This is the DBConvert for MS Access & MySQl Frequently Asked Questions. If you meet any problem using the application, please read this document before contacting us. We are sure that you will easily find an answer to your question, or your problem resolve here. If not, only after that you should contact us per e-mail esupport@dbconvert.com
Why should I use DBConvert for MS Access & MySQl tool, not other tools?
- As well as an ultimate ease of use, this database conversion tool can give you an advantage in speed. Regularly benchmark tests show that DBConvert for MS Access & MySQl product obviously stands out from the crowd of similar data conversion tools with its improved general functionality, high speed of conversion and stability of the software. You are welcome to read our Access2MySQL White Paper to get more information about the advantages of our programs.
I convert my database and select utf8 as a connection charset, but all national symbols are corrupted (displayed as small squares or other wrong symbols). How can I solve the problem?
- Probably you use MySQL server earlier than version 4.1 and your MySQL data is not in utf8 charset. MySQL server earlier than v4.1 doesn't support charset conversion. That it why you should set the same connection charset as configured on your server (usually latin1).
I've got the following error message: "The dynamic link library SHLWAPI.dll could not be found in the specified path..."
- Please, install Internet Explorer version 4.01 or later. Where can I learn
more about MySQL and Microsoft Access databases?
MySQL - You should refer to the online manual pages which can be
found at http://www.mysql.com/documentation
Microsoft Access Database (mdb)
- Beginner's help - Microsoft Access help reference.
- Advanced help - MSDN, (Visual
Studio Documentation -> Visual Basic Documentation -> Microsoft DAO 3.60)
I've an error message: "Error 3421: Data type conversion error"
You can face this problem if there are invalid date values in the tables of your source database. Make sure that the date is entered correctly.
I encountered a problem with "MySQL server has gone away" error.
What should I do?
If mysqld gets a packet that is too large or out of order, it assumes that something has gone wrong
with the client and closes the connection. If you need big queries (for example, if you are working with big BLOB columns), you
can increase the query limit by starting mysqld with the -O max_allowed_packet=# option (default 1M). The extra memory is allocated
on demand, so mysqld will allocate more memory only when you issue a big query or when mysqld must return a big result row!
Set value to max_allowed_packet=10485760. If you using MySQLadmin select tab "my.ini Setup" and write
max_allowed_packet=10485760 after line [mysqld].
You will also get a lost connection if you are sending a packet >= 16M if your client is older than
4.0.8 and your server is 4.0.8 and above, or the other way around.
I can't connect to MySQL server. How can I solve the problem?
If you are using Virtual Server hosting you probably have no sufficient privileges to create new databases on the target MySQL server. For this case we recommend the following approach:
1. Ask your Virtual Server administrator to create blank database for you
2. Run DBConvert for MS Access & MySQl and select this database as the conversion destination
3. Check option to overwrite existing MySQL database
When you complete these steps, the entire contents of the source MS Access database will be imported into the specified MySQL database.
In case a direct access to your MySQL base is denied, DBConvert for MS Access & MySQl allows you to overcome such restrictions (e.g. you have no sufficient privileges to create new databases on the target MySQL server). You can do it through storing your data in dump file as the best way to present deferred conversion and gain more control over the conversion process. The program fixes the contents of the source database into a local dump file instead of sending it to MySQL server directly. The destination file will consist of MySQL statements to create all tables and to fill them with the data. Using this dump file MySQL server administrator will add data to your MySQL base.
I have an error that selected collating sequence is not supported by the operation system. How can I fix this problem?
One of the following conditions is true:
1. You are trying to open a database or an object in a database that was created in another language edition of Microsoft Access.
2. You are trying to open a database that was created or compacted while the New Database sort Order was set to a value other than General.
To check the settings of the New Database Sort Order, follow these steps:
Open an existing database that was not created or compacted while the Sort Order was set to a value other than General. On the Tools menu, click Options, and then click the General tab. Make sure that the New Database Sort Order is set to General and then click OK.
If you are receiving the errors and setting the New Database Sort Order back to General does not resolve the problem do: On the Tools menu select Database Utilities, and then click Compact and Repair Database.
Why the date "0000-00-00" in MySQL table was converted into MS Access as "December 30, 1899"?
MS Access has date limits, all MySQL dates less than "January 01, 100", are replaced with date of "December 30, 1899" in MS Access.
When converting data from MySQL database to MS Acceess a new database file is created in MS Access 2000 format. How can I convert my database to MS Access97 format?
1) Create a blank database file in MS Access 97 format.
2) Close this blank database.
3) Specify this database as destination database.
After the conversion the database will be available in MS Access 97 format.
I have a table with a long name in my Access database, that is always shortened by convertation into MySQL. Why is it so?
There are some MySQL limits. They are listed in the following table.
See http://www.mysql.com/doc/en/Legal_names.html
| Identifier | Max length | Allowed characters |
| Database | 64 | Any character that is allowed in a directory name except `/' , `\' or `.' . |
| Table | 64 | Any character that is allowed in a file name, except `/' or `.' . |
| Column | 64 | All characters. |
| Alias | 255 | All characters. |
Out-of-date Microsoft Jet versions and Microsoft Data Access Components
Some troubles with running the program can be caused by utilizing of the out-of-date Microsoft Jet versions and Microsoft Data Access Components. The latest versions of Microsoft products should be installed in this case. You can download them by clicking at the following links:
Microsoft Jet:
Use
Jet40SP8_9xNT.exe to install Jet 4.0 SP8 on computers that are running
Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows NT 4.0.
Use
Jet40SP7_WMe.exe to install Jet 4.0 SP7 on computers that run Windows
Millennium Edition.
Use
WindowsServer2003-KB829558-x86-ENU.exe to install Jet 4.0 SP8 on
computers that are running Windows Server 2003.
Use
Windows2000-KB829558-x86-ENU.exe to install Jet 4.0 SP8 on computers
that are running Windows 2000.
Use
WindowsXP-KB829558-x86-ENU.exe to install Jet 4.0 SP8 on computers that
are running Windows XP.
Microsoft Data Access Components:
All version Windows (MDAC) 2.8
After conversion date formatting of "mm/dd/yyyy" is replaced with "yyyy-mm-dd 00:00:00". Do you know of a way that I can retain the mm/dd/yyyy format after converting my base to MySQL?
The problem you described is caused by the MySQL server settings configuration. You can use in your queries DATE_FORMAT () function to modify date according your requirements. Additional info and documentation about this function you can find in MySQL server Manual
I use converter demo version and get error “Foreign key constraint fails”
Due to trial version limitation (first 10 records from each table) the error “Foreign key constraint failed” may appear. This problem comes up when you copy table records with foreign key references or records protected with other constraint methods maintaining database integrity.
I still have questions/comments about this program - Please, direct them to esupport@dbconvert.com All your feedbacks are highly appreciated.