Unable to connect to Access database with ADO - excel

Question

I need to import a bunch of tables stored in .txt files into an Access database. When they are done importing, I use an ADO connection to communicate between the database and an Excel workbook. I have the Access database set to compact and repair on close.
The problem is, when I close the database after importing the files, I am unable to connect using ADO without waiting for an arbitrary amount of time. The Access window appears to be closed when I try to connect and fail. I have found that the amount of time I have to wait is related to the size of the database after import. After importing the largest sets of files, even a 60 second wait is not enough.
Is there some way I could force the connection to open? Of failing that, how could I check if it was ready to connect?
Here is some of the code I'm using:
MDB_Address = "C:\example.mdb"
Shell "cmd /c " & Chr(34) & MDB_Address & Chr(34), vbHide
'Some code that tests if it has opened happens here
...
Set ObjAccess = GetObject("C:\example.mdb")
' Import tables here
ObjAccess.Quit
Call CloseAccess
Call Wait
mdbPath = "C:\example.mdb"
Set mdbConnection = CreateObject("ADODB.Connection")
' The line below gives a run time error. The description is "Automation error Unspecified Error"
mdbConnection.Open "Provider=Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0; Data Source=" & mdbPath
Sub CloseAccess
' I have set up the access database to write a flag to a .txt file when a
userform closes and use this to help check if it has closed.
End Sub
Sub Wait
' Wait 5 seconds. The access window appears to be closed.
Dim nHour As Date, nMinute As Date, nSecond As Date, waitTime As Date
nHour = Hour(Now())
nMinute = Minute(Now())
nSecond = Second(Now()) + 5
waitTime = TimeSerial(nHour, nMinute, nSecond)
Application.Wait waitTime
End Sub

Answer 1

Here is what I have ended up doing to test if the database is closed. I use Windows API functions to get the process handle for the Access database and then get its exit status.
This seems to work pretty well. There are surely other ways of accomplishing this - I think there is an ldb file that is created in the directory and it would probably work to check for its existence.
Private Declare Function OpenProcess Lib "kernel32" _
(ByVal dwDesiredAccess As Long, ByVal bInheritHandle As Long, ByVal dwProcessId As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function GetExitCodeProcess Lib "kernel32" _
(ByVal hProcess As Long, lpExitCode As Long) As Long
'Open the data base
TaskID = Shell("cmd /c " & Chr(34) & MDB_Address & Chr(34), vbHide)
ACCESS_TYPE = &H400
hProc = OpenProcess(ACCESS_TYPE, False, TaskID)
'Some code that tests if it has opened happens here
...
Set ObjAccess = GetObject("C:\example.mdb")
' Import tables here
ObjAccess.Quit
Call CloseAccess
Sub CloseAccess()
Dim test As Long
'Test if the database has closed
Do Until lExitCode <> 259 And test <> 0
test = GetExitCodeProcess(hProc, lExitCode)
DoEvents
Loop
End Sub