Connection strings for Access

Microsoft Jet OLE DB 4.0

Type OLE DB Provider
 Usage Provider=Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0
 Manufacturer Microsoft
More info and provider downloads

Set example values

Standard security

    
Provider=Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0;Data Source=C:\mydatabase.mdb;User Id=admin;Password=;

How to Use JET in 64 bit environments »

 
 

With database password

This is the connection string to use when you have an access database protected with a password using the Set Database Password function in Access.

    
Provider=Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0;Data Source=C:\mydatabase.mdb;
Jet OLEDB:Database Password=MyDbPassword;

Some reports of problems with password longer than 14 characters. Also that some characters might cause trouble. If you are having problems, try change password to a short one with normal characters.

 
 

Workgroup (system database)

    
Provider=Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0;Data Source=C:\mydatabase.mdb;
Jet OLEDB:System Database=system.mdw;
 
 

Workgroup (system database) specifying username and password

    
Provider=Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0;Data Source=C:\mydatabase.mdb;
Jet OLEDB:System Database=system.mdw;User ID=myUsername;Password=myPassword;
 
 

DataDirectory functionality

    
Provider=Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0;Data Source=|DataDirectory|\myDatabase.mdb;
User Id=admin;Password=;
 
 

Network Location

    
Provider=Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0;
Data Source=\\serverName\shareName\folder\myDatabase.mdb;User Id=admin;Password=;
 
 

Using RDS (MS Remote)

Access database over HTTP. You must setup RDS on the server for his to work.

    
Provider=MS Remote;Remote Provider=Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0;
Remote Server=http://server.adress.com;Data Source=d:\myPath\myDatabase.mdf;
 
 

Exclusive

Used to get exclusive access to the database if you, for instance, want to let the application be able to reset the database password.

    
Provider=Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0;Data Source=C:\mydatabase.mdb;Mode=Share Exclusive;
User Id=admin;Password=;
 
 

.NET Framework Data Provider for OLE DB

Type .NET Framework Wrapper Class Library
 Usage System.Data.OleDb.OleDbConnection
 Manufacturer Microsoft
More info and wrapper class library downloads

Set example values

Use an OLE DB provider from .NET

    
Provider=any oledb provider's name;OledbKey1=someValue;OledbKey2=someValue;

See the respective OLEDB provider's connection strings options. The .net OleDbConnection will just pass on the connection string to the specified OLEDB provider. Read more here.

 
 

Microsoft Access ODBC Driver

Type ODBC Driver
 Usage Driver={Microsoft Access Driver (*.mdb)}
 Manufacturer Microsoft
More info and driver downloads

Set example values

Standard Security

    
Driver={Microsoft Access Driver (*.mdb)};Dbq=C:\mydatabase.mdb;Uid=Admin;Pwd=;
 
 

Workgroup

    
Driver={Microsoft Access Driver (*.mdb)};Dbq=C:\mydatabase.mdb;
SystemDB=C:\mydatabase.mdw;
 
 

Exclusive

    
Driver={Microsoft Access Driver (*.mdb)};Dbq=C:\mydatabase.mdb;Exclusive=1;Uid=admin;
Pwd=;
 
 

Enable admin statements

To enable certain programatically admin functions such as CREATE USER, CREATE GROUP, ADD USER, GRANT, REVOKE and DEFAULTS (when making CREATE TABLE statements) use this connection string.

    
Driver={Microsoft Access Driver (*.mdb)};Dbq=C:\mydatabase.mdb;Uid=Admin;Pwd=;
ExtendedAnsiSQL=1;
 
 

Specifying locale identifier

Use this one to specify the locale identifier which can help with non-US formated dates.

    
Driver={Microsoft Access Driver (*.mdb)};Dbq=C:\mydatabase.mdb;Locale Identifier=2057;
Uid=Admin;Pwd=;

The above example uses the en-gb locale identifier (2057)

 
 

Microsoft Access accdb ODBC Driver

Type ODBC Driver
 Usage Driver={Microsoft Access Driver (*.mdb, *.accdb}
 Manufacturer Microsoft
More info and driver downloads

Set example values

Standard

    
Driver={Microsoft Access Driver (*.mdb, *.accdb)};Dbq=C:\mydatabase.acc;
 
 

.NET Framework Data Provider for ODBC

Type .NET Framework Wrapper Class Library
 Usage System.Data.Odbc.OdbcConnection
 Manufacturer Microsoft
More info and wrapper class library downloads

Set example values

Use an ODBC driver from .NET

    
Driver={any odbc driver's name};OdbcKey1=someValue;OdbcKey2=someValue;

See the respective ODBC driver's connection strings options. The .net OdbcConnection will just pass on the connection string to the specified ODBC driver. Read more here.

 
 

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