Catalog ActiveConnection property example (VB)

Applies to: Access 2013, Office 2013

Setting the ActiveConnection property to a valid, open connection "opens" the catalog. From an open catalog, you can access the schema objects contained within that catalog.

 
    ' BeginOpenConnectionVB 
    Sub OpenConnection() 
    On Error GoTo OpenConnectionError 
    
    Dim cnn As New ADODB.Connection 
    Dim cat As New ADOX.Catalog 
    
    cnn.Open "Provider='Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0';" & _ 
    "Data Source= 'c:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\" & _ 
    "Office\Samples\Northwind.mdb';" 
    Set cat.ActiveConnection = cnn 
    Debug.Print cat.Tables(0).Type 
    
    'Clean up 
    cnn.Close 
    Set cat = Nothing 
    Set cnn = Nothing 
    Exit Sub 
    
    OpenConnectionError: 
    
    Set cat = Nothing 
    
    If Not cnn Is Nothing Then 
    If cnn.State = adStateOpen Then cnn.Close 
    End If 
    Set cnn = Nothing 
    
    If Err <> 0 Then 
    MsgBox Err.Source & "-->" & Err.Description, , "Error" 
    End If 
    End Sub 
    ' EndOpenConnectionVB 

Setting the ActiveConnection property to a valid connection string also "opens" the catalog.

    ' BeginOpenConnection2VB 
    Sub Main() 
     On Error GoTo OpenConnectionWithStringError 
     Dim cat As New ADOX.Catalog 
     
     cat.ActiveConnection = "Provider='Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0';" & _ 
     "Data Source='c:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\" & _ 
     "Office\Samples\Northwind.mdb';" 
     Debug.Print cat.Tables(0).Type 
     
     'Clean up 
     Set cat.ActiveConnection = Nothing 
     Exit Sub 
     
    OpenConnectionWithStringError: 
     Set cat = Nothing 
     
     If Err <> 0 Then 
     MsgBox Err.Source & "-->" & Err.Description, , "Error" 
     End If 
    End Sub 
    ' EndOpenConnection2VB