converting_databases

#Converting Database Schema: From Access to Django Audience: Developers looking to recreate this process for new databases or due to bugs discovered down the line necessitating starting over again

What follows is the process used to generate the Django schema (models.py) starting with the supplied Access 2010 database file.

##Install and Configure MySQL

• #Where to get it# Best way to install is downloading the 32-bit installer. https://dev.mysql.com/downloads/installer/
• The file downloaded will be "mysql-installer-web-community-5.7.17.0". Double click or right click install. This will open an installer where you would choose custom option and then select all 32 bit (x86) versions of MySQl server, Workbench 6.3 , MySQL connector/ODBC 5.3. Click next and select folder in program Files (x86).
• #how to run it# Click next again and make sure everything you need is selected. Click execute.
• This will be followed by a windows which let you setup a server. Let everything set to defualt and give a password when prompted. Keep this password written and safe. (This will be used later to connect to Access / Django). Pres Execute again for final installation.
• #any possible confusing or custom steps for this process#

Once installed, open workbench.

• (confusing step 1...)

##Connect to Access Database##

• #How to point MySQL at Access DB File# Go to database migration wizard in workbench. Click open ODBC admin at bottom and add a user dsn with MS access .mdb/.accdb link. (This link with only show up if you have same Access version - 32bit on the machine)
• (Other things I'm forgetting):
  • (Creating empty MySQL DB)
  • (Steps to import schema/data)
  • (naming conventions)

##Install Django and Dependencies

• (Briefly where to go and any particularly confusing steps - when possible simply link to existing docs rather than re-write in detail)
• (List of dependencies and versions that need to be installed to the system (non-python packages, but DOES include python))
• (Spinning up your virtual environment - any particularly complicated steps)
  • command line entries look like this!
• (List of python packages to be installed to your virtual environment)

##Generating your Django Schema

• (? create new Django project)
• (Django settings for MySQL backend)
• (Process or command that actually reads the MySQL DB and creates the models.py file for Django)