Can't save DB on close

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Jan :) - 02 Apr 2008 01:35 GMT

Access 1007 - Windows Vista - Ultimate x64

I have suddenly started having problems with one of my Access databases not
being able to be saved/closed on exit. This is an established app, but,
only about 4 years old. It does not do this every time, only randomly.

I have it set up to Compact on Close, and have not had any problems with
this app in all this time. I have not made any recent changes to the app
itself, but, have installed some Office updates, and I was wondering it
perhaps one of these updates might have caused the app to suddenly corrupt.

The error message says it can't find the app it is not saving it, but, I do
a backup each time I make any changes to the db, and have a nightly
automatic backup to my external drive so that I have a recent copy.

But, I would like to find out what I need to do to correct the problem. I
am concerned that whatever it is that is causing the periodic problem could
also affect the backups, which so far has not proven to be the case.

Any suggestions for troubleshooting would be much appreciated.

Jan :)

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John W. Vinson - 02 Apr 2008 02:23 GMT

>I have suddenly started having problems with one of my Access databases not
>being able to be saved/closed on exit.

Ummmm...

It's never been necessary to save an Access database on exit. A database is
NOT a document; it's a container for multiple tables, queries, reports and
other object. Every change you make to the data in a table, or the structure
of a form, etc. is saved into the database when you make that change. There is
not even a SAVE or a SAVE AS option on the file menu for the Database itself.

What are you doing when you are able to "save"? What is it you are saving?

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John W. Vinson [MVP]

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Jan :) - 02 Apr 2008 02:40 GMT

> On Tue, 1 Apr 2008 20:35:52 -0400, "Jan :\)" <abuse@localhost.invalid>
> wrote:
[quoted text clipped - 16 lines]
>
> What are you doing when you are able to "save"? What is it you are saving?

Sorry, John, 'saving' may be the wrong word, but, when I exit out of the db
I get a diaglog box that says that the file/locaiton of the db is invalid,
thus it can't close it in the normal manner and it then just shuts down.
I've only been able to get a quick glimpse of the message before it shuts
down, so I'm not able to capture it. When I go to the folder to reopen the
db, it is no longer listed in that folder. When I open Access to try to open
the last db that was opened, it is not in the list. It just disappears, or,
maybe is saved someplace perhaps as a temp file, but, I don't know where.
When I open the backup file it opens fine and it may go along fine for a few
days, then suddenly, the same thing will happen. I have never had this
happen in any of my apps before.

Jan :)

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John W. Vinson - 02 Apr 2008 05:25 GMT

>Sorry, John, 'saving' may be the wrong word, but, when I exit out of the db
>I get a diaglog box that says that the file/locaiton of the db is invalid,
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
>days, then suddenly, the same thing will happen. I have never had this
>happen in any of my apps before.

A2007 - which I have *not* yet installed! - is much pickier about security
settings than older versions; and if you have Windows Vista, it also has some
strong opinions about the subject. Do you have *full* privileges to create,
edit, and delete files in the folder containing your database? You need such!

I would also suggest turning OFF the Compact on Close feature. I'm speculating
that Access is trying to compact; it does so by copying your database to a new
database (named db1.mdb or perhaps database1.mdb, not sure which A2007 uses),
and then deleting the current database and renaming the db1.mdb file. Are
there extra .mdb files in the folder? Does your account have privileges to
delete and rename them?

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John W. Vinson [MVP]

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Jan :) - 02 Apr 2008 13:29 GMT

> On Tue, 1 Apr 2008 21:40:20 -0400, "Jan :\)" <abuse@localhost.invalid>
> wrote:
[quoted text clipped - 23 lines]
> edit, and delete files in the folder containing your database? You need
> such!

Yes, I do have full admin persmissions, and elevated when necessary. I was
on the Vista beta and have fit the battle with the many dragons of the UAC
and know them well. :-) And, I am the only one who users the machines here,
so I don't need restrictions, but, I have the UAC active.

> I would also suggest turning OFF the Compact on Close feature. I'm
> speculating
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> there extra .mdb files in the folder? Does your account have privileges to
> delete and rename them?

Yes, that activity is where I do believe the problem is, as it is saying
that it can't rename the db and then stops there. So apparently it is
deleting it, then saying it can't rename the db, and when I check the folder
the original db is no longer there. There is one backup copy of the app in
that folder.

The original app was created in 2003, and I have not converted it to the
2007 format yet, as I often access it from another machine that does not yet
have the 2007 installed (I know I can install the compatibility pack, but,
haven't got that far on that machine yet). My account has full priviledges,
and elevated Administrator authorization when required. I have been using
this app on this machine in this manner for almost a year now, and this is
the first this has ever happened. That is why I wondered if it might be
tied to a new Office update, as I did install several updates last week.

I will turn off the Compact on Close for now and see if it happens again. It
has only happned twice in the past week. I have several other apps created
in 2003 and thus far none have had this happen. Not that it won't, as I
don't use them as much, but, was not sure it might also be something with
just the one app.

Thanks, John.

Jan :)

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John W. Vinson - 02 Apr 2008 17:27 GMT

>I will turn off the Compact on Close for now and see if it happens again. It
>has only happned twice in the past week. I have several other apps created
>in 2003 and thus far none have had this happen. Not that it won't, as I
>don't use them as much, but, was not sure it might also be something with
>just the one app.

I've been hearing quite a few similar complaints about 2003/2007 mixed apps.
One thing you might consider is to create a new .mdb, IN 2003 format, using
2007, and import everything from this database into the new empty one.

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John W. Vinson [MVP]

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Jan :) - 02 Apr 2008 21:10 GMT

> On Wed, 2 Apr 2008 08:29:08 -0400, "Jan :\)" <abuse@localhost.invalid>
> wrote:
[quoted text clipped - 12 lines]
> using
> 2007, and import everything from this database into the new empty one.

Hmmm....I will try that and see how that works. I have a feeling that there
may be some corruption in the app someplace, so exporting everything into a
new db would be a good idea to see if that helps, so your suggestion may be
a good answer. I am also thinking that I will do one of each, just to see
how things might work. Might it maybe be a difference in References between
the two versions? I ahve not gotten that far in to the 2007 as yet, so not
sure what the differences are, if any, between the two versions.

Jan :)

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