Access Explorer
Created by Juanjo Luna · luna-soft · LinkedIn · GitHub
Explore and edit Microsoft Access databases (.accdb / .mdb) directly from VS Code.
🌐 Español · Deutsch
Access Explorer is built for people who maintain real Access projects and want modern editor ergonomics in VS Code without losing Access compatibility.
What You Can Do
- Explore fast: connect multiple
.accdb / .mdb files and browse a structured object tree (Tables, Queries, Forms, Reports, Macros, VBA Modules, Relationships, References).
- Work with SQL safely: run ad-hoc SQL, execute multi-statement batches, and get confirmation prompts for destructive operations.
- Move data in/out: import or export table data using CSV/XLSX directly from the extension.
- Maintain VBA comfortably: open, edit, and save VBA code from VS Code, then compile and inspect compile errors.
- Refactor with visibility: find usages across VBA, saved query SQL, and control properties in forms/reports.
- Keep databases healthy: run Compact & Repair and inspect MCP runtime status/update info.
- Use your language: UI available in English, German, and Spanish (follows VS Code display language).
In 30 Seconds
- Open the Access view in the Activity Bar.
- Run Access: Add Connection and pick an
.accdb file.
- Expand objects and open a query/module.
- For SQL: use Access: Temporary SQL or Access: Run SQL Query.
- For VBA: edit and click Access: Save Code to Access, then Access: Compile Module.
- For data exchange: run Access: Import/Export Data.
Prerequisites
| Requirement |
Details |
| Windows |
Required by Microsoft Access |
| Microsoft Access |
2010 or later (any version that supports VBE) |
| Python 3.9+ |
Required to run the MCP server |
| Access VBA trust |
Enable Trust access to the VBA project object model in Access Trust Center |
| MCP-Access |
Managed automatically by the extension on first use; manual setup is only for advanced scenarios (see Installation) |
Installation
Install the extension first. You do not need to install MCP-Access separately for normal use: on the first database connection the extension downloads and sets up the MCP runtime automatically.
Option A — Install from the Marketplace (recommended)
- Open VS Code and install Access Explorer from the Extensions view.
- Open an
.accdb file and run Access: Add Connection.
- When prompted, allow the extension to install the MCP runtime automatically.
Option B — Install from a VSIX file
- Download
access-explorer-x.x.x.vsix from the Releases section.
- In VS Code: Extensions → ··· → Install from VSIX... and select the file.
- Or from the terminal:
code --install-extension access-explorer-x.x.x.vsix
Option C — Build from source
git clone https://github.com/lunasoft2001/vscode-access.git
cd vscode-access
npm install
npm run compile
npx vsce package # generates the .vsix file
code --install-extension access-explorer-x.x.x.vsix
Requires Node.js 18+ and @vscode/vsce (npm install -g @vscode/vsce).
First run
On the first connection to a database, Access Explorer sets up the MCP runtime automatically:
- It downloads MCP-Access.
- It creates a Python virtual environment.
- It installs the required Python packages.
- It stores the runtime under the extension's managed folder.
If Python or Git is missing, the extension shows guided recovery actions instead of failing silently.
Manual MCP installation (only if automatic setup fails or you want a standalone runtime)
Clone or download the server from github.com/unmateria/MCP-Access:
# Option A: with Git
git clone https://github.com/unmateria/MCP-Access.git
cd MCP-Access
# Option B: without Git (download ZIP)
$zip = "$env:TEMP\MCP-Access-main.zip"
Invoke-WebRequest https://github.com/unmateria/MCP-Access/archive/refs/heads/main.zip -OutFile $zip
Expand-Archive -Path $zip -DestinationPath . -Force
cd .\MCP-Access-main
py -3 -m venv .venv
.\.venv\Scripts\python.exe -m pip install --upgrade pip
.\.venv\Scripts\python.exe -m pip install --only-binary :all: cryptography # recommended on Windows ARM64
.\.venv\Scripts\python.exe -m pip install mcp pywin32 Pillow
Then set accessExplorer.mcp.serverScriptPath in VS Code Settings to the full path of access_mcp_server.py.
Configuration
After installing the extension, these settings are available in VS Code Settings (Ctrl+,). All settings are optional — the extension works out of the box with its automatic setup.
| Setting |
Description |
Example |
accessExplorer.mcp.serverScriptPath |
Absolute path to access_mcp_server.py (leave empty to use the auto-managed runtime) |
C:\\tools\\mcp-access\\access_mcp_server.py |
accessExplorer.mcp.pythonCommand |
Python command (leave empty to use the auto-managed venv) |
python or py |
accessExplorer.mcp.toolPrefix |
Tool prefix used by the MCP server |
access |
accessExplorer.mcp.requestTimeoutMs |
Timeout for general MCP calls (ms) |
30000 |
accessExplorer.mcp.sqlQueryTimeoutMs |
Timeout for SQL execution (ms) |
600000 |
Common Workflows
1) SQL maintenance and diagnostics
- Open Access: Temporary SQL.
- Run single SQL or multi-statement scripts.
- Review results grid or batch execution report.
2) VBA fix-and-compile loop
- Open a module/form/report code object from the tree.
- Edit in VS Code.
- Save with Access: Save Code to Access.
- Compile with Access: Compile Module or Access: Compile VBA.
3) Data migration with CSV/XLSX
- Run Access: Import/Export Data.
- Choose Import or Export.
- Pick table, file, and options (headers, range/spec when applicable).
- Review the generated operation report.
Command Cheat Sheet
| Command |
What it is for |
Access: Add Connection |
Connect a new Access database |
Access: Search Objects |
Quickly find and open DB objects |
Access: Find Usages |
Cross-search text in VBA, queries, and control properties |
Access: Temporary SQL |
Open a scratch SQL editor |
Access: Run SQL Query |
Execute SQL immediately |
Access: Execute Active SQL |
Run selected SQL (or full SQL document) |
Access: Import/Export Data |
Transfer table data via CSV/XLSX |
Access: Save Code to Access |
Push edited VBA/form/report code back to Access |
Access: Compile Module / Access: Compile VBA |
Validate VBA and surface errors |
Access: Compact & Repair |
Maintenance and file cleanup |
Access: Show MCP Runtime |
Inspect runtime path/version/source and update state |
Version History
This README now includes a short release summary for quick overview.
For full details, see CHANGELOG.md.
- v1.2.0: Marketplace documentation overhaul and clearer onboarding (What You Can Do, 30-second start, workflows, command cheat sheet). Includes new feature discoverability for SQL batch execution, CSV/XLSX data transfer, and Find Usages.
- v1.1.4: MCP version detection improved — now extracts version from commit messages when Git tags unavailable (e.g., "v0.7.43"), giving users better MCP build visibility.
- v1.1.6: Installation docs simplified so Marketplace install, VSIX install, first-run MCP setup, and advanced manual setup are easier to follow.
- v1.1.3: Marketplace release bump for the latest Access Explorer fixes and published update.
- v1.0.13: Auto-installs
Pillow when PIL is missing for screenshots; guided repair flow when mcp_access module is absent.
- v1.0.14: Adds
Access: Show MCP Runtime command with copy-ready mcp.json snippet and runtime folder reveal.
- v1.0.12: Auto-enables Access Trust Center VBA access (
AccessVBOM) during setup (best effort).
- v1.0.11: Uses extension-managed MCP runtime storage (
globalStorage) by default.
- v1.0.10: Adds MCP-Access ZIP fallback when Git is unavailable.
From the next versions onward, this section will be updated with each release (fixes, improvements, and new features).
Credits
Access Explorer is developed and maintained by Juanjo Luna — luna-soft.
This extension uses MCP-Access as the backend server to communicate with Microsoft Access.
MCP-Access is an independent project distributed under its own license. All rights belong to their respective authors.
Communication protocol: Model Context Protocol (MCP).
License
© 2026 Juanjo Luna — luna-soft
This extension is licensed under the Polyform Noncommercial License 1.0.0.
Free for personal, educational, and non-commercial use.
Commercial use (including integration into commercial products, services, or use by a for-profit entity for business purposes) requires a separate written commercial license from the author.
To inquire about commercial licensing, contact: juanjo@luna-soft.es
