Linking Microsoft Access (Excel?) to SDE Geodatabase and attachments

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03-19-2014 02:23 PM
BrianMcNamara
New Contributor II
Hi, I am connecting a Microsoft Access Database to a SDE Geodatabase in access.  I am planning on using a ODBC connection to connect with the GIS SDE Database and then run some queryies and reports from those tables.  Has anyone had success also pulling the attachments (pictures) from the GIS Database into access?  I am trying to pull pictures attached to the features in a feature class within the database into a Microsoft Access Report.

Any help would be great!

Thanks!
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4 Replies
BrianMcNamara
New Contributor II
I'm trying to connect to a SQL Server Ent GDB through a ODBC using a DSN
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BrianMcNamara
New Contributor II
Ok, I figured it out, I was using the wrong database connection and info...

In case anyone is wondering, I used the ODBC Database External Data wizard in MS Access to create a .dsn file my SQL Server connection (make sure you have the right access and permissions for that server), than created a link to connect to the tables I needed.

🙂
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BrianMcNamara
New Contributor II
One more question (Thought I'd start here, may move it to another forum later...)

Can you view attachments from the sde gdb in access?  I have the attacahment table and feature class table linked and can see the OLE oblject field for each feature...However I get this error...

"A problem occurred while MS Access was communicating with OLE server or ActiveX Control. / Close the OLE server and restart it outside of MS Access.  Then Try the original operation again in MS Access."

Has anyone had success view the sde attachments through Access? I want to us them in a MS Access Report without having the have them twice in my database or somewhere else.

Thanks!
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ThomasColson
MVP Frequent Contributor
Assuming your attachments are BLOB's, then no, you cannot view them through a linked table in Access.
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