Send and Receive SMS messages from Microsoft Access

Related pages:
SMS MESSAGES FROM SQL
SQL CREATE TABLE scripts

In this step-by-step tutorial we explain how to create an Access application, which is capable of sending and receiving SMS messages. In order to use this tutorial, you need an installed copy of OZEKI SMS and MICROSOFT ACCESS



Step 1 - create an Access database

First you must create a database. You can give it any name. In this example we named it ozeki . In this database you need to create two tables. One of these tables is going to be used for sending SMS messages while the other is going to be used for receiving. It is important that the table used for sending messages is named ozekismsout and the table used for receiving messages is named ozekismsin. The columns in the tables should be created as presented on the following screenshot. You can add additional columns to both tables, but you cannot change the name of the columns used for sms sending and receiving. You can download this database in Access 97 format from here: ozeki.mdb. If you use Access 2000, you need to convert this mdb file to Access 2000 format. 

 (174kb) 






Step 2 - create an ODBC Connection

This connection will be used by the SMS server to insert incoming messages into your Access database and to search for outgoing messages in it. The ODBC connection can be created on the ODBC administrator available in the control panel. 





After the ODBC administrator has started you can create the connection in 4 simple steps:





Step 3 - Configure OZEKI SMS to use your newly created ODBC connection

This can be done by opening the Preferences form from the SMS Server menu. When the form is open, select the database tab and Build database connection string.















To build the ODBC connection string you must select the Microsoft OLE DB Provider for ODBC Drivers and you must select the connection you have created in the ODBC administrator.



Step 4 - Start the OZEKI SMS Server and send/receive SMS messages from MS Access
After you are done with the above mentioned configuration, you can start the SMS Server by clicking on the START button. 




When the server is starts, go to Access and send a message, by inserting a new record into the ozekismsout table. You must specify the receiver, enter the message in the msg field and set the status to send! (The incoming SMS messages will appear in the ozekismsin table.) 
 



IMPORTANT:

New versions of OZEKI SMS allow you to control the SQL queries used to access the data in your Access database . In these versions, you must modify these queries to make things work. Here is what you should do:

Remove the apostrophe around the word $id. ('$id' should be changed to $id)

Here is what you should get after modifying the SQL statements:




(This form can be accessed from Ozeki SMS after installing the Database Plugin and clicking on the Plugins / Database Configuration menu item)


If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact us, e-mail: sms@ozeki.hu

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