On a Windows domain I have a huge commercial dBase application based on *.DBF files. Now I'd like to have a Base connection to some of these files. Base must not interfere with that other multi-user application.
Problem #1: Base does not see .DBF files. I would have to rename to .dbf which is not an option. Under Linux I can use a .dbf symlink which seems to be no option under Windows.
Problem #2: I want read-only access. I can make an embedded HSQLDB read-only by making the containing .odb file read-only. With a dBase connection this does not affect the access mode to the underlying database. Of course the original files need to be writable by the main application.
Currently I connect to a set of read-only file copies which are not up to date.
Read-only link to .DBF
Read-only link to .DBF
Please, edit this topic's initial post and add "[Solved]" to the subject line if your problem has been solved.
Ubuntu 18.04 with LibreOffice 6.0, latest OpenOffice and LibreOffice
Ubuntu 18.04 with LibreOffice 6.0, latest OpenOffice and LibreOffice
Re: Read-only link to .DBF
Villeroy, just one thought:
When setting up an ODBC (via JET engine), can you manipulate the connect string in registry and does it support an property like ReadOnly=True? this made me think.
'Hard' links are possible with Windows NTFS. You might use the command MKLINK /H. Not sure if you can give a link read-only attribute.
Added:
An other solution might be to go via MS SQL Server to access the data. here is an example. Just create a view to make it work in Base. I guess it will be read-only, but with MS SQL server you have the possibility to control that also at a per user basis. You might be reduce costs by using the Express edition of MS SQL server.
When setting up an ODBC (via JET engine), can you manipulate the connect string in registry and does it support an property like ReadOnly=True? this made me think.
'Hard' links are possible with Windows NTFS. You might use the command MKLINK /H. Not sure if you can give a link read-only attribute.
Added:
An other solution might be to go via MS SQL Server to access the data. here is an example. Just create a view to make it work in Base. I guess it will be read-only, but with MS SQL server you have the possibility to control that also at a per user basis. You might be reduce costs by using the Express edition of MS SQL server.
It's Microsoft marketing that tells you computers are qualified for non-technicians
W11 22H2 (build 22621), LO 7.4.2.3(x64)
W11 22H2 (build 22621), LO 7.4.2.3(x64)
Re: Read-only link to .DBF
Thank you. Indeed, there is a sofware called "MS SQL Server Express" installed on that system (Windows 2008). But so far I have no idea how to do anything with it. Seems to be incredibly complicated, particularly when you do not understand Microsoft's special terminology and acronyms. 15 years ago I could easily set up up ODBC connections from the Windows system panel.
I set up a cron job which performs a nightly copy of dBase files renaming from *.DBF to *.dbf so the girls are able to create reports from yesterdays data which is suffiecient for now.
I set up a cron job which performs a nightly copy of dBase files renaming from *.DBF to *.dbf so the girls are able to create reports from yesterdays data which is suffiecient for now.
Please, edit this topic's initial post and add "[Solved]" to the subject line if your problem has been solved.
Ubuntu 18.04 with LibreOffice 6.0, latest OpenOffice and LibreOffice
Ubuntu 18.04 with LibreOffice 6.0, latest OpenOffice and LibreOffice