Access 2013 Dataabase Compatibility

[Anonymous]

I am using AutoCad 2013, installed in a Windows 8.1 64 bit machine along with a 32 bit version of Windows Office that includes 32 bit Access.

From what I read, the following databases are supposed to be complatible with AutoCad 2013:

Microsoft Access
dBase
Microsoft Excel
Oracle
Paradox
Microsoft Visual FoxPro
SQL Server
SQL Server Express

Microsoft Access is, for me precluded since it is incompatible with my 64 bit Autocad. Furthermore, the standard Admin Command line install of the 64 bit Access Runtime using the /passive flag fails for me. It works for others apparently but not for me. That's a dead end.

dBase, Paradox, FoxPro also old and forgotten by most of us. More dead ends.

Oracle? Don't even think about it.

I assume that Excel is out for the same reasons that Access cannot be made to work.

That leaves me with SQL and SQL Server Express as my only choice if I want to utilize a database to store external data.

QUESTIONS:

1. Can I get connectivity between SQL Server and AutoCad 2013?

2. Can I get connectivity between SQL Server Express and AutoCad 2013?

3. If yes, what are the tradeoffs? Would the free Express version be good enough?

ip2

[pendean]

No to plain AutoCAD. Civil or MAP or PLANT variants only so far...

https://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/sqlserver/en-US/aaa761e7-f5c8-499a-8dad-322d0b1cbc8c/connec...

http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/autocad-map-3d-general/sql-server-connection-in-2013/td-p/3536932

http://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/autocad-map-3d/learn-explore/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2015/ENU...

http://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/autocad-map-3d/troubleshooting/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/...

[dgorsman]

What version of MS Office are you using (not "bit-ness")?  2010 has some serious issues that preclude the x64 ACE install from working.  Reportedly in later releases it does work.

If this is for a single-user "generic data store" development then there are a couple of open source database systems like SQLite which might work for you.  Otherwise I'd suggest boning up on SQL Server.  If this is a specific/third-party database-driven software issue you may be SOL.

[hgasty1001]

Hi,

"No to plain AutoCAD. Civil or MAP or PLANT variants only so far..."  That's no true, plain AutoCAD can connect to an external database since R12  (maybe R11). If you need to connect objects in AutoCAD 2013, just type "DBCONNECT" in the command line, a dialog will show up, and it's pretty straightforward to connect to a SQL Server or almost any database engine.

As for the difference between Full SQL Server and Express, it will depend on the size of the data, number of concurrent users, and the complexity of the task you are trying to achieve, but in my opinion, SQL Express will suffice in most of scenarios. Any way, you can see this: SQL Versions

Finally:

1.-Yes

2.-Yes

3:-It Depends

Gaston Nunez 

[Anonymous]

Actually you can get connectivity between AutoCad and SQL Server. But, as you state, it is not built in. You cannot, as far as I know, open up a "new link" from any AutoCad menu like I think you can from the applications that you listed. 

But you can connect to SQL server using VBA. I've finally managed to get the connect string that works and I can, from within Autocad connect to an SQL Server Express database and table, select a record from that table and bring data from that record into AutoCad 2013. 

It's a lot of work to set up but, in my case, I have a lot of boilerplate text that I need to store permanently and, since Access is precluded becauses of the 32-bit 64-bit issue, it looks like SQL Server Express (it's free) will do the job.

One other point. Finding the answer to my question was not trivial. Nowhere in any documentation that I could find easily told me that yes with VBA it is possible, but no without VBA and just straight vanilla Autocad it is not. It is just not discussed much.

Question for you if you have time:

Does the AutoCad community actually use external databases in general and do they commonly use VBA to automate tasks?

I ask this because I have a lot of experience with VBA and programming Microsoft Access using VBA but very little experience with Autocad. So I have a lot to learn about best practices. But my customer is an AutoCad user and automating repetitive tasks is what he is after. It should be an interesting next few months.

ip2

[dgorsman]

I'd recommend doing managed dotNET using C# or VB over VBA.  It gives you access to some highly useful methods to connect to data sources such as a SQL Server database.  Note I deliberately say "data source", as the methods used can be easily used to black-box the interface so you can connect to XML, Access, SQL Server, or other data sources without rewriting everything.  With minor effort you can also set up LISP functions to call the same procedures (within reason - there are a few limitations inherent to LISP).

The documentation doesn't expand a lot on details of building custom connections to databases, since that is handled by the customization method chosen and has little to do with AutoCAD or associated vertical products.  For example the System.Data.SQL namespace is under the jurisdiction of Microsoft, and provides dedicated means to work with SQL Server.  How you use that will be the same regardless if you are using vanilla AutoCAD, Civil3D, or a stand-alone application.