Practice Exercise: Convert an MS Access Report to Reporting Services
Preparation
As we mentioned earlier, we will create a database
containing reports to illustrate the import process. This will involve copying
the Northwind sample .mdb file that potentially accompanies every
installation of MS Access 2002. If the sample database is not on your hard
drive, whether because you chose not to include it in the MS Access
installation or because it was removed later, either obtain it from the CD or
initialize MS Access, then go to Help -->
Sample Databases, as shown in Illustration 2, and select Northwind
Sample Database from the cascading menu.
If Northwind.mdb is not installed, you will be given
an opportunity to re-create it. If you take this route, close MS Access once
the .mdb is created, remembering where it was placed. By default, it is
typically installed in a location with a path (in an OFFICE10 or OFFICE11
folder) similar to the following:
[DRIVE]: \Program Files\Microsoft Office\OFFICE11\SAMPLES
Once we have located the Northwind.mdb on our hard
drives, we will begin preparation for our practice exercise by taking the
following steps.
1.
Right-click the Start button on the PC, and select Explore,
as depicted in Illustration 3.
Illustration 3: Open Windows Explorer
2.
Navigate to the Northwind.mdb located above.
3.
Right-click the Northwind.mdb file.
4.
Select Copy from the context menu that appears, as shown in Illustration
4.
Illustration 4: Select Copy from the Context Menu
5.
Navigate to a location in which to store the copy for purposes of
keeping it separate from the original database, as well as locating it easily
through the steps of the exercise.
6.
Right-click inside the folder where you wish to store the copy.
7.
Select Paste from the context menu that appears, as shown in Illustration
5.
Illustration 5: Paste the Copy of the Northwind.mdb
Database in the New Location
The copy of Northwind.mdb appears in its new location
as depicted in Illustration 6.
Illustration 6: The Northwind.mdb Database Copy Appears
8.
Right-click Northwind.mdb once
again.
9.
Select Rename from the context menu that appears, as shown in Illustration
7.
Illustration 7: Select Rename ...
10.
Type OrgReports.mdb as the new name for the database, as depicted
in Illustration 8.
Illustration 8: Renaming the Northwind Database
11.
Click anywhere outside the name to accept the changes.
Let's take a quick look at our new "report inventory,"
to get a feel for what we are about to convert.
12.
Double-click
the OrgReports.mdb file.
MS Access opens. If you are working with MS Access 2003, as I
am, you may be greeted by the security warning screens. Simply okay the process
of opening the database by clicking Open. (See the Online Help if
there are any issues here). If this is the first time using MS Access, you may
also see an initial dialog displayed, etc. If so, close it; our objective is simply
to open the database to examine reports.
13.
Close the Northwind
splash screen, which appears on launch of the database, by clicking OK.
The
main switchboard appears as shown in Illustration 9.
Illustration 9: Inside Access, Northwind Main Switchboard
14.
Click the Display
Database Window button, to close the main switchboard.
We
arrive at the Database Window.
15.
Click the Reports
link in the Objects pane, shown circled in Illustration 10.
Illustration 10: The Reports Link in the Objects Pane
We arrive at the Reports Window, where we can see the
various reports that exist in the database we have copied for our practice
example. The reports appear as depicted in Illustration 11.
Illustration 11: The Database Reports Collection
16.
Open and review
individual reports as desired to get an idea of the various characteristics and
components of each.
In
exploring the reports contained in the database, we notice some of the reports
have fully convertible features, while others contain components that are not
supported / fully supported in Reporting Services. We will be notified of
unsupported features as part of our upsizing process in the next section.
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