Connecting Oracle with MS-Access

Dear my readers,

Here i explain how to link with from Oracle to Microsoft ACCESS and import table from access:

This article shows how Oracle's Heterogeneous Services can be configured to allow a database to connect to a Microsoft Access database using standard databases links. The method described can be used to connect to MS-Access from about any platform - Unix/ Linux or Windows.

Step 1: Prepare the MS-Access environment

For example db1.mdb is our ms access file and my_access_tab is our table

Step 2: Define ODBC connectivity

Use the ODBC Administrator Utility to define a local System DSN that can be used to connect to the Access database (same machine). Ensure that the correct *.MDB database file is selected.

Step 3: Prepare the Oracle Environment

Install the Oracle Database Server software on the same machine where MS-Access is installed.

NOTE: It is not sufficient to only install Client Software, as we require an Oracle Net Listener and the Heterogeneous Services (ORACLE_HOME\hs directory) software to be installed as well.

Step 4: Configure and Start the Oracle Listener

Configure the Oracle Listener on the Windows machine. Here is a sample LISTENER.ORA entry that can be used. Change the HOST, PORT and ORACLE_HOME entries to match your setup. You may also use a different SID_NAME if required.

LISTENER =

  (DESCRIPTION_LIST =

    (DESCRIPTION =

      (ADDRESS_LIST =

        (ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = TCP)(HOST = yaser)(PORT = 1521))

      )

    )

  )SID_LIST_LISTENER=

 (SID_LIST =

  (SID_DESC =

   (SID_NAME = odbc1)

   (ORACLE_HOME = F:\oracle\product\10.2.0\db_1)

   (PROGRAM = hsodbc)

  )

(SID_DESC =

(GLOBAL_DBNAME = Oracle8)

(SID_NAME = ORCL)

)

)Stop and start the listener service or from the command line:
C:\> lsnrctl stop
C:\> lsnrctl start

Step 5: Configure Oracle HS:

Edit the ORACLE_HOME\hs\admin\inithsodbc.ora file and add your ODBC System DSN Name (ODBC1 in our case as defined in step 3).

And rename this file inithsodbc.ora  to be initodbc1.ora

HS_FDS_CONNECT_INFO = odbc1

HS_FDS_TRACE_LEVEL = off

Note: name the file accordingly - INIT.ORA.   + SID_NAME in step 4,

Step 6: Configure Oracle connectivity to Windows Machine

From now on we are going to work on the Oracle Server (Unix or whatever you run) add the following TNSNAMES.ORA entry:

odbc1 =

  (DESCRIPTION =

     (ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = TCP)(HOST = yaser) (PORT = 1521)

  )

  (CONNECT_DATA =

      (SID = odbc1)

  )

  (HS=OK)

 )

Ensure you can tnsping the new entry before continuing.

Step 7: Create a database link

Create a database link using the entry defined in step 6.

SQL> CREATE DATABASE LINK myaccess USING "odbc1"; 

Database link created.

The tables in the access database can now be queried from the Oracle environment.

SQL> SELECT * FROM my_access_tab@myaccess;

        ID Field1               Field2

         1 row1col1             row1col2

         2 row2col1             row2col2

         3 row3col1             row3col2

SQL> CREATE TABLE my_oracle_tab AS SELECT * FROM my_access_tab@myaccess;

Table created.

Best regards with Yasser