DBEngine.OpenDatabase method (DAO)

Applies to: Access 2013, Office 2013

Opens a specified database and returns a reference to the Database object that represents it.

Syntax

expression .OpenDatabase(Name, Options, ReadOnly, Connect)

expression A variable that represents a DBEngine object.

Parameters

Name	Required/optional	Data type	Description
Name	Required	String	the name of an existing Microsoft Access database file, or the data source name (DSN) of an ODBC data source. See the Name property for more information about setting this value.
Options	Optional	Variant	Sets various options for the database, as specified in Remarks.
ReadOnly	Optional	Variant	True if you want to open the database with read-only access, or False (default) if you want to open the database with read/write access.
Connect	Optional	Variant	Specifies various connection information, including passwords.

Return value

Database

Remarks

You can use the following values for the options argument.

Setting	Description
True	Opens the database in exclusive mode.
False	(Default) Opens the database in shared mode.

When you open a database, it is automatically added to the Databases collection.

Some considerations apply when you use dbname:

• If it refers to a database that is already open for access by another user, an error occurs.

• If it doesn't refer to an existing database or valid ODBC data source name, an error occurs.

• If it's a zero-length string ("") and connect is "ODBC;" , a dialog box listing all registered ODBC data source names is displayed so the user can select a database.

To close a database, and thus remove the Database object from the Databases collection, use the Close method on the object.

Note

When you access a Microsoft Access database engine-connected ODBC data source, you can improve your application's performance by opening a Database object connected to the ODBC data source, rather than by linking individual TableDef objects to specific tables in the ODBC data source.