Before creating programs that use databases, you must create an alias for your data base. The main problem with this is that the aliases you create are saved in a BDE Administrator configure file. By default this file is stored in the Borland Common area that you do not have access to. You will set up a configure file that you will have to open everytime you want to work on a database program.
| First run the BDE Administrator from the Borland Builder program group in the startup menu. You will see a window that looks like the following. You may be prompted that the program cannot find the configure file. You will be asked if you want to use the defaults, answer yes to open the program then set the default by openning your configuration and quiting . |  |
The first time you run BDE Administrator you must create your own configuration. You do this by selecting the Save As Configuration option from the Objects menu. Then save the configuration on your account in some easily found directory. Every other time you are working on a program with a data base use the Open Configuration option to open your configuration. |
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If you are using Access 2000 skip this step and click here . Borland has a large set of database tools. These tools allow programmers to open tables, make queries and do other database operations on data contained in a variety of different databases. Most of the newer c++ systems have similar database facilities. Borland requires that the programmer create an alias their databases. This alias sets the type of database and the name of the file, and when this is set in a database program, all of the connections are made properly by BDE. You can create a new alias by doing the following.
| Select new from the Objects menu. You will be asked to select the type of database from a combobox. Select MSACCESS. |  |
| Your new alias will appear labeled MsAccess1 (or something like this). Change the name to reflect the purpose of the database. Next, change the Database name in the description section by clicking on the ellipse (...) button and selecting the database you want to create an alias for. Notice you must at least create a dummy database before you can create an alias. When you quit BDE, you will be asked to save your configuration and asked if you want to set the default. Answer yes in both dialog boxes. |  |
If you are using Access 2000, you will have to create your alias using ODBC since the drivers needed are not accessed directly in BDE. At home you can simply open ODBC from your control panel. At school you will need to use BDE to access ODBC. The first step below is for use at school. After creating an alias in ODBC, it will be available in Borland C++ Builder, but it will not appear in the BDE alias list until the next time you use BDE.
| If you are using Access 2000, you must create your alias in ODBC. Select ODBC from the file menu of BDE |  |
| You will now see the main ODBC page. Click on the Add button |  |
| You will now select the driver you need. In this case the Microsoft Access Driver |  |
| Finally add the alias in the first text box of the last page. Use the browse button to find your actual Access database. |  |