Pc connecting to access data on mac server (1 Viewer)

[mongoose]

Hi
I run a small business that has around four workstations. Currently these are windows pcs all connected to a windows server. (SBS 1997 I believe).
The server, being so old, and a pc, is to be replaced with a mac mini server.
I want to check:

Can all the existing windows xp SP3 prof workstations can connect to the new mac server?

Can I copy all the data from previous windows server to the new mac server? (Windows files) and will they work on pcs.?

The existing MS access 1997 database is located on windows server. This will be copied over to the new mac server. Will the pcs be able to connect to this database now that it is on a mac?

Is the fact the version of MS access is 1997 a problem?

Next big issue, is that I want to eventually replace the workstation PCs with macs. To begin with they will be running Parallels and windows xp so that the Access database can be used. Is this possible?
What format do I address the new mac server in the access database code as it is no longer connecting to a pc?

I need to do all this as I have written a new filemaker database but need to run the two together as testing and backing up will take a while!

Many thanks for your help.

 

[Pat Hartman]

Welcome aboard There is no Access version for the Mac. Access 97 is old enough so you will not be able to run it soon. Time to convert to a newer version. I hope you have some compelling reason to go the Mac route because they are more expensive and have less software options and you'll probably end up having to rewrite the Access app in FileMaker.

Since Access runs on the local PC not on a server, only the OS of the local PC is important. If the new Mac Server works with other windows programs such as Word, it will probably work with Access.

 

[mongoose]

Hi Paul
Thank you for your response. The main reason why I am rewriting db in FileMaker ( cross platform ) is that it is my father who programmed the access database. He is 70 this year and so not keen on maintaining it. So I had to make a choice of learning access or learning FileMaker. Fm is quite a bit easier than access as I have no programming experience. Plus I can use it on mac and pc at the same time, as I have a mac! I have got access working on my mac perfectly, using parallels, and it does now link to the data on our old pc server. So I think it should work the other way around. Ie pc running access connecting to data on mac server.

 

[mongoose]

Following on the previous post, I am having a little trouble was hoping someone may have a solution. My Windows XP PC connects to the fileshare that I have created on my Mac that contains the MS Access Data for the access database. I have even mapped a network drive for it. I can open this file from windows so It is accessible and permissions are set correctly. However, If I try to link to the folder from Linked table manager, Access either crashes, or it eventually connects to the first table selected and links it. It then goes back to the browse window to link to the next table. It is supposed to link all tables and have a blue progress bar at the bottom, but for some reason it is only trying to link one table at a time.

Amendment - I have just looked at the linked tables and it appears that Access hasnt linked any tables, not even the first one as I had prev thought - so it is obviously not able to link to it although it can see it... Help!

 

[rodmc]

I suppose it depends on the format of the drive, both OS's need to read/write so you need a compatible file system. Windows will only read FAT32 or NTFS unless you use some 3rd party software (back in the day, we used SAMBA).
Check the file system of your Mac Drive!

 

[mongoose]

Thank you - All files are accessible - I can test this as from the PC I can open the actual database date file when it is located on the server. It is only when I try to link to this data from the PC through Access that the problem occurs. All my other windows programs (Word etc) are able to open and edit files located on the mac server from the pc. Could there be something in the Access preferences or programming that prevents it from working? As mentioned earlier, I can link a few tables at a time - but if I try to do more than say 6, it crashes...
I did try to upgrade to 2000 but it woudnt work due to issues...but not sure if upgrading woudl help me anyway..

 

[Galaxiom]

While a Mac can have a fileshare and happily hand a whole file to Windows, the way linked Access database files work for is quite different.

This work is handled by the JET/ACE database engine. It does not open a whole database file but is able to read the table indexes and request particular pages of data from the file. The Mac file share evidently does not support this functionality.

You have taken a diffiucult path by choosing the Mac.