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Microsoft Access database use mdb file extension, this file is supported by Microsoft software for save several table inside of database. But the mdb Microsoft Access database files can not open directly with OpenOffice Base, this is because the different format between Microsoft vs OpenOffice database. But, with little setting at Microsoft Windows computer, we can easily open the mdb Microsoft Access database with OpenOffice Base software.

At Microsoft Windows XP, we can use ODBC. What is ODBC? ODBC is Open Database Connectivity. This is a Microsoft system which can make many kind of database format can be known by other systems. At this article, we need to transfer the mdb Access database to ODBC, and then from the OpenOffice Base, we can open the specific name of ODBC files.

Step by Step Create ODBC for mdb files

1. Open Start > Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Data Sources (ODBC)
2. If we want the ODBC can be open with everyone which is use this computer, choose System DSN
3. Click Add
4. Drag down and choose Microsoft Access Driver (*.mdb)
5. At the Data Source Name: put the name we want
6. Click Select to choose the Access mdb files location, and continue with click OK
7. Done, the ODBC already created and ready to open with OpenOffice Base.

How to Open ODBC from OpenOffice Base

1. Open OpenOffice Base software
2. At the Select Database, choose "Open to an existing database"
3. Drop down and choose "ODBC", Click Next
4. Choose ODBC datasource name by click Browse button, and choose what we need 
5. Click Next and then Click Finish
6. OpenOffice Base will ask to save as new file, just give the filename (with ODF is recommended) and click Save
7. Finish, we will see directly the tables which is save inside the database
8. To open, double click the table name

Next time, if we want to open that ODBC files, just click the file with ODF extension which we already save before.