Dim db As NotesDatabase
Dim collection As NotesDocumentCollection
Dim doc As NotesDocument
Set db = session.CurrentDatabase
Set collection = db.UnprocessedDocuments
Set doc = collection.GetFirstDocument()
While Not(doc Is Nothing)
Call extractMyAttachment( doc )
Set doc = collection.GetNextDocument(doc)
Wend
End Sub
Function extractMyAttachment (doc)
Dim emb As Variant
Dim nid As String
nid = doc.NoteID
Dim rtitem As Variant
Set rtitem = doc.GetFirstItem( "Body" )
Dim pathName As String, fileName As String, mydir As String,
newfilename As String
mydir = "Coda"
pathName$ = "P:\" & mydir
fileName$ = Dir$(pathName$, 16)
Dim boxType As Long, answer As Integer
boxType& = 36
If fileName$ = "" Then
answer% = Messagebox("Directory "& pathName$ &" does not exist,
would you like to create it ?", boxType&, "Create" & mydir & " on P:\ ?")
If answer% = 6 Then
Mkdir pathname$
fileName$ = Dir$(pathName$, 16)
If filename$ <> "" Then
If ( rtitem.Type = RICHTEXT ) Then
Forall o In rtitem.EmbeddedObjects
If ( o.Type = EMBED_ATTACHMENT ) Then
newfilename$ = pathname$ & "\" &
o.source
Call o.ExtractFile (newfilename$
)
End If
End Forall
End If
End If
End If
Else
If ( rtitem.Type = RICHTEXT ) Then
Forall o In rtitem.EmbeddedObjects
If ( o.Type = EMBED_ATTACHMENT ) Then
newfilename$ = pathname$ & "\" & o.source
fileName$ = Dir$(NewFileName$, 0)
If fileName$ <> "" Then
answer% = Messagebox("File "&
NewFileName$ &" already exists, would you like to overwirite it ?",
boxType&, "Overwrite" & NewFileName$ & " ?")
If answer% = 6 Then
Call o.ExtractFile (newfilename$
)
End If
Else
Call o.ExtractFile (newfilename$ )
End If
End If
End Forall
End If
End If
End Sub