Why, why, why? (1 Viewer)

[BrokenBiker]

I've run into a problem in my database. It's actually happened several times, but it's basically the same problem. We've been using this database since January and on at least five different occasions a function in the database (be it VBA, query, report, or what-have-you) all of a sudden doesn't work.

One was to open a form and show specific info. An easy thing to do, but for some reason, it just quit working. Another was a checkbox in a different form (which is enabled only for particular users) all of a sudden wasn't available when it should be. The most recent was a query that just decided that it was too complicated to run so my report turned up blank and w/ errors.

Everytime this happens I've been able to change/fix things, but it doesn't explain why this happens. None of the individual incidents have any shared "pieces" or anything in common. Nothing in the database was changed related to these errors. It's just all of a sudden something doesn't work.

Very confusing, and I'm at a complete loss. Does anyone have an idea as to why this happens?

 

[liddlem]

Good question BrokenBiker
I can honestly say that I do not know for sure, .....but I think it may have something to do with these automatic updates that MS put out.

Here's an interesting article that MIGHT explain why I think like this.

http://will.id.au/blog/page/2/

Enjoy

 

[The_Doc_Man]

Biker, I agree with liddlem, in that any automatic update that touches an Office library causes the reference to become broken. Many of the references are stored via a file internal identifier that changes after any update that replaces (rather than just patches) a given .DLL file. The name is the same but the interal file ID isn't. So the reference goes bang-zoom.

 

[BrokenBiker]

I kinda figured it was something to do w/ automatic updates. Is there an effective way of managing these? It goes way beyond a pain in the @#!. It essentially voids the usefulness of the db. I'm sure you can imagine the "fun" you'd have if a component of your db quit working for no apparent reason. Not cool.

 

[liddlem]

You're right BrokenBiker.
I guess its a toss-up between having a database that works, but a PC that is full of security holes (At least that is what MS claim) or the other way round.

I honestly dont know which is worse.

It would be nice if MS could at least attach a link to the error message which will hyperdrive us to documentation that ...
A. Explains WHY the database is no longer working and
B. Shows us (not generically) what/how our code needs to be changed...that way we learn to fix the problem ourselves.

I recently had a database break on me too.
My problem was that although my PC is up to date, my client was NOT.
Now there was a bit of fun!

The worst part about it was that (in this case) the error message was so vague that it took me a while to figure out what the heck they were talking about.

When I eventually tracked it down on the KB site, it seemed to me that the article had been written by one of the NASA employees.
By then - I was fuming and simply wrote a vague sarcastic (unhelpfull to anyone) comment in the "Please tell us if this article was helpfull" box.
In retrospect, I regret having done so.

This is perhaps a bit off the point, but here's a question:
Have you ever found a computer manual that starts at your level and then STAYS there.

The best that I have managed so far is chapter 4. From there on, the authors assume that you have somehow morphed from neanderthal to space walker in the first three chapters of the book.

I've been dabbling with computers for about 10 years now and have even delivered some training in the MS suite, but I still cant my head past a certain point.

Anyway - Thats my gripe for the day.
Hope you all have a good one.

 

[BrokenBiker]

Thanks for the responses. It helps to be able to make a little sense out of what was happening. Of course, I'll still get those complaints..."What'd you do to the database?"

C'est la vie.

At least I know I haven't messed anything up...yet.