Access Isn't Using Default database folder

[JamesJoey]

For some reason now, when I backup or create an .mde, Access is not using Default database folder, and I must browse to the folder.
The in Access options the folder is correct in the Default database folder but when I click Browse it it brinks up <username>Desktop.

Any ideas,
James

 

[JamesJoey]

We all need to write to MS to remind them that change for the sake of change is not what we want from them.

Huh?

 

[JamesJoey]

So, this is occurring because of a change ms has done?

 

[DickyP]

I just assumed it opened at user documents folder as that's what mine does.

 

[Isaac]

It behaves correctly for me, but I'm using Access 2019, not sure what everyone else is using, version probably matters.

 

[JamesJoey]

This was working fine before.
I set the default database folder for a long time now.
Even when I click Browse next to the default database folder it opens to "usernane" \desktop.

 

[JamesJoey]

Microsoft® Access® 2019 MSO (Version 2407 Build 16.0.17830.20056) 64-bit

 

[The_Doc_Man]

OK, when I open any of my databases (that were originally created by browsing to a convenient place, then right-clicking in the Windows Explorer window, then clicking NEW >> DATABASE) and look at the File >> Options >> General database default location, all of them are pointing to folder Users\<myname>\Documents - which makes perfect sense to me. That is the default path for anything you do that opens a general file in ANY file-oriented utility when operating under your username.

However, it is different if I go to my Desktop shortcut and launch Access that way. From the "Access is open but no file is open yet" panel, if I click Open followed by Browse, it comes up looking in ThisPC\Documents - which I believe is based on an installation default. If I right-click on the Access desktop icon, I can click on "Open File Location" - which is ThisPC\...\Office16.

When I originally installed this package (Office 2021/32-bit), it wanted to know if this was a private or shared install and (I guess out of habit) I listed this non-game software as Shared. "ThisPC" (considered as a folder) is a SYSTEM pseudo-folder. I say "pseudo-folder" because you can't right-click it to open the "Properties" panel. It is like what UNIX calls a "mount point" for a virtual device "point of reference."

This makes me wonder if that default location depends on whether you were running as yourself or as SYSTEM at the time. Which may in turn depend on how you installed Access at the time. Not only "How" but "Where" or "As Whom."

 

[Josef P.]

It looks like accde creation will now proceed as follows (symbolic):
AccessApplication.SysCmd 603, (FullPathOfAccdb), (FileNameOnlyOfAccde)
instead of
AccessApplication.SysCmd 603, (FullPathOfAccdb), (replace(FullPathOfAccdb, ".accdb", ".accde"))

 

[Isaac]

This was working fine before.
I set the default database folder for a long time now.
Even when I click Browse next to the default database folder it opens to "usernane" \desktop.

have you changed computers recently?

 

[JWF-CDA]

I believe the new default is one-drive/documents. Seems like Microsoft wants things always going to the cloud. Must say its rather irritating.
Using MS365 version.

Did a test with word. Default was one-drive/documents. Changed to a local folder under save options. Closed word and re-opened. Started a new document. Clicked save and and it first defaults to one drive. If you click save as, it still defaults to onedrive but if you then click browse it goes to the folder you have defined under your options. So MS is definitely going out of its way to save it to the cloud and then you have to override.

In Access when you save (say an ACCDE) it just says Documents. It doesn't even tell you that it is One-drive and if you have more than one account (like personal and business) it will be where ever you are logged to. So at first you have to go through various document folders to figure this out. It should at least say which documents folder it is in.

 

[isladogs]

Sorry, MS no longer wants to hear from us. They removed the "tell us" option from the backstage. I'll tell the MVP group.

You're not looking in the right place. Click the Help | Feedback on the ribbon

 

[JWF-CDA]

You're not looking in the right place. Click the Help | Feedback on the ribbon

View attachment 115573

This is another odd thing that MS does. When you open access you would think the feedback button would always be on the ribbon when you are looking at the database. The feedback icon appears once you click "File". This kind of inconsistency only confuses the user. Initially I thought they could have at least put an option under the account in the main ribbon. These things seem to just change and you have to figure out what's going on. I think the above should be on the Account page at a minimum otherwise you might scratch your head for a long time leaving groves wondering ... Are they just trying to challenge me here?

 

[Gasman]

This is another odd thing that MS does. When you open access you would think the feedback button would always be on the ribbon when you are looking at the database. The feedback icon appears once you click "File". This kind of inconsistency only confuses the user. Initially I thought they could have at least put an option under the account in the main ribbon. These things seem to just change and you have to figure out what's going on. I think the above should be on the Account page at a minimum otherwise you might scratch your head for a long time leaving groves wondering ... Are they just trying to challenge me here?

In 2019 it is here?

 

[JWF-CDA]

In 2019 it is here?
View attachment 115574

Thanks for the screen shot. When I click on the ? icon on my ribbon, it takes me to a web page (see pic) talking about the File Menu in Access 2016-2019. See it shows feedback here so why remove if from here for MS365? In fact, why wouldn't you put Help on the File Menu. So If I click Help should I not get the 4 options that you have shown me here. So there is clearly inconsistency which creates confusion. IMO this could be cleaned up.

 

[Gasman]

You must be used to MS moving stuff just for the sake of it by now, surely?
I installed win11 on a few computers. Had to download a program to get the taskbar/start panel back to win10.
I have always had my task bar at the top. Never the bottom, so win11 pissed me off immediately.

 

[JWF-CDA]

You must be used to MS moving stuff just for the sake of it by now, surely?
I installed win11 on a few computers. Had to download a program to get the taskbar/start panel back to win10.
I have always had my task bar at the top. Never the bottom, so win11 pissed me off immediately.

My favourite Menu omission was when Windows 11 on initial rollout forgot to include restart and shutdown options. I guess no one needed to reboot their computers ... because it was the perfect operating system?

 

[Gasman]

I once was contracted to a water company to build a new system in GCOS8 and COBOL, along with a good many other A/Ps.

Several teams working on different parts of the system.
In some meeting, someone asked, 'what if someone comes in and wants to pay their bill in cash?'
No problem, was the answer, 'we just use the cash module'.
'What cash module' was the reply?
Seems noone was assigned the cash module?
Left hand, right hand.

 

[The_Doc_Man]

Seems noone was assigned the cash module?

I've got a convenient pocket.

 

[The_Doc_Man]

They need to stop allowing the children to define the interface.

Sometimes movies and written stories are incredibly good predictors of coming reality. For instance, Orwell's 1984 didn't get the year right but got a LOT of other stuff spot-on. I'm thinking now of the movie Idiocracy and its predictions that are chilling - and yet here we are, dumbing down the interface of a device capable of not quite infinite flexibilty and capability so that the dumb folks and little, guileless kids can use it. I try to not get cynical but there are times when it seems that the inmates are running the asylum.