Migrating, Converting and

Upsizing to SQL Server from

Microsoft Access
 Agenda

SSMA and Upsizing Wizard Functionality

Comparison
ADP vs Linked Table Solution
Step by Step – Issues and Solutions
Methodology and Recommendations
Q&A
 SSMA for Access

Converts “Simple” SELECT queries only

Does not support ADP solutions…when ?
Comprehensive Data/Schema Analysis
Reports on issues to address before
upsizing
Multi Database upsizing
Reports on issues to address post upsizing
Several bugs in Wizard fixed – which ones ?
Restricted to SQL Server 2005 and .NET 2.0
Access 2003 Upsizing Wizard

Supports both ADP and Linked Table

Solution
No pre analysis reporting
Comprehensive Documentation from
Microsoft and Third Parties
ADP Solution creates framework only – no
syntax or code fixes in Forms, Reports and
Modules
Access Data Project Solution

True Client Server

End User Transparency
Same Complexity, Different Rules
Most significant performance boost
Gateway to Web Enabled Solutions
Leverages SQL Server the most
 Linked Table Solution

Not a Client Server Environment

Slower Performance (sometimes
drastically)
Much Less Versatility
Design changes may be required to
increase performance
Interface changes require end user
retraining
Not for complex Access Databases
Less work, but more compromise
 Decisions, Decisions…
SQL 2000? SQL 2005?

Wizard
ADP? Linked Tables?

Linked SSMA
ADP? Wizard
Tables?

Queries Queries

Code Modules, Code Modules,

Forms, Reports Forms, Reports
 Complexity vs Time

Data and Schema is typically 10% of ADP

project
Queries, Forms, Reports and Modules =
90%
100 Objects or Less – Not complex
200 Objects – Complex
500 Objects – Very Complex
1000 Objects – Extremely Complex
Reduce by 50%+ with knowledge and
strategy
 Step by Step – Issues and
Solutions
Access Data Project Conversion Issues
Encompasses Linked Table Solution
Undocumented Issues straight from the
field
Expansion on Current Documentation
Design Changes to make it all work
Code Samples
Wiser and Smarter to the Challenge
Let’s get into it
Issue - SQL Server does not
know who you are
But Access did !!
@@SPID to the rescue
ADO and Form SPIDS are different

Create Table with SPID and Access UserID

columns
Initialise at Logon
Delete previous Login Rows for SPID
SELECT COL1 FROM TABLE WHERE SPID =
@@SPID
 Issue - Reserved Words

Table Names, Column Names, Alias

references
Wizard tolerates some, not others when
creating tables and converting queries
SQL Server tolerates some, not others
Fixed in SSMA for CREATE TABLE (Reserved
Word) Tablename!!!

Encapsulate references in SQL Statements with

[ ] where possible
Otherwise Rename and Identify cascading
Issue - Table Relationship Rules

Fields must be same length

Wizard demands same field name
Part of SSMA Reporting !

Remove Relationship
Remove Index
Change Field Size to Highest Length
Reinstate Index
Reinstate Relationship
 Issue - Date Fields can be
Corrupt or Invalid in Access
Wizard will not upsize tables with column
dates less than 01/01/1900 or greater
than 31/12/2078
Fixed in SSMA !! For dates out of range

Compounded if no Format Property

Remove Rows with Dates out of Range
Or change to 31/12/2078, upsize and review
later
Issue - Tables without Unique
Index will not Upsize
Simple Solution
Part of SSMA Reporting !!

Create AutoNumber Primary Key

Or add Primary or Unique Index to existing field
if design is not compromised by doing so
 Issue - Memo Fields get
Converted to Ntext
Restrictions apply in SQL Statements
Cannot Sort, Compare, or use as part of
DISTINCT

Use CONVERT
Eg SELECT DISTINCT
Convert(varchar,[fieldname]) as [fieldname]
FROM…
Issue - AutoNumbers generate
at different update status
Post Update with SQL Server
Pre Update with Microsoft Access

Use SELECT @@IDENTITY as …

Issue - Random AutoNumbers
on Primary Key
Wizard Generates Trigger and zero Default
Value Constraint
Primary Key Violation
Not a common issue

Delete the trigger

Remove 0 Default Value
Create Identity of Increment 1 and Seed 1
Issue -Parameter Queries will
Not Upsize
Requires Conversion to Parametised Stored
Proc or Function

Careful – Views will not recognize stored procs

 Issue - Numeric Alias

Requires Encapsulation with [ ]

Eg SELECT REF AS [10] FROM…

Issue - Concatenation Character

Will only upsize from & to + in simple SQL

Statements
Concatenation of Numeric Fields effect
spacing

Use LTRIM(CONVERT(varchar(255),fieldname))
Issue - Double Quote Literal
String
Will only upsize from double quote to
single in simple SQL Statements
Difficult to identify in VBA Code

Replace line of code with double quotes to

single and force compile error
Manually fix until compilation is achieved
 Issue - ORDER BY

Requires Reference in Select Clause

SELECT COL1 FROM TABLE ORDER BY COL2

Converts to
SELECT COL1,COL2 FROM TABLE ORDER BY
COL2
Or refer to subquery containing ORDER BY to
hide COL2
 Issue - UPDATE Queries

Will not upsize

JOINS must occur after FROM Clause

UPDATE TABLE INNER JOIN…SET…

Converts to
UPDATE TABLE FROM TABLE INNER JOIN…SET..
Issue – Views with ORDER BY

Will not upsize

Requires (Superfluous) TOP 100 PERCENT
STILL an ISSUE with SQL Server 2005

SELECT TOP 100 PERCENT * FROM… ORDER BY

Issue – UPDATE View instead of
Table
Will not function for Views with TOP OR
ORDER BY

Create a base view without TOP and ORDER BY

UPDATE the base view
Create new view with TOP and ORDER BY
referring to base view
 Issue – Partial Inserts with
Unique Constraints
Not Supported in SQL Server
Transaction will not occur, ie all or nothing

INSERT INTO TABLE1 (COL1) FROM SELECT

COL2 FROM TABLE2
Append the following condition
WHERE NOT EXISTS(SELECT COL1 FROM
TABLE1 WHERE COL1 = COL2)
 Issue - WILDCARDS

Will only upsize for Simple SQL Statements

Requires Ansi89 conversion to Ansi92

Eg LIKE ‘*SMITH’ converts to LIKE ‘%SMITH’
Eg LIKE ‘SMITH’ converts to LIKE ‘%SMITH%’
Issue – Criteria referring to Date
Literals
Will not upsize
# Symbol requires conversion to single
quote
Month and Day Sequence can conflict with
Locale Settings of SQL Server
CLNG(datefield) in VBA requires formatting

Use mmm syntax in SQL Statements -

Use Format(xxx,’.. MMM..’) in VBA Code refs
 Issue - Boolean References

Will only upsize for simple SQL Statements

TRUE, FALSE, YES, NO are not recognized
= -1 for True will compile but will
malfunction

True or -1 converts to =1 or <> 0

False converts to =0 or <> 1
ADO converts bit fields back to True/False in
Recordsets
Issue - Access Functions in SQL
Statements and Object
properties
Many are not supported – UDF required
Others Require syntax change
In Particular…
VAL
FORMAT
TRANSFORM
FIRST & LAST
 Issue – VAL Function

Requires a UDF

CREATE FUNCTION VAL(@P1 VARCHAR) AS

BEGIN RETURN
CONVERT(INT,LEFT(@P1,PATINDEX(('%[^0-
9]%',@P1+' ')-1)) END
 Issue – FIRST ,LAST and
DLOOKUP Functions
AutoNumber or DateTimeStamp
dependancy
Solution Can effect performance

SELECT LAST(COL1) FROM TABLENAME

Converts to..
SELECT COL1 FROM TABLENAME WHERE
AUTOID = (SELECT MAX(AUTOID) FROM
TABLENAME)
Similar concept for DLOOKUP using COUNT
instead of MIN/MAX
Issue – Properties that can use
Access Functions
DefaultValue
Rowsource when type is Value List
ControlSource Property
VBA Code

Case by case assessment

 Issue - Alias References

Cannot be referred to elsewhere in SQL

Statement
Requires reference to alias definition, not
alias

SELECT 5 AS A, 10 AS B, CASE WHEN C = 1

THEN A ELSE B END
Converts to
SELECT 5 AS A, 10 AS B, CASE WHEN C = 1
THEN 5 ELSE 10 END
 Issue – Form and Report
Controls
Forms!FormName!ControlName is not
recognized by SQL Server
Requires conversion to parametised stored
proc or function

Pass Forms!Formname!ControlName as
parameter
Issue – RecordSource refers to
Parameter Query
Use InputParameters Property
Must be Stored Proc, not a User Defined
Function

Eg InputParameters =
Forms!FormName!ControlName
Issue – Rowsource refers to
Parameter Query
Must be Stored Proc, not a User Defined
Function
But where do the parameters go ?

Use VBA Enter Event Procedure Override

ControlName.Rowsource = “Exec ProcName “ &
Forms!FormName!ControlName
 Issue – VBA User Defined
Functions
Not recognized by SQL Server
Requires VBA UDF conversion to SQL
Server UDF

Generate SQL Server UDF Template(s) First

Upsize Queries
Develop Functional SQL Server UDF
Issue – Encapsulated references
in WHERE clause that are not
an Alias and not a Column
These are undefined input parameter fields

Convert to Parametised Stored Proc or Function

Don’t forget if RecordSource or Rowsource
Issue - The DAO Programming
Library
Is not Supported for Access Data Projects
DAO must be converted to ADO

Completely Documented by Microsoft and Third

Parties
StraightForward, but not a global search and
replace solution
Remove DAO reference and add ADO reference
Fix until code compiles
Won’t Compile ? Won’t Run ? …
Issue – RecordSet bound Forms

ADP does not support me.fieldname

Compilation Error
Requires reference to recordset

Me.Fieldname
Converts to…
Me.RecordSet(“FieldName”).Value
 Issue – RecordSet Find

FIND Property of RecordSet cannot refer to

AND or OR
Requires MOVEFIRST if converted from
DAO FindFirst

Use the Filter property for multiple criteria Finds

Write a VBA Function to encompass both
scenarios
Sample Code ..
 Issue - DOCMD

Acquery constant no longer applies

Requires Conversion to SQL Server
Equivalent
OpenQuery, SelectObject, DeleteObject,
ApplyFilter

eg OpenQuery converts to OpenServerView

Acquery converts to acStoredProcedure,acView
or acFunction
Solution -Use Type and Name columns of
SysObjects
 Methodology and
Recommendations
Don’t jump in cold when your application is
complex

Know the traps and pitfalls

Learn the tips and tricks
Scan Scan Scan – write (DAO) scripts to find the
issues
Identify and Track the cascading effect
Management , Knowledge and strategy will
ensure successful migration
Information collected and
Slides Prepared by

Vinayak Nandikal