Forum Discussion
Why the Dataverse connector?
I modeled a DB in access then exported the tables first to dataverse. I created a .accde file for the queries and forms and installed it on a user's desktop. When the user attempted to use the front-end form, Access declared that the tables were read only and could not be opened. The user has admin permissions to open the DV tables, but they still cannot open them. It is obviously an error on Microsoft's side, so I asked for my IT person to address the issue. I read this on other forums that dataverse is not a good data source for Access while others claim it is. Very confusing.
Next, I copied the original Access DB and exported the tables to Sharepoint. The forms directly linked to a single SP Lists work but the forms with Combo boxes are problematic. One combo box selects a name from Table 1 and another combo box selects different name from Table 2. Both names are written to a third Table 3. My original Access DB with native tables shows the names selected from the combo boxes in local Table 3. However, the exported Table 3 only shows the PK's in the designated columns. So, while the forms do show the names, the SP list don't. The problem with this is that I don't know how to create a mobile Power App that will display names and not PK's.
I could have already built a solid DB already if I had an SQL server, which I am hoping my organization will furnish.
Is it possible to write to SP lists via combo boxes in SP? I don't think exporting tables from Access works. I suspect I need to create SP lists and then connect them to Access to create forms and queries This all very confusing and counter intuitive to Access logic.
I will post screen shots Monday when I return to my Windows 10 machine.
Thanks for your help.
- What I mean by sync is that the sharepoint list is not updated from the respective Access form. As for the 1980's tech, I meant to say 1990's tech. I have coded websites from the ground up. From this perspective, SharePoint sites are lacking the basics of modern website features, especially when it comes to file and document management. The inability to customize where SPLists are uploaded is one example of lackluster design. Anyway, I'm moving on. I have the budget to build an SQL server. But I do appreciate your input.
What does it mean to say "one of the SP lists does not sync up to Access"? Please elaborate on what you do see. "Synch up" is not a commonly used term in this context, so before trying to guess what your problem is, we ought to know exactly what you are experiencing.
"Microsoft cobbled SP and DV together from 1980's technology"
Really? Do you honestly believe that SharePoint and Dataverse predate the internet and Windows? It's statements like that which make it increasingly difficult to lend credence to other claims.I am not sure why your .accdb link works when mine doesn't. Are you sharing these front-end Access files with other users? Or are you just using for your own private database? In any case, I am having an awful experience using SharePoint lists for Access. One of the SP lists does not sync up to Access while the others do. No rhyme or reason for this when I used the same process for the other tables. (I rebuilt all 5 tables in SharePoint and then connected them in Access). All the Sp lists were imported / connected to Access and they all sync up but one. My takeaway is that SP won't work for my purposes. And it appears that Dataverse won't either. Microsoft cobbled SP and DV together from 1980's technology, trying to patch it into today's modern SaaS & SaaP environments. It just does not work well.