Use Microsoft Access as Backend Database for Biblioscape 3

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Use Microsoft Access as Backend Database for Biblioscape 3 - July 02, 1999

Biblioscape is database independent, so you can take advantage of the features of your favorite database system and enjoy the reference management features provided by Biblioscape at the same time. By default it uses Paradox database, but you can set up Biblioscape to use any other desktop databases through ODBC driver. Almost all major desktop database systems have ODBC drivers, these include Access, Paradox, Approach, FileMaker Pro, etc. The following example shows you how to set up Biblioscape in order to use Microsoft Access as backend database.

1. Download and install Microsoft Data Access Components 2.1. Click here to download.

2. Click here to download a blank Access database to use with Biblioscape.

3. Set up DSN that points to the Access database you got in last step. Go to "Control Panel", double click "ODBC Data Sources" icon. Go to "System DSN" tab, click "Add..." button. Select "Microsoft Access Driver (*.mdb)", then click "Finish" button. On the configuration window, give the DSN a name "biblioscape_access_97", then click "Select..." button. Select the Access database you download in step 2. Finally click "OK" button.

4. Set up an Alias in Borland Database Engine (BDE). Start Biblioscape and go to menu "Database | Configure Server Database...". Click "Manage BDE Alias" tab. Click "New" button to create a new alias. Select "Microsoft Access Driver (*.mdb)" as Driver. Type "bib_access_97" as Alias name. In the Parameters box, type the DSN "biblioscape_access_97" defined in last step after "ODBC DSN=". Click "OK" button to save the BDE alias.

5. In the last step, we will create a configuration file for Biblioscape to open. Go to menu "File | Database | Configure Server Database...". Click "Configure Server Database" tab. Click "New" button to create a Biblioscape configureation file. Select the BDE alias created in last step as "Database Alias". Check the box "Login database without prompt". Click "OK" button.

Now, you can open the Access database from Biblioscape by go to "File | Database | Open", then select the configuration file created in this step.