Windows 7 (64-bit) compatibility of VBA/Excel and Access applications

Question

I am currently investigating the possible issues when migrating from Windows XP 32bit to Windows 7 64-bit. The scope is MS Excel (32-bit), MS Access (32-bit) using VBA/Macros addins, ODBC and all related issues.

For example: if you use excel (32-bit) and oracle 32-bit odbc driver. There is an issue described at: http://www.dbmotive.com/oracle_error_codes.php?type=ORA&errcode=6413

are there any (other) known issues / resources / websites / tools about this ?

Solution

I can't speak to Excel, but for Access, these are my links for 64-bit issues:

• Compatibility Between the 32-bit and 64-bit Versions of Office 2010
• Office 2010 - about the 64-bit version
• Installing Office 2010 64-bit
• Office 32-bit or 64-bit - which version is installed?
• Office 32 and 64 bit on the same machine
• Preparing for Office 2010 64-bit
• 64-bit Office - is it worth the trouble?

Comments

[David W. Fenton]

That's an error in the programming of the Oracle ODBC driver, since "(" and ")" are perfectly valid characters on Windows. That is, this is not a 64-bit issue at all -- the problem would occur on 32-bit Windows if you installed the ODBC driver in a folder with "(" or ")" in the name.

[detective0922]

thx for the reply.addition: the scope is office 2007 (32-bit), so no 64-bit office. This is not an option.

[David W. Fenton]

There are no issues with 32-bit Office (or any other 32-bit apps) running on Windows 64-bit, so far as I know. The only place there can be issues is if your apps depend on outside components that won't run on 64-bit Windows. Out-of-box, there are no such dependencies in Office 2007. And so far as I know, it's pretty hard to break a 32-bit app under 64-bit Windows unless the app is doing the kind of stuff that is hardwired in a way that won't run inside the 32-bit subsystem. That would likely indicate a poorly-written program that should be replaced with something better.

[David W. Fenton]

Also, I wasn't even beginning to suggest using 64-bit Office. Had you read any of the links after the first, you'd know that.