Before its 2007 release, MS Access database file format was MDB. After that, Access 2007 and 2013 started using ACCDB file format. The later releases keep support to MDB database because of backward compatibility goals yet, it is recommended to use the ACCDB file format if working with MS Access, as users keep asking this query “which Access file format should I use?” In case if you are using Access 2007 or its prior versions, then your database files are using the .mdb file extension.
In this editorial, we are going to discuss the benefits of new Access file format and the importance of earlier format. Apart from this, we will also disclose the techniques to convert the old Access database to new file format.
The ACCDB file format is default file-saving format of MS Access 2007 and 2010 database applications. All files that contain .accdb extension are the standard database files of Microsoft Access database management system. The ACCDB file format replaced the older MDB database files used in prior versions of Microsoft Access (before version 2007). This new file format generated by newer Access software, enables users to create multi-valued look-up fields, SharePoint and Outlook integration, file attachments and other file format improvements.
While working with an ACCDB file, a similar Microsoft Access Record-Locking Information file (including .laccdb extension) automatically gets created in the same folder. It prevents users from the accidental editing of original file. It is a temporary file that proves handy when various users are using the same ACCDB file simultaneously.
The given server resources can publish the .accdb document to the web (subject to the certain compatibility limitations). One can do the same via two different methods: Access apps and web databases.
Access apps are the latest form of database: An application entirely run in the cloud and Access works as a design tool for apps. Applications take benefit of the latest SharePoint and SQL Server technology. Web databases were released in MS Access 2010 and they provide several benefits as apps yet, does not support SQL Server.
After publishing an app or web database, the database itself stays on the server. If the data is on SharePoint or in SQL Server, users can open it as the .accdb file to make the changes in design. The web and app databases run in the browser and MS Access is not needed to use either.
Use Multivalued FieldsA multivalued field is a type of lookup file, which allow users to store more than one value in each record. Multivalued fields allow to choose one or more alternatives for a field value via marking the checkboxes. For instance, one can create a single Shirt Sizes fields with various values i.e., S, M, L, XL, and XXL. After that, users can select all the values that apply to the multivalued field. Also, one can generate a multivalued field to save the data of employees and tasks. Then, the employees’ name can be selected via the list of values or from a table.
Multivalued fields play an important role in the integration with SharePoint as the SharePoint lists also support the multivalued fields.
Include Attachments to Database:The Attachment data type allows users to easily save all types of documents and binary large objects (or BLOBs) in database fields. If the size of database file is under 2 GB file size limit then, the attachments automatically get compressed. A single record can have several attachments however, there can be a single attachment field in each table. The ACCDB file lets to save the attachments.
Improved plus Safe Integration with Outlook and SharePoint:The ACCDB file format support safe integration with SharePoint and Outlook and both of them block MDB database as per security concerns. The improved database security model allows the security validation of database files.
Improved Encryption:Users are allowed to set a database password and secure the contents of their database. Then, the ACCDB file by default Access utilizes the Windows Crypto API to encode the data.
Before releasing ACCDB file format, Microsoft Access Database uses .mdb file extension. The MDB files classified as database files as they mostly include the structure of databases, entries of forms, queries, reports settings of the database and stored procedures.
If the .mdb file is stored in MS Access 2002-2003 or in Access 2000 then, one can normally open and use it. Yet, cannot take the advantage of .accdb file format. Users can import the MDB files into other applications like Microsoft Excel Spreadsheets and they can be easily accessed via MySQL and Oracle since MDB files follow the Open Database Connectivity standard.
Note:MDB is an abbreviation of the multidrop bus, Memory-Mapped Database, and the Modular Debugger.
The ACCDB file format cannot be accessed or even linked via the prior versions of Access 2007. If you are using an earlier version of MS Access then, it is better to use .mdb file format. However, make sure you are using Access app or the web database in the web browser, no matter whether the MS Access is even installed on your system.
Database CopyingUsers are not allowed to use the replication in the .accdb file. In case, if your Access solution utilizes the replication feature then, you are required to re-create it without the replication if you need to access the ACCDB file format.
User-Level SecurityThe ACCDB file does not support user-level security and this kind of security is no longer effective to secure the database. It is so because this security is now obsolete and can easily be compromised. Yet the user-level security can improve the usability via keeping the things simple for users.
If you want to convert an .mdb file to .accdb format then, follow the below-mentioned guidelines:
After this, a copy of your database is created in the .accdb file format.
Sometimes due to various reasons, both Access data files MDB and ACCDB become corrupted, due to which, users can not access their database. In that case, we highly recommend to use a trusted solution to recover and restore severely corrupted MS Access database files. Access ACCDB Repair Tool is one such eminent software that can easily fix the corrupt MDB and ACCDB database files and also can recover the permanently deleted data from them. After data recovery, users can easily export and save the healthy database with just Schema or Schema and Data both.
Which Access data file format should I use, is one of the most common queries asked by several users. In order to answer this question, we have come up with this article comparing the performance of MDB Vs ACCDB data files of MS Access. Here we have discussed briefly the prior and latest Access file formats along with their features. In addition to this, we have also discussed the technique to convert MDB file into ACCDB format.