ms access - How to get table Schema

Question

I am working with Microsoft visual studio 2005.Can anyone tell me how to get table names and column names of a MS access database?

Answer 1

Typically, you should the metadata facilities of your database driver to do that. All database call level APIs I have heard of supply methods/functions/procedures that can return database metadata, typically as a resultset.

You didn't mention any language, so lets assume you're using C#. In that case, you'd make a OleDB (OleDB is driver framework for .NET languages) connection object, and invoke the GetOleDbSchemaTable method on it. This will then give you a DataTable object that gives you access to the rows of data that convey this information.

For an OleDB example, see: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa288452(VS.71).aspx

For the GetOleDbSchemaTable method, see: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.data.oledb.oledbconnection.getoledbschematable(VS.71).aspx

For information on the types of metadata provided by OleDB, see: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.data.oledb.oledbschemaguid_members(VS.71).aspx