If I create a Base database using the internal database engine (HSQLDB database which uses an ODB file) can I open that with MS Access? Thanks.
SC
NO, not directly.
Each use a mutually incompatible internal file structures.
However both are accessible with SQL(though not the same SQL - there are many ‘dialects’) and macros (in BASE and VB - which are ‘alike’).
So in principle you could write some VB that would open an LO database and then pass keystrokes to call macros which could activate SQL. Not something advisable or you’d really want to do unless desperate.
A workable alternative would be to output a bridging CSV file from LO which could be easily read or imported into Access.
CSV output…Got it…thanks. I’m creating a database that I want to share with family members and some have other database programs and I was trying to see if there was a way for all to import/read my file.
I guess technically there is an unsupported avenue to use a text file as the record source for a LO Base database, using the SELECT * INTO TEXT "text_output_table" FROM "Tbl1" form, but that would require even greater desperation than discussed in the answer because from experimentation basically all query functions are unavailable in such a table. (the command would be run from Tools → SQL and table would be exported and show up on table list)
As @jayArr said MS Access can not open the odb files created by LO Base. Also unlike Writer and Calc, where you can save a file in MS office format, Base does not have this facility. By saving the Tables in csv format they can be imported into an Access database, and probably other database programs. This will allow you to share this data with others using different database programs.
However if you create Forms, Queries, or Reports in your Base database these can not be imported into other database programs - you are limited to Tables. You would also have the problem of synchronising the data if others are allowed to edit the data, especially if they are using other database programs.
The best solution would be for everyone to use the same database program and as LO Base is free this would be a good candidate. There would still be a problem in synchronising data if anyone is allowed to alter the data.
There is a facility in Base to have a split database where the tables are in a separate file of their own and a Base database links to these Tables. This allows multi user operation. Perhaps the data database could then be stored in the Cloud. I have done this with Access where the database holding the Tables was on a shared server.
Microsoft also provides free the Access Runtime program which allows MS Access databases to be used without having to buy and install the full Access program. All the design features are removed but otherwise anything in the database can be used.