How can a relative path specify a linked table in Access 2007?

Question

I have a front end and back end of an Access database. The front end references linked tables and I need to do a relative link instead of an explicit one i.e. "../database" is referenced instead of "address/database"

Is it possible to do this, or must I specify the absolute path?

Answer 1

Tables linked to files (such as mdb, accdb, dbf, etc.) require absolute paths in their connection strings.

However there is a workaround: during the database startup you can use vba to redefine the the links to match the directory of the current database instance.

(The code below has not been tested / debugged)

Private Sub RelinkTables()
    Dim oldConnection As String
    Dim newConnection As String

    Dim currentPath As String
    currentPath = CurrentProject.Path

    Dim tblDef As TableDef

    For Each tblDef In CurrentDb.TableDefs
        oldConnection = tblDef.Connect

        ' Depending on the type of linked table
        ' some string manipulation which defines
        ' newConnection = someFunction(oldConnection,currentPath)

        tblDef.Connect = newConnection
        tblDef.RefreshLink
    Next tblDef
End Sub

Answer 2

I have tried some of the answers above, especially the answer of Martin Thompson which I got some errors with, and thus modified it as follows:

Public Function reLinkTables() As Boolean
On Error GoTo ErrorRoutine
Dim sMyConnectString        As String
Dim tdf                     As TableDef
Dim db_name                 As String
    ' The Main Answer is by Martin Thompson
    ' Modified by Dr. Mohammad Elnesr
    'We will link all linked tables to an accdb Access file located in the same folder as this file.
    'Replace the DATA file name in the following statement with the name of your DATA file:
    sMyConnectString = ";DATABASE=" & CurrentProject.Path & "\" 
    For Each tdf In CurrentDb.TableDefs
        If Len(tdf.Connect) > 0 Then
            'It's a linked table, so re-link:
            'First, get the database name
            db_name = GetFileName(tdf.Connect)
            ' Then link the table to the current path
            tdf.Connect = sMyConnectString & db_name
            tdf.RefreshLink
        End If
    Next tdf


ExitRoutine:
    MsgBox "All tables were relinked successfully"
    Exit Function
ErrorRoutine:
    MsgBox "Error in gbLinkTables: " & Err.Number & ": " & Err.Description
    Resume ExitRoutine
End Function

Function GetFileName(FullPath As String) As String
    Dim splitList As Variant
    splitList = VBA.Split(FullPath, "\")
    GetFileName = splitList(UBound(splitList, 1))
End Function

After fininshing this, Goto Access Ribon>Create>Macro From the dropdown select "RunCode", then in the function name type "reLinkTables" which we typed here. Then save the macro with the name "AutoExec". Every time you open the database, all the linked tables will be relinked to the original path. This is very useful if you put your databases in a portable media.

Answer 3

As far as I know, your TableDef's Connect property requires an absolute path. If I'm wrong on that point, I hope someone will tell how to create a linked table using a relative path.

Take a look at Armen Stein's free utility to manage your table links: J Street Access Relinker