Question

I am working with an Access 2003 database that has a subroutine using DAO code. This code loops through the table definitions and refreshes the ODBC connection string. I would like to convert this to ADO so I do not have to reference the DAO object library. Here is the code …

Public Sub RefreshODBCLinks(newConnectionString As String)

    Dim db As DAO.Database
    Dim tb As DAO.TableDef
    Set db = CurrentDb
    For Each tb In db.TableDefs
        If Left(tb.Connect, 4) = "ODBC" Then
            tb.Connect = newConnectionString
            tb.RefreshLink
            Debug.Print "Refreshed ODBC table " & tb.Name
        End If
    Next tb
    Set db = Nothing

    MsgBox "New connection string is " & newConnectionString, vbOKOnly, "ODBC Links refreshed"

End Sub

The part I am unsure of is how to loop through the tables and get/set their connection strings.

Answer 1

If avoiding a reference for DAO is your goal, you could just modify your existing procedure to use late binding for DAO. As an example, this sub should work without a reference set for DAO.

Public Sub DAO_without_reference()
    Dim db As Object
    Dim td As Object
    Set db = CurrentDb
    For Each td In db.TableDefs
        Debug.Print td.Name
    Next td
    Set db = Nothing
End Sub

You would not have Intellisense to help you with DAO properties, methods, and constants while writing the code, but the code can still work with late binding.

I think this would be your easiest alternative if you are determined to avoid a DAO reference. However, I have never developed an Access project without a DAO reference, and I don’t understand why you are opposed to adding it.

Edit: Also if you use late binding and any DAO constants, your code must use the constant value rather than the name.