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In our company we are unfortunately bound to develop and maintain certain programs on the basis of ms access. The challenge we face is to put the programs in a proper version management system.

An Access database is unfortunately only a file in which sub-documents are located.

These could be exported manually, but the internal dependencies, for example a defined view on several external and internal tables, are difficult to maintain.

During our research we found the following answer as a general solution to our problem

How do you use version control with Access development?

Here a script is described that disassembles the access file and makes it versionable.

Copy of the script:

decompose.vbs:

If (WScript.Arguments.Count = 1) then
    sExportpath = ""
else
    sExportpath = WScript.Arguments(1)
End If


exportModulesTxt sADPFilename, sExportpath

If (Err <> 0) and (Err.Description <> NULL) Then
    MsgBox Err.Description, vbExclamation, "Error"
    Err.Clear
End If

Function exportModulesTxt(sADPFilename, sExportpath)
    Dim myComponent
    Dim sModuleType
    Dim sTempname
    Dim sOutstring

    dim myType, myName, myPath, sStubADPFilename
    myType = fso.GetExtensionName(sADPFilename)
    myName = fso.GetBaseName(sADPFilename)
    myPath = fso.GetParentFolderName(sADPFilename)

    If (sExportpath = "") then
        sExportpath = myPath & "\Source\"
    End If
    sStubADPFilename = sExportpath & myName & "_stub." & myType

    WScript.Echo "copy stub to " & sStubADPFilename & "..."
    On Error Resume Next
        fso.CreateFolder(sExportpath)
    On Error Goto 0
    fso.CopyFile sADPFilename, sStubADPFilename

    WScript.Echo "starting Access..."
    Dim oApplication
    Set oApplication = CreateObject("Access.Application")
    WScript.Echo "opening " & sStubADPFilename & " ..."
    If (Right(sStubADPFilename,4) = ".adp") Then
        oApplication.OpenAccessProject sStubADPFilename
    Else
        oApplication.OpenCurrentDatabase sStubADPFilename
    End If

    oApplication.Visible = false

    dim dctDelete
    Set dctDelete = CreateObject("Scripting.Dictionary")
    WScript.Echo "exporting..."
    Dim myObj
    For Each myObj In oApplication.CurrentProject.AllForms
        WScript.Echo "  " & myObj.fullname
        oApplication.SaveAsText acForm, myObj.fullname, sExportpath & "\" & myObj.fullname & ".form"
        oApplication.DoCmd.Close acForm, myObj.fullname
        dctDelete.Add "FO" & myObj.fullname, acForm
    Next
    For Each myObj In oApplication.CurrentProject.AllModules
        WScript.Echo "  " & myObj.fullname
        oApplication.SaveAsText acModule, myObj.fullname, sExportpath & "\" & myObj.fullname & ".bas"
        dctDelete.Add "MO" & myObj.fullname, acModule
    Next
    For Each myObj In oApplication.CurrentProject.AllMacros
        WScript.Echo "  " & myObj.fullname
        oApplication.SaveAsText acMacro, myObj.fullname, sExportpath & "\" & myObj.fullname & ".mac"
        dctDelete.Add "MA" & myObj.fullname, acMacro
    Next
    For Each myObj In oApplication.CurrentProject.AllReports
        WScript.Echo "  " & myObj.fullname
        oApplication.SaveAsText acReport, myObj.fullname, sExportpath & "\" & myObj.fullname & ".report"
        dctDelete.Add "RE" & myObj.fullname, acReport
    Next

    WScript.Echo "deleting..."
    dim sObjectname
    For Each sObjectname In dctDelete
        WScript.Echo "  " & Mid(sObjectname, 3)
        oApplication.DoCmd.DeleteObject dctDelete(sObjectname), Mid(sObjectname, 3)
    Next

    oApplication.CloseCurrentDatabase
    oApplication.CompactRepair sStubADPFilename, sStubADPFilename & "_"
    oApplication.Quit

    fso.CopyFile sStubADPFilename & "_", sStubADPFilename
    fso.DeleteFile sStubADPFilename & "_"


End Function

Public Function getErr()
    Dim strError
    strError = vbCrLf & "----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------" & vbCrLf & _
               "From " & Err.source & ":" & vbCrLf & _
               "    Description: " & Err.Description & vbCrLf & _
               "    Code: " & Err.Number & vbCrLf
    getErr = strError
End Function

compose.vbs

' Usage:
'  WScript compose.vbs <file> <path>

' Converts all modules, classes, forms and macros in a directory created by "decompose.vbs"
' and composes then into an Access Project file (.adp). This overwrites any existing Modules with the
' same names without warning!!!
' Requires Microsoft Access.

Option Explicit

const acForm = 2
const acModule = 5
const acMacro = 4
const acReport = 3

Const acCmdCompileAndSaveAllModules = &H7E

' BEGIN CODE
Dim fso
Set fso = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")

dim sADPFilename
If (WScript.Arguments.Count = 0) then
    MsgBox "Please enter the file name!", vbExclamation, "Error"
    Wscript.Quit()
End if
sADPFilename = fso.GetAbsolutePathName(WScript.Arguments(0))

Dim sPath
If (WScript.Arguments.Count = 1) then
    sPath = ""
else
    sPath = WScript.Arguments(1)
End If


importModulesTxt sADPFilename, sPath

If (Err <> 0) and (Err.Description <> NULL) Then
    MsgBox Err.Description, vbExclamation, "Error"
    Err.Clear
End If

Function importModulesTxt(sADPFilename, sImportpath)
    Dim myComponent
    Dim sModuleType
    Dim sTempname
    Dim sOutstring

    ' Build file and pathnames
    dim myType, myName, myPath, sStubADPFilename
    myType = fso.GetExtensionName(sADPFilename)
    myName = fso.GetBaseName(sADPFilename)
    myPath = fso.GetParentFolderName(sADPFilename)

    ' if no path was given as argument, use a relative directory
    If (sImportpath = "") then
        sImportpath = myPath & "\Source\"
    End If
    sStubADPFilename = sImportpath & myName & "_stub." & myType

    ' check for existing file and ask to overwrite with the stub
    if (fso.FileExists(sADPFilename)) Then
        WScript.StdOut.Write sADPFilename & " exists. Overwrite? (y/n) "
        dim sInput
        sInput = WScript.StdIn.Read(1)
        if (sInput <> "y") Then
            WScript.Quit
        end if

        fso.CopyFile sADPFilename, sADPFilename & ".bak"
    end if

    fso.CopyFile sStubADPFilename, sADPFilename

    ' launch MSAccess
    WScript.Echo "starting Access..."
    Dim oApplication
    Set oApplication = CreateObject("Access.Application")
    WScript.Echo "opening " & sADPFilename & " ..."
    If (Right(sStubADPFilename,4) = ".adp") Then
        oApplication.OpenAccessProject sADPFilename
    Else
        oApplication.OpenCurrentDatabase sADPFilename
    End If
    oApplication.Visible = false

    Dim folder
    Set folder = fso.GetFolder(sImportpath)

    ' load each file from the import path into the stub
    Dim myFile, objectname, objecttype
    for each myFile in folder.Files
        objecttype = fso.GetExtensionName(myFile.Name)
        objectname = fso.GetBaseName(myFile.Name)
        WScript.Echo "  " & objectname & " (" & objecttype & ")"

        if (objecttype = "form") then
            oApplication.LoadFromText acForm, objectname, myFile.Path
        elseif (objecttype = "bas") then
            oApplication.LoadFromText acModule, objectname, myFile.Path
        elseif (objecttype = "mac") then
            oApplication.LoadFromText acMacro, objectname, myFile.Path
        elseif (objecttype = "report") then
            oApplication.LoadFromText acReport, objectname, myFile.Path
        end if

    next

    oApplication.RunCommand acCmdCompileAndSaveAllModules
    oApplication.Quit
End Function

Public Function getErr()
    Dim strError
    strError = vbCrLf & "----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------" & vbCrLf & _
               "From " & Err.source & ":" & vbCrLf & _
               "    Description: " & Err.Description & vbCrLf & _
               "    Code: " & Err.Number & vbCrLf
    getErr = strError
End Function

( Script from: https://stackoverflow.com/users/54420/josh-stodola taken from: How do you use version control with Access development? On: 25.01.2020 (DDMMYYYY) )

However, here we encounter the problem that when disassembling the reports the script crashes.

(exception 80010105)

Are there better solutions for our problem or is there an idea why the error occurs ?

MThiele
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  • https://stackoverflow.com/questions/2288043/how-do-i-debug-a-stand-alone-vbscript-script -- You'll have to at least show the exact command that throws the error to get any help. – Andre Dec 11 '18 at 10:44
  • In the mentioned question there are multiple scripts. Please post the script you use. Did you try to debug the script? Regarding the information I have right now, it should also be possible to let it run in Microsoft Access and debug there. What is the name of the problematic report? It's possible that it contains characters not allowed in filenames. – AHeyne Dec 11 '18 at 17:33
  • As an alternative approach you could try OasisSVN: https://dev2dev.de – AHeyne Dec 11 '18 at 17:34

1 Answers1

1

As a general rule, you can export the reports. However, what will break down is if the report has a printer set, and you don’t have that printer driver installed on your computer. In that case, you get an error message about the missing printer, and be given a prompt to change the printer to your default.

Because of the above, then I recommend that all reports are defaulted to “default” printer. This simply means that any and all reports MUST NOT have a printer specified. You then would have to add some code to the project to “set” the printer. So perhaps a simple table with report and a column for the printer name to use could/would work.

So reports should import fine if they been exported to git-hub or any other source code control system. However, this process breaks down if the report has a specific printer set and your computer attempting to “build” the access application from that source code deposit.

So to get this working you need to remove any printer setting from a report (it has to be “none” so then on import (or going into design mode), such a report can be imported and used on your given development computer. So you need to ensure that “prompt” about a missing printer never occurs during this process.

Albert D. Kallal
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  • Thats it! Thanks! – MThiele Dec 12 '18 at 17:12
  • @albert-d-kallal: Will that already break on exports, or only when importing? MThiele, when did you have the problem? On export or import? – AHeyne Dec 13 '18 at 06:20
  • It should work for exports. If it is error out, then I would open the report in design mode and then re-save it (removeing the printer setting). It possible that the database in question is damaged. So the saveAsText should allow the report to be exported - even for those without the printer driver installed. However, I would as noted remove any report with a setting - and try that. So answer is yes, a export should be possible. – Albert D. Kallal Dec 13 '18 at 19:15
  • Thanks for feedback! – AHeyne Dec 13 '18 at 21:40