Share via

Application.OpenCurrentDatabase Method

  • Article
Access Developer Reference

You can use the OpenCurrentDatabase method to open an existing Microsoft Access database as the current database.

Syntax

expression.OpenCurrentDatabase(filepath, Exclusive, bstrPassword)

expression   A variable that represents an Application object.

Parameters

Name Required/Optional Data Type Description
filepath Required String The name of an existing database file, including the path name and the file name extension.
Exclusive Optional Boolean Specifies whether you want to open the database in exclusive mode. The default value is False, which specifies that the database should be opened in shared mode.
bstrPassword Optional String The password to open the specified database.

Return Value
Nothing

Remarks

You can use this method to open a database from another application that is controlling Microsoft Access through Automation, formerly called OLE Automation. For example, you can use the OpenCurrentDatabase method from Microsoft Excel to open the Northwind.mdb sample database in the Microsoft Access window. Once you have created an instance of Microsoft Access from another application, you must also create a new database or specify a particular database to open. This database opens in the Microsoft Access window.

If you have already opened a database and wish to open another database in the Microsoft Access window, you can use the CloseCurrentDatabase method to close the first database before opening another.

Bb238012.vs_note(en-us,office.12).gif  Note
Use the OpenAccessProject method to open an existing Microsoft Access project (.adp) as the current database.
Bb238012.vs_note(en-us,office.12).gif  Note
Don't confuse the OpenCurrentDatabase method with the ActiveX Data Objects (ADO) Open method or the Data Access Object (DAO) OpenDatabase method. The OpenCurrentDatabase method opens a database in the Microsoft Access window. The DAO OpenDatabase method returns a Database object variable, which represents a particular database but don't actually open that database in the Microsoft Access window.

Example

The following example opens a Microsoft Access database from another application through Automation and then opens a form in that database.

You can enter this code in a Visual Basic module in any application that can act as a COM component. For example, you might run the following code from Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Visual Basic, or Microsoft Access.

When the variable pointing to the Application object goes out of scope, the instance of Microsoft Access that it represents closes as well. Therefore, you should declare this variable at the module level.

Visual Basic for Applications 
  ' Include the following in Declarations section of module.
Dim appAccess As Access.Application

Sub DisplayForm()


Dim strDB as String

' Initialize string to database path.
Const strConPathToSamples = "C:\Program " _
    & "Files\Microsoft Office\Office11\Samples\"

strDB = strConPathToSamples & "Northwind.mdb"
' Create new instance of Microsoft Access.
Set appAccess = _
    CreateObject("Access.Application")
' Open database in Microsoft Access window.
appAccess.<strong class="bterm">OpenCurrentDatabase</strong> strDB
' Open Orders form.
appAccess.DoCmd.OpenForm "Orders"



End Sub

See Also