Compacted database opens but is not visible

[N2Life]

I have run into this problem enough times now, that I want to bring it to this forum. I have an Access database (Access 2000, running under Windows xp). I add queries, revise forms or reports, etc. Then I close the database and click on Compact and Repair. Everything proceeds normally. I rename the old database Whatever_old.mdb, then rename the compacted "db1" as Whatever.mdb.

Sometimes after doing this, I can double-click on the now compacted file. In Explorer I can see that the usual .ldb file has been created, but Access is nowhere to be seen. I have to restart my computer to make this invisible Access go away.

Fortunately, still having a copy of the file as it was before being compacted, I open it, perhaps insert a blank line in the code somewhere, remove the line, then compile, save, and re-compact, and everything may turn out fine this time.

Has anyone else ever had this problem? Any ideas on what's causing it? Is this just one of those (Microsoft) things? I used to delete the old version right after compacting, but now regularly save it in case this problems comes up. Thanks.

 

[smedvid]

Have u tried using Access-XP (2002)? I had several issues with Access-2000, and opted to use Access-XP. I still develop/support Access-2000 application, but use Access-XP to do it. I even deleted Access-2000 off my PC to eliminate any potential conflicts with multiple versions of Access installed.

Another possiblity is Access-2000 is corrupt or requires a patch. Re-install Access-2000 and apply all patches.
htwh,

Steve Medvid
"IT Consultant & Web Master"

http://www.saveourfarm.com

Chester County, PA Residents
Please Show Your Support...

 

[N2Life]

Thanks for the response, Steve. Actually I have XP-Office Professional on my computer, but write most Access programs as Access 2000 because that's all some of my customers have. Today the same thing happened during a visit with a client, using the client's computer. I installed several new forms, etc., then compacted. Got the same bad result described in my first posting.

And even stranger, one time I compacted and then tried running the db1.mdb that resulted. It launched perfectly. Then I renamed to the original database name. When I double-clicked in Explorer, I got the bad result again even though this same file had just opened properly when named db1.mdb! Next time, I renamed to OriginalName2. The "2" seemed to do the trick. I will wait to see what happens if I always give the compacted database a brand new name. Maybe the operating system somehow still has the original name "out there" and gets confused. But this doesn't happen all the time, and I didn't have this problem several months ago.

Does anybody know if anyone from Microsoft monitors these forums?

 

[N2Life]

I have been searching for more help about my problem.

I found this at Utter Access Discussion Forums:
Posted on 01/20/05 10:32 AM
Intermittently our team cannot open Access. We double click a .mdb icon and a .ldb file is created but Access does not open. Double clicking it again does nothing, the DB won't open. You cannot delete the .ldb because it says the file is in use.

When we go into task manager and look at the processes tab we see we have multiple instances of MSAccess open (when none are). If we kill all of them, then the DB opens normally.

It appears as if Access is not closing properly and continues to run in the background and causes trouble when you try to open another DB. We have been unable to replicate the issue on demand so we do not know under what circumstances this is happening (lord knows we have tried though). We have 5 team members and it has happened to all of us at least once, but some much more than others. It has almost become a competition with us as to who can solve this riddle.

This also happens to me with Word in that I will have Word running in my processes, but Word will not actually be open. Thankfully, this does not cause any issues like the Access bug.

Has anyone else experienced this?


The posting was followed by this (not so helpful) response:

It is best to open Access and then the db... If your icon is a shortcut to the mdb, then do this... navigate to where the Access program file is stored ie: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office right-click on MSACCESS.EXE and choose "Send To Desktop (create Shortcut) go to the desktop and right-click the icon and choose "Properties" in the TARGET box, after the path and program name, type a space and then "d:\youfullpath\yourdatabase.mdb" where d: is the drive your db is on you can also rename your icon and change the icon image...


Just thought I would share this with the forum.
N2Life