Microsoft KB Archive/281755

Knowledge Base

How To Connect to FileMaker Pro from Visual Basic with ODBC

Article ID: 281755

Article Last Modified on 6/29/2004

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APPLIES TO

• Microsoft Visual Basic 6.0 Professional Edition
• Microsoft Visual Basic 6.0 Enterprise Edition

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This article was previously published under Q281755

SUMMARY

FileMaker Pro version 5.0 now supports Open Database Connectivity (ODBC). This article describes one method that you can use to connect to a FileMaker Pro 5.0 database from Visual Basic with ODBC.

MORE INFORMATION

An ODBC driver shipped with FileMaker Pro beginning with version 5.0. In prior versions, it was necessary to use drivers from third-party resources to have ODBC connectivity to this data source.

Unlike most other ODBC data sources, in order to use ODBC to connect to FileMaker Pro, you must have the FileMaker Pro software installed on your computer. It is also necessary to leave the FileMaker Pro software running with the database open while you try to connect.

Steps to Connect

1. Open FileMaker Pro version 5.0.
2. Open the Sample02.FP5 sample database. If you use the trial version of FileMaker Pro, this file is located in C:\Program Files\FileMaker\FileMaker Pro 5 Trial\Tutorial\Sample Files\Sample02.fp5.
3. On the File menu, select Sharing from FileMaker Pro, and then check Local Data Access Companion in the dialog box that appears.
4. Close this dialog box, but do not close FileMaker Pro or the database.
5. Create a Data Source Name (DSN) called FMTest with the FileMaker Pro ODBC Driver.
6. Open a new Standard EXE project in Visual Basic.

7. Set the following references in the Project References dialog box:

   Microsoft Active X Data Objects 2.X
                       

8. Copy the following code into the Form1 code window:

   Private Sub Form_Load()
   
   Dim cn As ADODB.Connection
   Dim rs As ADODB.Recordset
   Dim counter As Integer
       
       Set cn = New ADODB.Connection
       Set rs = New ADODB.Recordset
   
       cn.Open "Provider=MSDASQL.1;Data Source=FMTest;database=Sample02.fp5"
       cn.CursorLocation = adUseClient
       rs.Open "Select * from Sample02.fp5", cn
       
       For counter = 0 To rs.Fields.Count - 1
           Debug.Print rs.Fields(counter).Name
       Next counter
   
       Do While Not rs.EOF
           Debug.Print rs.Fields(0).Value
           rs.MoveNext
       Loop
       
   End Sub
                       

9. Press the F5 key to run the code.
10. Check the Immediate window to confirm that the field names and the value of the first field are returned.

Keywords: kbhowto kbdatabase KB281755

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