Using Database Libraries with 32-bit and 64-bit Altium

Related Link:  Parts for Altium

Using Database Libraries with 32-bit and 64-bit Altium Design Software on the same Computer | Online Documentation for Altium Products: 

In the above link Altium offers 3 possible solutions to connect 32bit and 64bit versions of Altium to Microsoft Excel and Access.

Solutions:

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Note:

Altium Solution 1 (Install 64bit Office) applies to only AD18. You can not ping-pong between AD17 and AD18 if you install a 64bit version of MS Office.

Solution 1 does not apply to AD17, because AD17 is a 32bit application.

To support both AD17 and AD18 you need to use a 32bit version of MS Office and a 64bit Access Database Engine.

Altium Solution #2 for 32-bit Office 2007,2010,2013 or 2016 

Install 64-bit Microsoft Access Database Engine (2010)

then, 

Open the Registry Editor (regedit.exe from a Windows search) and browse to the following path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\14.0\Common\FilesPaths. 

Delete or rename the mso.dll registry entry.

Source Altium: 

Procedure for Installing 64-bit MS Access Database Drivers alongside 32-bit MS Office


Altium Solution #3 for Office 2007

The procedure to install the 64-bit Microsoft Access Database Engine (2010) first, followed by the 32-bit version (2007) of Microsoft Office, is as follows:

1. Uninstall all 32-bit Office installations (including language packs and so on). If you have installed the 32-bit Microsoft Access Database Engine 2010, or 2016, you must uninstall this too.
2. Install the 64-bit Microsoft Access Database Engine 2010.
3. Reboot your computer.
4. Test if your 64-bit Altium Design Software works with Database Libraries.
5. Install the 32-bit version of Microsoft Office (2007).
6. Reboot your computer.
7. Test if your 32-bit Altium Design Software works with Database Libraries.

My Solution for Office 2007 and AD17 / AD18 DBLib Access databases.

I used a variation of the Altium Solution #3 for Office 2007.

I had trouble completing the uninstall for Office 2007.  I used a Microsoft easy fix tool to completely uninstall Office 2007 and clean up the machine's registry.

Look for the Option 2 Download at:  Uninstall Office from a PC 

I chose to: Download Microsoft Access Database Engine 2016 Redistributable ...

After installing the 2016 Access Database Engine 64bit, I installed Office 2007.

Office 2007 is available only as a 32bit application. 64bit versions of Office started in 2010.

Now both AD17 (32bit) and AD18 (64bit) are able to connect to the same Access database.

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Related Links: 

Receiving the error message "We can't install the 64-bit version of office because we found the following 32-bit programs on your PC:"