Pocket Access

Pocket Access is as much of an enigma as it is a misnomer. Unlike Pocket Word and Pocket Excel, there is no Pocket Access Application. Rather it refers to the Active Sync component that allowss you to sync a table in Microsoft Access JetSQL file with the pocket pc database format. The Pocket Access files are called cdb files. On newer versions of Windows Mobile Operating systems it has been superceded by the edb format. This page contains information about dealing with this format.

Development

Embedded Visual Tools

This format was well supported in the bad old days of embeded visual basic and embedded visual C++.

.NET Compact Framework

The .NET Compact framework does not properly support the framework. You have to resort to PInvoking the C api.

There is a library that I've used until I discovered it has problem with databases once they reach a 2.5+ meg size. The source is available so if you are desperate it is a starting point. The url is http://www.codeproject.com/netcf/cedbnet.asp.

Syncing issues

The following is taken verbatim from http://www.biomobility.com/faq.htm.

Q: I receive an error "The source database name is too long" when I try to set up synchronization with ActiveSync.

A: Thanks to Masters for his extra help in solving this problem. He reports "The combination of the device name, database name, and the user account name on the desktop computer can't be over a certain length". So, here are some ideas to try. Try shortening the name of your database file; something like "a.mdb" on the desktop, and then try the transfer. After that you can either try setting up a different user account (i.e. if you are a Windows XP user you'd set up another user account) with a shorter name, and you could also consider changing the Pocket PC device name to a shorter name (Start - Settings - System tab - About - Device ID on the Pocket PC).