I'm missing something and would appreciate guidance.

I have an msaccess database with a table that has a variable defined as a blob.

I have filemaker 5.0 pro unlimited. My objective is to get the blob variable from the msaccess table into a container field in Filemaker. Import seemed an obvious solution, but I'm stumped. Below is my import dilemma. If there is a better way, I'd like to know.

I have win98 control panel, odbc 32 bit set up so that I can use Filemaker to import the msaccess table via ODBC.

However, the blob variable is not available for import. It shows in the list, but cannot be imported.

As I reread the documentation again, I think it tells me that I can get a blob via odbc into Filemaker, but I have to go through one more step via SQL and scriptmaker.

It isn't clicking for me. Would someone point out the obvious, please.

Filemaker versions 6 & earlier do NOT support BLOB fields. Thier container is some other kind of field. Filemaker v7 DOES support BLOB fields with its "container" data type. However Filemaker v7 requires WinXP and is a different data file structure than FMP 5/6 and it not backwardly compatible.

Thank you for answering so promptly.

It would appear I have 2 options:

1. Find the money for Filemaker 7, find the money for WinXP, create a runtime solution.

OR

1. Find the money for Visual Basic, write the code to extract the BLOB from MSAccess, feed the result via flat file to Filemaker 5.

Looks like I'll need to go polish some apples and sharpen some pencils to sell on the corner

beckysue

yuck.

Fortunately, I know little about Access... but does Access not let you change BLOB fields to TEXT fields, assuming the blobs fit? What I'm thinking is... why can you not change things on the Access side to make FM happy?

--ST