MS Access linked to SQL server views - sql

Question

we have an issue with an access database we are upgrading to use SQL Server as its data store.
This particular database links to 2 sql databases, so I thought to simplify things, we have a view in the main database that linked to each table in the secondary database. That way access would only need to talk directly with one SQL database.
When we linked access to the database views we choose which fields were the primary keys so the views were not readonly. We have standard code that refreshes all links when a database opens to pickup any changes and the linked views become readonly because the primary key information is lost.
Is there a way of refreshing the links to views while retaining the primary key information?
John

Answer 1

I have included my entire ODBC Reconnect function below. This function is predicated with the idea that I have a table called rtblODBC which stores all of the information I need to do the reconnecting. If you implement this function, you will NOT need to worry about connecting to multiple SQL databases, as that is handled smoothly with each table to be reconnected having its own connection string.
When you get towards the end you will see that I use DAO to recreate the primary keys with db.Execute "CREATE INDEX " & sPrimaryKeyName & " ON " & sLocalTableName & "(" & sPrimaryKeyField & ")WITH PRIMARY;"
If you have any questions, please ask.
Public Function fnReconnectODBC( _
Optional bForceReconnect As Boolean _
) As Boolean
' Comments :
' Parameters: bForceReconnect -
' Returns : Boolean -
' Modified :
' --------------------------------------------------'
On Error GoTo Err_fnReconnectODBC
Dim db As DAO.Database
Dim rs As DAO.Recordset
Dim tdf As DAO.TableDef
Dim sPrimaryKeyName As String
Dim sPrimaryKeyField As String
Dim sLocalTableName As String
Dim strConnect As String
Dim varRet As Variant
Dim con As ADODB.Connection
Dim rst As ADODB.Recordset
Dim sSQL As String
If IsMissing(bForceReconnect) Then
bForceReconnect = False
End If
sSQL = "SELECT rtblODBC.LocalTableName, MSysObjects.Name, MSysObjects.ForeignName, rtblODBC.SourceTableName, MSysObjects.Connect, rtblODBC.ConnectString " _
& "FROM MSysObjects RIGHT JOIN rtblODBC ON MSysObjects.Name = rtblODBC.LocalTableName " _
& "WHERE (((rtblODBC.ConnectString)<>'ODBC;' & [Connect]));"
Set con = Access.CurrentProject.Connection
Set rst = New ADODB.Recordset
rst.Open sSQL, con, adOpenDynamic, adLockOptimistic
'Test the recordset to see if any tables in rtblODBC (needed tables) are missing from the MSysObjects (actual tables)
If rst.BOF And rst.EOF And bForceReconnect = False Then
'No missing tables identified
fnReconnectODBC = True
Else
'Table returned information, we don't have a perfect match, time to relink
Set db = CurrentDb
Set rs = db.OpenRecordset("rtblODBC", dbOpenSnapshot)
'For each table definition in the database collection of tables
For Each tdf In db.TableDefs
'Set strConnect variable to table connection string
strConnect = tdf.Connect
If Len(strConnect) > 0 And Left(tdf.Name, 1) <> "~" Then
If Left(strConnect, 4) = "ODBC" Then
'If there is a connection string, and it's not a temp table, and it IS an odbc table
'Delete the table
DoCmd.DeleteObject acTable, tdf.Name
End If
End If
Next
'Relink tables from rtblODBC
With rs
.MoveFirst
Do While Not .EOF
Set tdf = db.CreateTableDef(!localtablename, dbAttachSavePWD, !SourceTableName, !ConnectString)
varRet = SysCmd(acSysCmdSetStatus, "Relinking '" & !SourceTableName & "'")
db.TableDefs.Append tdf
db.TableDefs.Refresh
If Len(!PrimaryKeyName & "") > 0 And Len(!PrimaryKeyField & "") > 0 Then
sPrimaryKeyName = !PrimaryKeyName
sPrimaryKeyField = !PrimaryKeyField
sLocalTableName = !localtablename
db.Execute "CREATE INDEX " & sPrimaryKeyName & " ON " & sLocalTableName & "(" & sPrimaryKeyField & ")WITH PRIMARY;"
End If
db.TableDefs.Refresh
.MoveNext
Loop
End With
subTurnOffSubDataSheets
fnReconnectODBC = True
End If
rst.Close
Set rst = Nothing
con.Close
Set con = Nothing
Exit_fnReconnectODBC:
Set tdf = Nothing
Set rs = Nothing
Set db = Nothing
varRet = SysCmd(acSysCmdClearStatus)
Exit Function
Err_fnReconnectODBC:
fnReconnectODBC = False
sPrompt = "Press OK to continue."
vbMsg = MsgBox(sPrompt, vbOKOnly, "Error Reconnecting")
If vbMsg = vbOK Then
Resume Exit_fnReconnectODBC
End If
End Function

Answer 2

A good deal of DSN less code that re-links access tables to SQL server often deletes the links first, then recreates the link. The code then sets up the connection string. Thus, it is the deleting that causes you to lose what the primary key was/is.
I actually recommend that you modify your re-link code as to not delete the table links.
Try something like:
For Each tdfCurrent In dbCurrent.TableDefs
If Len(tdfCurrent.Connect) > 0 Then
If Left$(tdfCurrent.Connect, 5) = "ODBC;" Then
strCon = "ODBC;DRIVER={sql server};" & _
"SERVER=" & ServerName & ";" & _
"DATABASE=" & DatabaseName & ";" & _
"UID=" & UserID & ";" & _
"PWD=" & USERpw & ";" & _
"APP=Microsoft Office 2003;" & _
"WSID=" & WSID & ";"
End If
End If
tdfCurrent.Connect = strCon
tdfCurrent.RefreshLink
End If
Next tdfCurrent

Answer 3

This works a litte better for me (note the moved end if's):
Dim dbCurrent As Database
Set dbCurrent = CurrentDb()
StatusList.SetFocus
StatusList.AddItem ("starting... ")
I = DoEvents()
Dim tdfCurrent As DAO.TableDef
For Each tdfCurrent In dbCurrent.TableDefs
If Len(tdfCurrent.Connect) > 0 Then
If Left$(tdfCurrent.Connect, 5) = "ODBC;" Then
strCon = "ODBC;DRIVER={sql server};" & _
"SERVER=" & ServerName & ";" & _
"DATABASE=" & DatabaseName & ";" & _
"UID=" & UserID & ";" & _
"PWD=" & USERpw & ";" & _
"APP=Microsoft Office 2003;" & _
"WSID=" & WSID & ";"
StatusList.AddItem ("fixing " & tdfCurrent.Name)
tdfCurrent.Connect = strCon
tdfCurrent.RefreshLink
End If
End If
I = DoEvents()
Next tdfCurrent
StatusList.AddItem ("----Done.")
The ODBC check is correct, even though the "ODBC;" part doesn't show in the MSysObjects view.