[ms-access] How can I get table names from an MS Access Database?

Microsoft SQL Server and MySQL have an INFORMATION_SCHEMA table that I can query. However it does not exist in an MS Access database.

Is there an equivalent I can use?

Schema information which is designed to be very close to that of the SQL-92 INFORMATION_SCHEMA may be obtained for the Jet/ACE engine (which is what I assume you mean by 'access') via the OLE DB providers.

See:

OpenSchema Method (ADO)

Supported Schema Rowsets

Getting a list of tables:

SELECT 
    Table_Name = Name, 
FROM 
    MSysObjects 
WHERE 
    (Left([Name],1)<>"~") 
    AND (Left([Name],4) <> "MSys") 
    AND ([Type] In (1, 4, 6)) 
ORDER BY 
    Name

SELECT 
Name 
FROM 
MSysObjects 
WHERE 
(Left([Name],1)<>"~") 
AND (Left([Name],4) <> "MSys") 
AND ([Type] In (1, 4, 6)) 
ORDER BY 
Name

Schema information which is designed to be very close to that of the SQL-92 INFORMATION_SCHEMA may be obtained for the Jet/ACE engine (which is what I assume you mean by 'access') via the OLE DB providers.

See:

OpenSchema Method (ADO)

Supported Schema Rowsets

Here is an updated answer which works in Access 2010 VBA using Data Access Objects (DAO). The table's name is held in TableDef.Name. The collection of all table definitions is held in TableDefs. Here is a quick example of looping through the table names:

Dim db as Database
Dim td as TableDef
Set db = CurrentDb()
For Each td In db.TableDefs
  YourSubTakingTableName(td.Name)
Next td

You can use schemas in Access.

Sub ListAccessTables2(strDBPath)
   Dim cnnDB As ADODB.Connection
   Dim rstList As ADODB.Recordset

   Set cnnDB = New ADODB.Connection

   ' Open the connection.
   With cnnDB
      .Provider = "Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0"
      .Open strDBPath
   End With

   ' Open the tables schema rowset.
   Set rstList = cnnDB.OpenSchema(adSchemaTables)

   ' Loop through the results and print the
   ' names and types in the Immediate pane.
   With rstList
      Do While Not .EOF
         If .Fields("TABLE_TYPE") <> "VIEW" Then
            Debug.Print .Fields("TABLE_NAME") & vbTab & _
               .Fields("TABLE_TYPE")
         End If
         .MoveNext
      Loop
   End With
   cnnDB.Close
   Set cnnDB = Nothing
End Sub

From: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa165325(office.10).aspx

Getting a list of tables:

SELECT 
    Table_Name = Name, 
FROM 
    MSysObjects 
WHERE 
    (Left([Name],1)<>"~") 
    AND (Left([Name],4) <> "MSys") 
    AND ([Type] In (1, 4, 6)) 
ORDER BY 
    Name

Here is an updated answer which works in Access 2010 VBA using Data Access Objects (DAO). The table's name is held in TableDef.Name. The collection of all table definitions is held in TableDefs. Here is a quick example of looping through the table names:

Dim db as Database
Dim td as TableDef
Set db = CurrentDb()
For Each td In db.TableDefs
  YourSubTakingTableName(td.Name)
Next td

Best not to mess with msysObjects (IMHO).

CurrentDB.TableDefs
CurrentDB.QueryDefs
CurrentProject.AllForms
CurrentProject.AllReports
CurrentProject.AllMacros

You can use schemas in Access.

Sub ListAccessTables2(strDBPath)
   Dim cnnDB As ADODB.Connection
   Dim rstList As ADODB.Recordset

   Set cnnDB = New ADODB.Connection

   ' Open the connection.
   With cnnDB
      .Provider = "Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0"
      .Open strDBPath
   End With

   ' Open the tables schema rowset.
   Set rstList = cnnDB.OpenSchema(adSchemaTables)

   ' Loop through the results and print the
   ' names and types in the Immediate pane.
   With rstList
      Do While Not .EOF
         If .Fields("TABLE_TYPE") <> "VIEW" Then
            Debug.Print .Fields("TABLE_NAME") & vbTab & _
               .Fields("TABLE_TYPE")
         End If
         .MoveNext
      Loop
   End With
   cnnDB.Close
   Set cnnDB = Nothing
End Sub

From: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa165325(office.10).aspx

Schema information which is designed to be very close to that of the SQL-92 INFORMATION_SCHEMA may be obtained for the Jet/ACE engine (which is what I assume you mean by 'access') via the OLE DB providers.

See:

OpenSchema Method (ADO)

Supported Schema Rowsets

You can use schemas in Access.

Sub ListAccessTables2(strDBPath)
   Dim cnnDB As ADODB.Connection
   Dim rstList As ADODB.Recordset

   Set cnnDB = New ADODB.Connection

   ' Open the connection.
   With cnnDB
      .Provider = "Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0"
      .Open strDBPath
   End With

   ' Open the tables schema rowset.
   Set rstList = cnnDB.OpenSchema(adSchemaTables)

   ' Loop through the results and print the
   ' names and types in the Immediate pane.
   With rstList
      Do While Not .EOF
         If .Fields("TABLE_TYPE") <> "VIEW" Then
            Debug.Print .Fields("TABLE_NAME") & vbTab & _
               .Fields("TABLE_TYPE")
         End If
         .MoveNext
      Loop
   End With
   cnnDB.Close
   Set cnnDB = Nothing
End Sub

From: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa165325(office.10).aspx

Best not to mess with msysObjects (IMHO).

CurrentDB.TableDefs
CurrentDB.QueryDefs
CurrentProject.AllForms
CurrentProject.AllReports
CurrentProject.AllMacros

Schema information which is designed to be very close to that of the SQL-92 INFORMATION_SCHEMA may be obtained for the Jet/ACE engine (which is what I assume you mean by 'access') via the OLE DB providers.

See:

OpenSchema Method (ADO)

Supported Schema Rowsets

Getting a list of tables:

SELECT 
    Table_Name = Name, 
FROM 
    MSysObjects 
WHERE 
    (Left([Name],1)<>"~") 
    AND (Left([Name],4) <> "MSys") 
    AND ([Type] In (1, 4, 6)) 
ORDER BY 
    Name