Connecting to MS Access

Figure 10-3. Microsoft Access connection dialog box.

Microsoft Access has a few different ways to connect to it. On the most simplistic level, you only need to enter a file path and filename for the Database Name property. It is easiest to click on the File Open button to the right and navigate to where the file is located on your computer or network.

In some cases, the Access database is secured and you have to enter a password to access it. You have to click on the Secure Logon checkbox so that you can enter the authentication credentials. If you have a file-level security password for the database, you can enter it in the Database Password property. If you have a specific User ID and Password for yourself, enter it for the properties Session User ID and Session Password. The last property, System Database Path, is where you would enter the location of the .mdw file (where the user credentials are stored).

When you click the Finish button, Crystal Reports examines the database and lists all the available tables in the database. Choose the appropriate tables and move them to the Selected Tables list.