ADO.NET Entity Framework with OLE DB Access Data Source

Question

Has anyone found a way to make the ADO.NET Entity Framework work with OLE DB or ODBC data sources? Specifically, I need to work with an Access database that for various reasons can't be upsized to SQL.

This MSDN page says:

The .NET Framework includes ADO.NET providers for direct access to Microsoft SQL Server (including Entity Framework support), and for indirect access to other databases with ODBC and OLE DB drivers (see .NET Framework Data Providers). For direct access to other databases, many third-party providers are available as shown below.

The reference to "indirect access to other databases" is tantalising but I confess that I am hopelessly confused by all the different names for data access technology.

Answer 1

I'm facing the same problem. The Internet hoster we have does not support SQL Express or even SQL Server and for some political reasons we cannot change this provider. Therefore I have the choice between MySQL and Access... and now I think I just have to code everything the old-way, without LINQ and the nice associated features. Too bad. But when you see Access 2007, you clearly understand that Microsoft has decided to kill this product. Cry, baby cry...