| Product(s): | WaterGEMS, WaterCAD, HAMMER, SewerGEMS, SewerCAD, StormCAD, CivilStorm, OpenRoads Designer, OpenSite Designer, OpenRail Designer |
| Version(s): | 10.XX.XX.XX and higher |
| Area: | Installation |
What versions of the Microsoft Access Database Engine (ADE) component are installed as a prerequisite for the OpenFlows products above?
Since older versions of ADE are no longer supported by Microsoft, can they be removed or replaced with another version?
Access 2010 is at end of life: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/end-of-support/end-of-support-2020
Access 2016 is on extended support until 2025: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/end-of-support/end-of-support-2025
The "Access Database Engine" is not the complete version of Microsoft Access but rather it is a small prerequisite component that programs (including but not limited to the OpenFlows products) need to use in order to communicate with Office files like Excel spreadsheets and Access databases. So, if you need to use ModelBuilder or SCADAConnect to import data from an Excel spreadsheet or Access database, you will need to have the Access Database Engine installed, or the full version of Microsoft update (see this). Currently there is no replacement component so the OpenFlows products must use ADE or Office 365 in order to work with these files.
If these components are missing or if ADE is installed in the wrong order, you can encounter problems working with Excel and Access files as described in these articles:
As of the 2024 releases of the water, storm and sewer products, Access Database Engine 2016 (64-bit) and 2007 (32-bit) will be installed. Past versions used 2010 (64-bit) and 2007 (32-bit).
If you are using an older version, need to work with Access or Excel files within the OpenFlows product and your company policy prevents the 2007 and 2010 versions of Access Database Engine from being installed, you can use the 2016 version instead, but you will be limited to using the 64-bit version of the OpenFlows software. This is usually not a problem since almost all systems are 64-bit and the standalone version of the OpenFlows software will be the 64-bit version by default. This can be confirmed from File > Help > About. First, uninstall the 2007 and 2010 versions from Windows "Programs and Features", then download the 2016 64-bit version from the link below and install it. Reopen the 64-bit OpenFlows product.
Note that the ArcMap integrated version of WaterGEMS and SewerGEMS is only 32-bit, so if you remove the 2007 and 2010 ADE versions and use 2016 64-bit, you will need to open the Standalone version in order to interact with Excel and Access files (the 64-bit ADE will not work in the 32-bit ArcMap). You can save the model in the standalone version once the data is imported, then close the Standalone version and open the model in the ArcMap integrated version. The ArcGIS Pro integrated version is 64-bit and would work with the 64-bit ADE 2016. Also note that ArcMap integration will no longer be supported in future versions, which means the OpenFlows applications will be 64-bit only and thus only require ADE 2016 or the full version of Office 365.
The OpenFlows products will operate without a problem if you uninstall all versions of Access Database Engine. The only time they are used in the software is when working with Excel or Access files in the ModelBuilder or SCADAConnect tools. Even then, if you need to use an Excel or Access file within the OpenFlows applications, you would need to manually install Microsoft 365 Access Runtime (x64) and a supported version of Microsoft Office 2021 (x64) or higher with latest updates (run a repair on the installation if issues occur after uninstalling Access Database Engine 2016).
Exception: for FlowMaster, older model files were based on .MDB files and will not open without Access Database Engine or Microsoft 365 Access Runtime (x64) and a supported version of Microsoft Office 2021 (x64) or higher with latest updates.
Microsoft Visual C++ runtime versions installed with OpenFlows products