MDB files on QGIS 3.28.3 on OS X Ventura aren't recognized.

[drf5n]

What is the bug or the crash?

2023-02-21T15:51:43 CRITICAL Invalid Data Source : /Users/drf/Downloads/YC_AllShores_1937_2021.mdb is not a valid or recognized data source.

Steps to reproduce the issue

0. Open a new project
1. Go to Layer/AddLayer/AddVectorLayer,
2. Choose an .mdb file
3. Click Add
4. See error on screen: Invalid Data Source: /Users/drf/Downloads/YC_AllShores_1937_2021.mdb is not a valid or recognized data source.

Versions

QGIS version	3.28.3-Firenze	QGIS code revision	9ae208a46d
Qt version	5.15.2
Python version	3.9.5
GDAL/OGR version	3.3.2
PROJ version	8.1.1
EPSG Registry database version	v10.028 (2021-07-07)
GEOS version	3.9.1-CAPI-1.14.2
SQLite version	3.35.2
PDAL version	2.3.0
PostgreSQL client version	unknown
SpatiaLite version	5.0.1
QWT version	6.1.6
QScintilla2 version	2.11.5
OS version	macOS 13.2
Active Python plugins
FreehandRasterGeoreferencer	0.8.3
QuickOSM	2.1.1
profiletool	4.2.2
quick_map_services	0.19.33
DEMto3D	3.51
LAStools	1.4
GeoCoding	2.18
latlontools	3.6.8
crayfish	3.6.0
processing	2.12.99
sagaprovider	2.12.99
grassprovider	2.12.99
db_manager	0.1.20
MetaSearch	0.3.6

QGIS version 3.28.3-Firenze QGIS code revision [9ae208a46d](https://github.com/qgis/QGIS/commit/9ae208a46d) Qt version 5.15.2 Python version 3.9.5 GDAL/OGR version 3.3.2 PROJ version 8.1.1 EPSG Registry database version v10.028 (2021-07-07) GEOS version 3.9.1-CAPI-1.14.2 SQLite version 3.35.2 PDAL version 2.3.0 PostgreSQL client version unknown SpatiaLite version 5.0.1 QWT version 6.1.6 QScintilla2 version 2.11.5 OS version macOS 13.2

Active Python plugins FreehandRasterGeoreferencer 0.8.3 QuickOSM 2.1.1 profiletool 4.2.2 quick_map_services 0.19.33 DEMto3D 3.51 LAStools 1.4 GeoCoding 2.18 latlontools 3.6.8 crayfish 3.6.0 processing 2.12.99 sagaprovider 2.12.99 grassprovider 2.12.99 db_manager 0.1.20 MetaSearch 0.3.6

Supported QGIS version

• [X] I'm running a supported QGIS version according to the roadmap.

New profile

• [X] I tried with a new QGIS profile

Additional context

Per https://github.com/qgis/QGIS/issues/27428 I tried the qgis's install of ogrinfo on the file with this output:

% /Applications/QGIS.app/Contents/MacOS/bin/ogrinfo ~/Downloads/YC_AllShores_1937_2021.mdb
ERROR 1: Unable to initialize ODBC connection to DSN for /Users/drf/Downloads/YC_AllShores_1937_2021.mdb,

ERROR 1: Unable to initialize ODBC connection to DSN for /Users/drf/Downloads/YC_AllShores_1937_2021.mdb,

FAILURE:
Unable to open datasource `/Users/drf/Downloads/YC_AllShores_1937_2021.mdb' with the following drivers.
  -> JP2ECW
  -> ESRIC
  -> PCIDSK
  -> netCDF
  -> PDS4
  -> VICAR
  -> JP2OpenJPEG
  -> PDF
  -> MBTiles
  -> BAG
  -> EEDA
  -> OGCAPI
  -> ESRI Shapefile
  -> MapInfo File
  -> UK .NTF
  -> LVBAG
  -> OGR_SDTS
  -> S57
  -> DGN
  -> OGR_VRT
  -> REC
  -> Memory
  -> CSV
  -> NAS
  -> GML
  -> GPX
  -> LIBKML
  -> KML
  -> GeoJSON
  -> GeoJSONSeq
  -> ESRIJSON
  -> TopoJSON
  -> Interlis 1
  -> Interlis 2
  -> OGR_GMT
  -> GPKG
  -> SQLite
  -> ODBC
  -> WAsP
  -> PGeo
  -> MSSQLSpatial
  -> PostgreSQL
  -> OpenFileGDB
  -> DXF
  -> CAD
  -> FlatGeobuf
  -> Geoconcept
  -> GeoRSS
  -> GPSTrackMaker
  -> VFK
  -> PGDUMP
  -> OSM
  -> GPSBabel
  -> OGR_PDS
  -> WFS
  -> OAPIF
  -> Geomedia
  -> EDIGEO
  -> SVG
  -> CouchDB
  -> Cloudant
  -> Idrisi
  -> ARCGEN
  -> XLS
  -> ODS
  -> XLSX
  -> Elasticsearch
  -> Walk
  -> Carto
  -> AmigoCloud
  -> SXF
  -> Selafin
  -> JML
  -> PLSCENES
  -> CSW
  -> VDV
  -> GMLAS
  -> MVT
  -> NGW
  -> MapML
  -> TIGER
  -> AVCBin
  -> AVCE00
  -> HTTP

Using a homebrew installation of gdal on the same machine I got this output:

% /usr/local/bin/ogrinfo ~/Downloads/YC_AllShores_1937_2021.mdb
ERROR 1: ODBC: MDB Tools driver not found!

INFO: Open of `/Users/drf/Downloads/YC_AllShores_1937_2021.mdb'
      using driver `PGeo' successful.
1: Shorelines1937_thru_2021 (Multi Line String)
2: Transects1937_2021 (Multi Line String)
... [redacted]

[drf5n]

On a Mac, where would the gdal drivers be looking for the libraries and the ???/etc/odbcinst.ini files?

To get the Homebrew installation working, I needed /opt/homebrew/lib/odbc/libmdbodbc.dylib and an /opt/homebrew/etc/odbcinst.ini file like this:

[Microsoft Access Driver (*.mdb)]
Description = MDB Tools ODBC drivers
Driver = /opt/homebrew/lib/odbc/libmdbodbc.dylib
Setup = 
FileUsage = 1
UsageCount = 1

Maybe the Mac QGIS gdal install has odd path name expectations for the PGeo driver's ODBC needs?

[danielraziel]

It's a year later but my problem got fixed. I realized the folder path had some persian fonts in it. although the persian names weren't a problem for shapes, but for MDB files it seems they were.