Where is the System Catalog? 2

[BNPMike]

I want to set the Description property of each field in a table. It looks as though you cannot do this through VBA by accessing the tabledef object. For some reason tabledef does not have all the properties the table actually has. Mr Codd said you must be able to manipulate the database objects just like its data. So for Access it should be SQL. You can do this in DB2 by referring to systables, sysindexes etc etc. What are the names/fields of the corresponding tables of the Access Catalog?

 

[JoeMiller]

I have a database I've written with a form to manage descriptions of all objects in your db (tables/queries/forms). You simply import the form into your db and then select the type of object then the object that you want to modify, type your description and hit apply. The code also reveals how to change the descriptions through VBA. If you're interested let me know your email address and I'll forward it on to you. Joe Miller
joe.miller@flotech.net

 

[MichaelRed]

Ms. Access is only RELATED to Mr. Cobb, not even a direct decendant. The MSys* tables are the colsest you'll find to DB2's SysTables, but they are NOT the same. Further, even DB2 -in ALL of it's glory- does not strictly follow E. J.'s scrptiures in exact detail. It is possible in many ways to manipulate the description of objects in Ms. Access, and I'm sure Joe's routines are as good as any.

MichaelRed
m.red@att.net

There is never time to do it right but there is always time to do it over

 

[BNPMike]

The Help info is very limited on MSys* tables. As far as tables are concerned, I can only see MSysObjects which just has one row for a table. Not very helpful. Shouldn't it be called MSysHardlyAnyObjectsAtAll?

I can remember relational databases when they were just a gleam in Ted and Chris's eyes. Remembering things then, I am still staggerred at what a rich implementation of the relational model Access is. It is thus a shame it chooses to hide system information in a melee of ever changing arcane programmerese.

I am using Access 97 SR2 by the way and am Mike.Stephens@BNPParibas.com

 

[MichaelRed]

Something is badly awry if you have only a single entry in MSysObjects. Even to have an empty db, you should have a dozen or so. Just to include the remaining MSys* tables, it would include 4 or 5, then the other class objects (Modues, Tabled, forms, ...) are another set of 5 or so. I agree that documentation on the MSys* Objects is virtually non-existant and the changing definititon is disconcerting.

On the other hand, Ms. has clearly stated that these are SYSTEM level objects which are subject to change, and that the use of these objects should be undertaken with caution (due to the expected changes). The changes -as I view then- are really aimed at the fundamental objective of bring Ms. Access into closer agreement w/ E. J.'s definitions, although I have to admit I was more comfortable with the '97 versions of these than the 2K replacements (which I must also admit I haven't studied nearly as much).

With respect to documentation, I think that almost all of the useful information regarding the field 'definitions' is readily available from simple inspection of the data in the tables (unless, of course your situation prevails).

MichaelRed
m.red@att.net

There is never time to do it right but there is always time to do it over

 

[BNPMike]

Sorry, what I meant was for any given table there is only one row. You'd expect at a minimum one row per field. Also there are only 17 columns. Some of the columns are OLE objects but I can't read them by double clicking.

Microsoft are good at producing software and they are good at producing documentation but they are not very good at bringing these two capabilities together. I'm afraid I can only see a conspiracy theory as the solution to this state of affairs. mike.stephens@bnpparibas.com