The Problem (Q-score 5, ranked #34th of 67 in the Access VBA archive)
The scenario as originally posted in 2009
Question: We’ve started a project for a customer, which includes what would normally be done with a database.
However, the customer wants no database installed, since it’s only a little application.
We however intend to reuse the code for a larger project, which will use a database.
The problem is all the server side code will be different if I’m using XML or SQlite or Access.
I’m tending towards SQlite, but I don’t know.
Would adding the database in an MS-Access file be a better solution?
If I would put it into an access database, does the customer need MS-Access installed or only the MSFT MDAC ? If I use the Access DB, will that run under Linux with Mono, too, or is there no MDAC replacement ?
Why community consensus is tight on this one
Across 67 Access VBA entries in the archive, the accepted answer here holds niche answer (below median) status — meaning voters are unusually aligned on the right fix.
The Verified Solution — niche answer (below median) (+8)
Advisory answer — community consensus with reference links
Note: the verified answer below is a reference / advisory response rather than a copy-ready snippet.
I would consider using NHibernate, you can hook it up to SQLite, but can upgrade later to a full database later without needing to change much code. If you’re not keen on this, I would use SQLite directly over XML files.
When to Use It — vintage (14+ years old, pre-2013)
Ranked #34th in its category — specialized fit
This pattern sits in the 74% tail relative to the top answer. Reach for it when your scenario closely matches the question title; otherwise browse the Access VBA archive for a higher-consensus alternative.
What changed between 2009 and 2026
The answer is 17 years old. The Access VBA object model has been stable across Office 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, 365, and 2024/2026 LTSC, so the pattern still compiles. Changes that might affect you: 64-bit API declarations (use PtrSafe), blocked macros in downloaded files (Mark-of-the-Web), and the shift toward Office Scripts for web-first workflows.