How can I transfer my databases from a Windows laptop to a Mac?

[vintageireland]

I have installed Libre on an old windows laptop and on my Mac. I want to transfer database files from the windows version to my Mac copy of Libre. Firstly, I imported Access database file into the version of Libreoffice Base and the new Base file how has the extension .mdb. I emailed myself the file called medals.mdb, hoping to be able to open it in Libreoffice/Base on my Mac. I dowlonaded the file medals.mdb from the incoming email to my desktop, opened Libreoffice and tried to open the file, but get the error message: The connection to the data source “medals” could not be established. connection for the following URL was requested “/Users/joanmurray/Desktop/Access Files/Pete/Stock lists/Medals.mdb”. Now, this is the location of the original Access file on my old computer. How do I break the connection with Access and newly created Base file so that I can mail it and share it on another (Mac) machine?

I am using OSX 10.9 on my mac and the 2002 version of Access on the windows computer.

Now, I am not a very technical person, wondering if I am missing something very simple to get over this. Is there a step I need to take on the windows version of Libre before I can share the file and open it on another machine. I actually want to move all my old access databases to Base and get rid of access altogether. Would very much appreciate suggestions. Thanks.

[vintageireland]

After posting my original question I found the answer to part of my query. I created a Base file from scratch on the Windows computer, with two tables, and emailed this to myself, and have managed to open the tables no problem in Base on my Mac, so I now see that the two versions of LibreOffice are compatible. I also realise that the Access files I am viewing using Base have not been imported into Base - I am just accessing them using Base, but they are still Access files.

So the question is now, how do I transfer the data from my Microsoft Access files into a new Base file? It is maddening that I can see all my tables with the data neatly lined up in Base, but can’t save either the database or even the individual tables as Base files. It also doesn’t seem possible to copy and paste individual records from one to the other. Is there an easy (not too tech) way of doing this? I don’t mind losing the formatting and macros etc as long as the data is transferred.

[iplaw67]

Dragging and dropping your tables from the MDB/ODB file to a newly created ODB file ? Then save this and use this new file to be opened on your Mac. The tables in your MDB file are read only, but that shouldn’t stop you from copying them to a new “blank” ODB file that uses the default hsqldb engine.