User-defined export, import, and bulk editing > Bulk editing using an ODBC Interface

Create the Access database for the custom module example

This topic outlines the procedure to create an Access database for the custom module example. The actual sequence of commands you use to create the database depend on the version of Access you are using. Adjust the following steps as required for the version you are using.

  1. From MS Access, create a database.
  2. Create a table in the database.
  3. Change to Design View.
    The view of the table changes so that the first column is a list of table fields.
  4. Delete the Primary key row.
  5. Create a row for each field in the format specification you will be using.
    The number of fields required in the table equals the number of is_a_string_parameter  fields (T or F) in the module's format file. For example, there are 43 is_a_string_parameter  fields (any field with a T or F) in the custom module example TEMPS.FMT file.
  6. For each row designate a Field Name (this does not have to match the header names in the format files).
    Note

    Some of the characters in the labels might not be valid in Access (for example, a period, an exclamation point, brackets, leading spaces, or non-printable characters such as a carriage return). You will need to remove them or change them to valid characters.

  7. Assign the column Data Type to be Text.
  8. The default field size is adequate for all fields except for the CALC block's expression (field 23). Change that field's size to 200. Accept the default values for all other field parameters in the table.
  9. Save the table and database.
  10. Verify that none of the rows in table view is designated as the Primary key.
  11. Close the database

Next, you must create an ODBC Data Source Name to connect User-Defined Export and Import with the Access database and table you created.

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