Mac equivalent of MS Access?

Jeff · Mar 30, 2007

Does anyone know of a decent (preferably free, but not necessairly) equivalent of Miscrsoft Access for Mac?

I'm in a computer class, and sometime in the near future, I'm going to have to do a project using Access. I was hoping that someone knew of a program that used the same format(like saved so Access could, well, access it.<haha, I'm funny) so that I don't have to use our POS lab computers, and could work on my own time.

EDIT-XTREEM · Mar 30, 2007

Well, I would suggest FileMaker Pro, it is not free, but I think it is worth the money. I have not clue if you want a free app though.

James · Mar 30, 2007

Not exactly sure, but you might check Open Office or NeoOffice. They both handle Word files and Excel files, it could be they would do Access files.

If nothing else you could convert the Access files to db file and run them through either, or convert them to Excell spreadsheet files as both Open Office and NeoOffice will do those.

PapaNoHair · Mar 30, 2007

I use the database in NeoOffice and it works good for me.

Jeff · Mar 31, 2007

Would the database feature in NeoOffice be able to save in Access format?(Whatever that is, I really have no idea.)

cwa107 · Mar 31, 2007

Jeff said:
Would the database feature in NeoOffice be able to save in Access format?(Whatever that is, I really have no idea.)

Although NeoOffice's Database is very similar to MS Access, it does not have an option to save as an Access database.

James · Mar 31, 2007

That's a good question... just what format does Access save in?? been so long since i have used it i have forgotten...

Seems like it may be .dbf.... is it? If so then NeoOffice or Open Office could do it because they can load and save .dbf files in both the spreadsheet and the database.

cwa107 · Mar 31, 2007

James said:
That's a good question... just what format does Access save in?? been so long since i have used it i have forgotten...

Seems like it may be .dbf.... is it? If so then NeoOffice or Open Office could do it because they can load and save .dbf files in both the spreadsheet and the database.

Access saves files in .mdb format, which is specific to Access. The database structure has changed through the years (at one time, it was limited to 2GB), but it has always been .mdb.

Village Idiot · Apr 5, 2007

Is it just a simple DB program that has to be made? I know Access works on the .net frame work. That's what I use at work. If they have you doing anything besides making a simple DB, it will require coding and that could pose a problem on a mac. I don't know how it would handle that. Easiest thing to do, if it's going to be anything more than a simple tabled db, is use your macbook and boot camp into xp with access installed.

PapaNoHair · Apr 5, 2007

Jeff said:
Would the database feature in NeoOffice be able to save in Access format?(Whatever that is, I really have no idea.)

I would have to find my notes but I converted my Access files over to Open Office in Linux with no problem. I saved (in Windows) my dB file as a .xls file, then imported that file into the spreadsheet function of OO then saved it again as a dB file. Not sure if that process would work with Mac but it is worth a try.