Migrating to Access 2007 But Keeping 2003 File Formats

[jjlogan]

My question is about affect on vba coding: The company has been waiting for our department to let them install Office 2007 (upgrade from Office 2003). We have four important multi-user Access 2003 databases with significant vba automation. I've read MSDN's article on "Transitioning Your Exisint Access Apps to Access 2007" and Mr. Getz says you can continue to open and work with your older version (vs. converting to new format accdb) using the Access 2007 app, but you'd have a new look / appearance. Also says you should NOT convert if have multiple users interfacing a critical 2003 file. I'm fine with that as long as my vba code does not have to be changed, and if needs to be change would it be extensive? It's mainly the vba - there is nothing expressly stated about the vba in any research I've done, so that's why I throw this question out; I can only assume that vba is not effected either. (I do realize Security levels, replication, and certain other features are lost)
Thanks for any feedback / experience. Jeff

 

[StarPassing]

Like you I was reluctant to move to AC2007. I have a lot large Access 2003 applications and using VBA. All worked under AC2007 using AC2003 file format. And with AC2007, instead of sending reports to the screen or to a file you can send to either in PDF format.

Tom

 

[jjlogan]

Thanks Tom for feedback. Are you running your Access Office Access 2007 on Windows XP or on Windows 2007? We are currently on XP Pro - about 12 of us in department.
Jeff

 

[StarPassing]

They were running on XP Pro, but we just get upgraded to VISTA Enterprise.

Tom

 

[jjlogan]

OK, it appears we should not have a problem installing Office 2007 as far as Access goes and able to run under older file formats.
Really appreciate your time.
Jeff

 

[joebb3]

Well... Wait a tick. While MOST things continue to operate as normal, there are changes that can affect your 2003 database. Especially if you Transfer data from the database to spreadsheets.

The upgrade seems to break the TransferSpreadsheet function. It can be fixed (using object calls and cell references and such)... but that is one of the most common disconnects that I have seen when going from 2003 to 2007.

 

[boblarson]

joebb3:

I would like to know what problem you had with that exactly. It shouldn't be a problem to use TransferSpreadsheet in 2007 so I am wondering what wasn't working for you.

As for 2003 to 2007 Access (same mdb format), I would say that for most things it will work without changes. But it really does depend upon the databases so it is good to test them using 2007 BEFORE you do the upgrades to people's computers because you want to find out if you have any major changes BEFORE it becomes an issue. We have done that where I work and found a few things we need to tweak (mostly building custom Ribbons to replace the custom toolbars) but for the most part it works fine.

Bob Larson
Free Access Tutorials and Samples:

http://www.btabdevelopment.com

 

[jjlogan]

Thanks for added information. I did test Access 2007 program running our Access 2003 files. I tested form use, reports, and vba especially vba SQL Record Source queries for report. I discovered one apparent bug in Access 2007 version before SP2 (so I guess we have SP1 or the original version that came out some time ago per Help About info). This bug was that Access 2007 did not allow me to use a delimited semicolon (';') within my SQL string used when concatenating two fields and using semicolon to show in concatenated expression on report - I got syntax error. But the same database file run in Access 2003 gave no error. Allen Browne (MVP) tested this problem string in Acc2007 SP2 and said no problem. Regarding the Transfers to Spreadsheet functionality, I tested export to Excel and found no problem; my method is to save a query and then point to that query and right click to Export; works fine. Jeff