The New Import/Export Specification OM

re: The New Import/Export Specification OM

grovelli — Thu, 12 Oct 2006 21:39:14 GMT

I'm an energy manager and Access is invaluable at managing all of all my data. I use VBA extensively but don't know squat about XML.

What's the meaning of the question mark in

? CurrentProject.ImportExportSpecifications.Item(0).XML

and what are those angle brackets for?

and what's xmlns?

Is the Imex spec above automatically created or you have to build it yourself? And, if so, where does an Access aficionado get the knowledge to build the spec above?

I suppose a general XML book doesn't teach you about AccessObject, FieldDelimiter, Columns PrimaryKey and the rest and how to put them together in the ensemble above. :-)

re: The New Import/Export Specification OM

ThirdOfFive — Thu, 12 Oct 2006 21:50:51 GMT

Hi grovelli,

I'm happy you use Access :) You should keep in mind that all the XML goo that I mentioned above is not necessary if you only care about the UI. Even if you do want to automate everything programmatically, it isn't obvious that you do need to change the XML above. You can always use the UI to create the imex spec you want and then roll with it. I just exposed it so in case anybody wants to something more sophisticated/complicated with it (as in generating imex specs on the fly), which is something you couldn't really do with Access 2003.

Let me address your issues:

1) By "? CurrentProject.ImportExportSpecifications.Item(0).XML", I meant try running "? CurrentProject.ImportExportSpecifications.Item(0).XML" on your immediate window in VBE.

2) You might want to read up on XML so you can grok the angle brakets, xmlns (XML namespace), etc. If you need a reference, let me know.

3) The Imex spec above is auto-generated by Access. You can create one using the UI (in which you will never see the XML), and then use the VBE command I mentioned above to get it out and then tweak it (say, by changing the file name, etc).

4) An XML book will not go into the detail of what AccessObject, FieldDelimiter means, as you noticed. But their meaning is quite straightforward to figure out as you play with the UI and export different Imex Specs. If you are really stuck I can try to go into more detail about them.

take care,

3oF

re: The New Import/Export Specification OM

grovelli — Thu, 12 Oct 2006 22:21:09 GMT

Thank you very much Hugh,

and what about the question marks in <?xml version="1.0"?>

I'll try and manage imex specs with the UI for now, I think I'm already saturated with SQL, VBA, ADO and its extensions(on its way out?) DAO(resurrected?), DDL, you name it :-)

re: The New Import/Export Specification OM

ThirdOfFive — Thu, 12 Oct 2006 22:27:21 GMT

No problem.

That is the XML declaration (http://www.w3.org/TR/2006/REC-xml-20060816/). It tells the XML parser which XML version we're using. The question mark shows it is a special kind of markup.

re: The New Import/Export Specification OM

grovelli — Thu, 12 Oct 2006 22:32:45 GMT

Thank you again.

I'd forgotten macros to add to the list :-)

re: The New Import/Export Specification OM

Mark — Fri, 13 Oct 2006 11:01:36 GMT

Hi,

I work for a mailing house and we have 1000+ import specs set up in Access 2003.

Thinking ahead will there be a way to convert these specs to the Access 2007 programmable specs?

I suppose we could get the information from the system tables and then create them afresh.

Will the old specs still work?

Many Thanks

Mark