You can't open an MDB directly.  You need to create an ODBC Data Source 
(look in Administrative Tools for the ODBC shortcut) to the MDB file, 
then create a Paradox/BDE alias pointing to that ODBC Data Source.

Liz


On 16 Jul 2017 19:32, Andy wrote:
> Hi Steven, I've only ever used Paradox; no experience whatsoever in MS Access.
>  (I do have some experience with MS Word and Excel).
>
> I probably need to read from the Access file roughly once a week.  I can't
> export from the file as I'd need MS Access on my laptop to do that, and I
> don't have Access.
>
> I've created an alias called "Other" using the path to the .mdb file but
> when I attempt to open that folder I get the obscure error message I described.
>
> What I'd like to be able to do is open .mdb files directly in Paradox so
> I can query, edit, format them, etc.  Is that possible and, if so, what extra
> system files do I need?
>
> All help is gratefully appreciated.
>
> Many thanks,
> Andy
> Sydney Australia
> ----------------
> "Steven Green" <greens@diamondsg.com> wrote:
>> are you a paradox guy, or an access guy? might make a difference in how
> we
>> explain and suggest..
>>
>> is this a one-time thing? might be simpler to export the data from access,
>
>> to csv, then import the csv in paradox
>>
>> an alias is a substitute name for a path.. "work", for example, is the
>> default working directory.. the actual path can be changed, for many
>> reasons, but it's still your "work" directory, and you can refer to it as
>
>> such, instead of changing all the references to it in your code
>>
>>
>> --
>>
>> Steven Green
>> Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, USA
>>
>> http://www.OasisTradingPost.com
>>
>> Collectibles and Memorabilia
>> Vintage Lego Sets and Parts
>> - and Paradox support, too
>>
>> "Andy"  wrote in message news:594f08d4$1@pnews.thedbcommunity.com...
>>
>>
>> I'm using Paradox 11.0.0.676 on a computer running Windows 10 Pro version
>> 1607.
>>
>> I need to read some .mdb files.  I've tried following the directions in
>> the Paradox Help file - putting the Access table name into the BDE
>> Administrator
>> and selecting IDDA3532.DLL in the DLL32 field.  The help file refers to
>
>> "opening
>> MS access tables in paradox using the MS Access alias you just created,"
>> but I'm not sure what "Alias" means in this context.
>>
>> Having followed all the steps, when I attempt to use the Open Table dialogue
>> and click on the directory holding the .mdb file, I get an error message
>> "-2147221164" and then (clicking the forward arrow) "Table."
>>
>> If I attempt to Import the MS Access file using the Import utility, the
>
>> message
>> is a little more comprehensible:
>> "Could not open" [the Access table name].  You need to install the Data
>
>> Access
>> Objects (DAO).
>> (The quotation marks appear exactly as above in the error message.)
>>
>> Can someone out there give me a step-by-step guide to installing whatever
>> it is that I need and then configuring BDE and Paradox correctly?
>>
>> Many thanks,
>> Andy in Sydney
>>
>>
>> ---
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>