Access and Paradox

Aeneas

My Corel Paradox 8 database dates from 1997. I have recently upgraded my Microsoft Word, Excel etc and am thinking of migrating to Access 2007 as my database. Does anyone know 1) if I could transfer my data from Paradox 8 to Access 2007 and 2) if doing so is a relatively simple exercise? Any advice welcome.

trout

MS Access 2007 has an import wizard which can to handle Paradox files.
Make sure you have the Paradox database, index and memo files before you try the import.

To kick off the import wizard, go to File, Menu and Get External Data.
Click on Import and select Paradox as the file type.

I would try the import, with a back up copy of your database ... just in case. Let us know how you get on.

Good luck

Aeneas

Thanks Trout. I haven't yet bought Access but your info will help me make a decision.

trout

You might want to look into the free 60 day trial versions, available for download from Microsoft.

linkeh -> http://trial.trymicrosoftoffice.com/trialukireland/product.aspx?re_ms=oo&family=officepro&culture=en-GB

Aeneas

Thanks. That's very helpful. Paradox has a neat little feature that lets you open a word processing page (called a "Blob Formatted Memo' - a bit like notepad) in a field in which you can write pages of text. I have these on most of my databases some of which have as many as three thousand entries. Before I download Acces do you happen to know if it has a similar feature?

trout

Aeneas wrote: »

Thanks. That's very helpful. Paradox has a neat little feature that lets you open a word processing page (called a "Blob Formatted Memo' - a bit like notepad) in a field in which you can write pages of text. I have these on most of my databases some of which have as many as three thousand entries. Before I download Acces do you happen to know if it has a similar feature?

Yes. Access supports memo fields or BLOBS (Binary Large ObjectS). In some versions of Paradox, including 8 (I think) the memo fields are stored and indexed outside of the primary database, so make sure you have all the .MB files available to you for the import.

Download the trial and give it a go .. the import wizards are quite qood, and easy to use.

Aeneas

Thanks for the advice. I bought Microsoft Office Professional 2007 which has Access and have managed, using the import wizard, to import the Paradox.db files into the new programme and work on them. However I am having two difficulties:
1) importing the .MB file. I can cut and past them into a "Memo" field in Access but this would be time consuming for hundreds of files. Do you know of any simple way to do this using the import wizard?
2) in Paradox all I had to do to open a Memo (BLOBS) was to double click on the "BLOBS Formatted Memo" field and the page opened in a new screen. I could then read or edit it. How does this work on Access? When I click on the field nothing happens. Is there someway I can open the Memo page that is not obvious to me?
Grateful for any advice.