Linking Access and MapInfo

  • Thread starter Thread starter Alison via AccessMonster.com
  • Start date Start date
A

Alison via AccessMonster.com

I am trying to build an Access database with a link to MapInfo.

a) I am having trouble linking MapInfo tables to Access as Access does not
seem to recognise them.

b) Ideally I would be able to have a picture of the polygon that is embedded
in each corresponding form. I want to be able to click on the polygon and
have it take me directly to the polygon in MapInfo. I understand that this
is entirely possible but I have no idea how to go about it.

Please can anyone help??????
 
Hi Alison,

I suspect you may do better looking in a MapInfo forum for people who
also know about Access than looking for MapInfo experts here.

Comments inline:

I am trying to build an Access database with a link to MapInfo.

a) I am having trouble linking MapInfo tables to Access as Access does not
seem to recognise them.
Click to expand...

Probably you need to find an ODBC driver for whatever database engine
MapInfo uses.
b) Ideally I would be able to have a picture of the polygon that is embedded
in each corresponding form. I want to be able to click on the polygon and
have it take me directly to the polygon in MapInfo. I understand that this
is entirely possible but I have no idea how to go about it.
Click to expand...

One approach (assuming MapInfo is capable) would be to get MapInfo to
export a little metafile or bitmap image of each polygon. Then you
could store them in an OLE field in your table, and use a
BoundObjectFrame control on the form to display them.

Otherwise, Access forms don't have a "canvas" on which you can draw
with VBA code, but there is a Line control. So you could store the
vertices of each polygon and write code to move the Lines around on
the form to get a representation of the polygon. (To complicate
matters, you have to manipulate the Line control by setting its Top,
Left, Height and Width properties; life would be simpler if it had
BeginX, BeginY, EndX, EndY.

Because's a limit on the number of controls that can be created on a
form, you'll need to create enough lines at design time to handle the
most complex polygon you're going to have. You can then use as many
lines as are needed for each record's polygon and hide the reminder by
clearing their Visible property.
 
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