I am looking to import data from many different Access databases. So
far, all the tutorials I have found show how to create a connection to
a single database. What I want to do is to create a connection to a
folder, not a file, so that I can choose a different database each time
I import data. I have seen on some other computers that there is a
conneciton already set up for the .mdb type (not a specific file or
database) with which I can browse to my database but I can't find out
to set that up either. Any and all help is appreciated.

Try something like this:

Assuming you're using MS Query to harvest the data....

In the query window, click the [SQL] button

Use this kind of SQL to pull from more than one database:
SELECT Stores.City
FROM `C:\Data\OrdersNew`.Stores Stores
UNION ALL
SELECT Stores.City
FROM `C:\Data\OrdersNew_V1`.Stores Stores

Notice the file names...
Also notice that those locations are enclosed in the apostrophes located on
the same key as the tilde (~).

You can use that technique to harvest your data from many databases.

Is that something you can work with?

Post back with more questions.
***********
Regards,
Ron

XL2002, WinXP


" wrote:

I am looking to import data from many different Access databases. So
far, all the tutorials I have found show how to create a connection to
a single database. What I want to do is to create a connection to a
folder, not a file, so that I can choose a different database each time
I import data. I have seen on some other computers that there is a
conneciton already set up for the .mdb type (not a specific file or
database) with which I can browse to my database but I can't find out
to set that up either. Any and all help is appreciated.

Ron, thanks for the idea but that's not quite what I'm trying to do.
Let me try to explain it a little better. Each day an employee needs
to import data from an Access database into the Excel spreadsheet that
he is using. He also needs to be able to select which fields are
imported. Each time that he does this task he will pull data from one
database, however, it will be a different Access database each time.
He will open Excel and use the following: Data Import External Data
New Database Query. A new window will open. On any other machine
there is already an option for "MS Access .mdb". When this is selected
it allows him to browse to the desired Access database. Unfortunately
he has been relocated to a different machine. Following the same steps
on the new machine, the window opens but there are no options except to
create a new link. When he tries to create a new one it will only
allow him to create the link for a specific database. This would mean
creating hundreds of links. How can I create a link like the one found
on the other machines in which it will allow us to browse each time?

Thank you very much for your help and I hope this explaination gives
you a better understanding of what I am trying to do.

Have you tried creating a new MS Access Data Source using the ODBC Data
Source Administrator? You could delete the existing MS Access data source
and create a new one that does not specify a particular MDB file:

To start that process.....
Click the [Start] button
Select: Control Panel
Select: Administrative tools
Select: Data Sources

Does that help?
***********
Regards,
Ron

XL2002, WinXP


"rmillz" wrote:

Ron, thanks for the idea but that's not quite what I'm trying to do.
Let me try to explain it a little better. Each day an employee needs
to import data from an Access database into the Excel spreadsheet that
he is using. He also needs to be able to select which fields are
imported. Each time that he does this task he will pull data from one
database, however, it will be a different Access database each time.
He will open Excel and use the following: Data Import External Data
New Database Query. A new window will open. On any other machine
there is already an option for "MS Access .mdb". When this is selected
it allows him to browse to the desired Access database. Unfortunately
he has been relocated to a different machine. Following the same steps
on the new machine, the window opens but there are no options except to
create a new link. When he tries to create a new one it will only
allow him to create the link for a specific database. This would mean
creating hundreds of links. How can I create a link like the one found
on the other machines in which it will allow us to browse each time?

Thank you very much for your help and I hope this explaination gives
you a better understanding of what I am trying to do.