Re: ODBC Error In Win7 64 Bit

[Barnett, Adrian (DECS)]

On Thu, 18 Mar 2010 02:08:28 -0400, Adrian Barnett
<[hidden email]> wrote:

>On Wed, 3 Mar 2010 16:07:05 -0500, Bob Walker <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
>>A search of both Win7 and SPSS KB's indicates that Microsoft does not
>>provide a 64-bit ODBC driver for MS Office, so at this time there is no
>>resolution to this problem. So we have a 64-bit OS, and 64-bit SPSS, and no
>>way to import an MS Access database. Amazing.
>>
>
>Hi
>I had a look around the net too and came up with this page:
>http://social.answers.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/w7hardware/thread/001c234b-dfd5-4378-a325-c4f1482fb6fd
>
>The final post on the above page points out that there is a 32-bit ODBC
>driver with 64 bit Win 7.
>
>I can confirm that I found the 32-bit drivers - but just for Excel, Access
>and dBase (much smaller than the set of things covered in XP, but at least
>it does the ones we are discussing so far). It appears then that SPSS
>doesn't try to use them.
>
>Another consequence of the inability of SPSS 18 on 64 bit Win7 to use 32 bit
>drivers (or maybe it is that the 64 bit ODBC system doesn't have a subset of
>32-bit drivers? Dunno) is that you can't use Export to Database either.
>
>As someone else reported, each one of the options the Wizard offers simply
>prompts you for a username and password. The "Add ODBC Source" button (which
>I'd thought might provide a way of invoking the 32 bit ODBC drivers) simply
>doesn't do anything.
>
>The Help function in the Export to Database Wizard does not address any
>issues such as the ones discussed here.
>
>I imagine on the part of MS they are hoping that 64 bit versions of Office
>2010 will solve the issue if they can persuade everyone to ditch their older
>32 bit copies of Office. Not a 'hearts and minds' solution I venture to

suggest.

>
>I suspect it may be that both MS and SPSS need to do some work here. I may
>be sticking my neck out, but given that 32 bit drivers are there, why can't
>the components that import from, and export to those 32 bit Office formats
>tap into the drivers where they are required?
>
>
>Regards
>
>Adrian Barnett
>

Hi
Further to the above, I discovered that there is a public beta available of
Microsoft Office 2010, which comes in both 32-bit and 64-bit versions.

I grabbed a copy of the 64-bit version and installed it. You can indeed use
the 'Export to database' function to send data to the 64-bit version of
Access. The first attempt did not go well, only exporting the table
structure without the data, but subsequent attempts worked fine and I was
relieved to be able to do it given that I need to give colleagues files in
Access format.

It will not work at all if you use the 32-bit version, for reasons explained
in some of the articles above, and in the Knowledgebase article of the SPSS
Support website. (This is only if you have 64-bit Windows of course; If you
have 32-bit Windows then 32-bit Office ODBC transfers work as before)

This workaround is available till October this year; after that the beta
stops working. Presumably Office 2010 will have been released for sale by
then. We have to hope that by then our workplaces will have made 64 bit
Office available (Like that is going to happen!)

But for people with some control over their own computing environment (such
as at home, where I have done the above), this option should provide some
respite.

Note: if you do want to grab the 64-bit version of Office 2010, make sure
that on the download page you choose the button claiming that you are a
developer; it will then offer you the choice of the 32-bit or 64-bit
versions. Otherwise it will just give you the 32-bit version without asking.

Note2: If you install the 64-bit version it tells you to uninstall any
32-bit Office versions you already have so, be sure you want to do it. The
new 'ribbon' interface in Office has not been to everybody's liking - the
first experience can be a bit jarring, but I am told by people whose
opinions I respect on such matters that it repays persevering with.

Note3: The download is 698 MB, so it may not be feasible for some people's
circumstances.

I hope this info is of use to someone

Regards

Adrian Barnett

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