OK, I have now been looking for the last 2 days for a way of connecting
Access to a Paradox table through Access through the default Microsoft Paradox driver. to this time i have had no luck.
I have read articles about installing the BDE (Delphi) but i dont have it to my disposal. The ODBC version that i have to connect to Paradox goes up to table structure version 5, but i believe the tables that i have to connect to are version 7 as every time i try this i receive the following error:
"External table is not in the expected format".

How do i get a hold of the new paradox ODBC driver for access?
Looking around the internet and "google'ing" i have seen that many people have had this same error, but there is never a conclusion given as to how to resolve the problem.

Many thanks in advance for any help/guidance given.

An easier way would be to get a copy of Paradox 9 or above as this will come with the BDE and ODBC drivers.

Alternatively try checking out Intersolv, I cannot be sure if they still do them but they used to sell an ODBC driver for Paradox

rgds
Jonathan

Thank you for your reply.
I will investigate this. is there no way that i can just obtain the driver without having to fork out for it?
You see I'm doing this for a favour to someone, and it's already taken quite a chunk of my free time.
Thanks again for the advice, any further pointers would be greatfully received.

Regards,

Paolo

I'm afraid you will either have to buy Paradox 9 (or find someone friendly enough that has Paradox 9) to dump out the data to text files so that you can import into an alternative database product, or a product that supports Paradox ODBC drivers for Paradox table format 7 or above.

The second option costs dosh, but depends. I you want the data exported then send me a private message and we can make arrangements if you needed.

That is extremely kind of you, but after some further searching and investigation, I got the DataDirect ODBC drivers.
I have now been able to FINALLY connect to the DB.
Thank you very much again for your help.

For the rest of you having problems;
Connecting to Paradox with ODBC:
http://www.datadirect.com/download/index.ssp

I never realised this, but Intersolv are now DataDirect so it's good you are using drivers that have been used elsewhere before.

Unfortunately, you need at least $625 for this product...

Correction: $200 for single user license, plus $100 for support

DataDirect Connect for ODBC, Single Authorized User
by DataDirect Technologies

from the "channel partner" http://www.programmersparadise.com
for less than 5 licenses.

I didn't have any luck until I:

copied the "IDAPI.dll" file from the Paradox directory to the system32 directory, rebooted, and then
created a new DSN from within Access97:

Tables > New > Link Table
[Files of type:] = ODBC databases
(Select Data Source)
Machine Data Source > New
System Data Source
INTERSOLV ParadoxFile (*.db)
(ODBC Paradox Driver Setup) General:
[Date Source Name] = (make something up)
[Database Directory] = (type in the path to the Paradox files)
Test Connect / OK /
OK
(Link Tables)
choose the table(s) to link
etc

another way - free - would be to use WinSQL - look for it on the internet