Oppposite Workings of OLEDB/ODBC between Python and MS Access VBA

Question

Fellow more advanced programmers:

Please forgive me if this seems like the tired Python 32-bit/64-bit ODBC/OLEDB Windows issue but I tried searching the forums and c

Answer 1

Short answer:

Yes, to minimize headaches you should be running a 64-bit version of Python if you have 64-bit Office installed and you want to manipulate Access databases from Python.

Longer answer:

The older "Jet" engine/drivers and the newer Access Database Engine (a.k.a. "ACE") engine/drivers are completely separate entities.

The older "Jet" drivers...

 ODBC: Driver={Microsoft Access Driver (*.mdb)}
OLEDB: Provider=Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0  

... are installed as an integral part of the Windows OS but they only available to 32-bit applications.

You have 64-bit Office installed, so you have the 64-bit version of the newer "ACE" drivers ...

 ODBC: Driver={Microsoft Access Driver (*.mdb, *.accdb)}
OLEDB: Provider=Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0  

... and they are only available to 64-bit applications.

Your current 32-bit Python environment can use the Jet drivers but not the ACE drivers

You have the 64-bit version of Access, therefore your VBA code is running in the 64-bit universe and it can use the ACE drivers but not the Jet drivers.