Updating an SQLite database via an ODBC linked table in Access Updating an SQLite database via an ODBC linked table in Access sqlite sqlite

Updating an SQLite database via an ODBC linked table in Access


My initial attempt to recreate your issue was unsuccessful. I used the following on my 32-bit test VM:

  • Access 2010
  • SQLite 3.8.2
  • SQLite ODBC Driver 0.996

I created and populated the test table [tbl1] as documented here. I created an Access linked table and when prompted I chose both columns ([one] and [two]) as the Primary Key. When I opened the linked table in Datasheet View I was able to add, edit, and delete records without incident.

The only difference I can see between my setup and yours (apart from the fact that I am on 32-bit and you are on 64-bit) is that in the ODBC DSN settings I left the Sync.Mode setting at its default value of NORMAL, whereas yours appears to be set to OFF.

Try setting your Sync.Mode to NORMAL and see if that makes a difference.

Edit re: comments

The solution in this case was the following:

One possible workaround would be to create a new SQLite table with all the same columns plus a new INTEGER PRIMARY KEY column which Access will "see" as AutoNumber. You can create a unique index on (what are currently) the first four columns to ensure that they remain unique, but the new new "identity" (ROWID) column is what Access would use to identify rows for CRUD operations.


I had this problem too. I have a table with a primary key on a VARCHAR(30) (TEXT) field.

Adding an INTEGER PRIMARY KEY column didn't help at all. After lots of testing I found the issue was with a DATETIME field I had in the table. I removed the DATETIME field and I was able to update record values in MS-Access datasheet view.

So now any DATETIME fields I need in SQLite, I declare as VARCHAR(19) so they some into Access via ODBC as text. Not perfect but it works. (And of course SQLite doesn't have a real DATETIME field type anyway so TEXT is just fine and will convert OK)

I confirmed it's a number conversion issue. With an empty DATETIME field, I can add a time of 01-01-2014 12:01:02 via Access's datasheet view, if I then look at the value in SQLite the seconds have been rounded off:

    sqlite> SELECT three from TEST where FLoc='1020';2014-01-01 12:01:00.000

SYNCMODE should also be NORMAL not OFF.

Update:If you have any text fields with a defined length (e.g. foo VARCHAR(10)) and the field contents contains more characters than the field definition (which SQLite allows) MS-Access will also barf when trying to update any of the fields on that row.


I've searched all similar posts as I had a similar issue with SQLite linked via ODBC to Access. I had three tables, two of them allowed edits, but the third didn't. The third one had a DATETIME field and when I changed the data type to a TEXT field in the original SQLite database and relinked to access, I could edit the table. So for me it was confirmed as an issue with the DATETIME field.