Access™ 2007 VBA Programmer's Reference

A.5. Converting a Replicated Database

Replication is not supported in the ACCDB file format. Instead, a more powerful and versatile alternative is offered using SharePoint services. Because Access 2007 will work with replicated Access 2000 and 2002–2003.mdb files, there's no need to convert the files to essentially maintain a status quo. In some cases, however, the benefits of converting to the ACCDB file format will outweigh the benefits derived from replication. The following outlines the process for essentially creating a new database. (Before making any changes, save copies of the files and datasets.)

It's best to work with a copy of the Design Master after it has been fully synchronized, but the same process could be used with a replica. The key is that only the data and projects that are in the file that you convert will be in the new .accdb file. That should have set off an alert for how important it is to use the fully synchronized Design Master.

Here are some guidelines to note before you begin:

• Hidden and System objects in the replica must be visible so you can access the fields when you are re-creating the database.

• Creating a copy of the database requires both Access 2007 and the version of Access that created the replica.

• Make interim copies as you proceed and allow plenty of time and patience for testing and adding features.

In general, the process is to use the original version of Access to display the hidden and system objects in the replica file, and then use ...