Access 2003 not recognizing JPG files (1 Viewer)

Plem

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Hi, we have an access 2003 database with some forms that link to JPG files. This has been working fine but within the last couple of days it has started displaying error messages saying it doesnt recognise JPG files and they should be converted to BMP files.

Many Thanks
 

vba_php

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i've never run into this error, but if there isn't anyone else here who has something to say on the issue, there are these 2 similar issues that can possibly be referenced:

https://www.accessforums.net/showthread.php?t=64245

http://www.accessrepairnrecovery.com/blog/fix-access-forms-reports-not-showing-image-issue

and an even more revealing search can be found here:

https://www.google.com/search?q=ms+access+does+not+recognize+jpg+file+error

hopefully that can get you started until you get expert advice.
 

Plem

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i've never run into this error, but if there isn't anyone else here who has something to say on the issue, there are these 2 similar issues that can possibly be referenced:

https://www.accessforums.net/showthread.php?t=64245

http://www.accessrepairnrecovery.com/blog/fix-access-forms-reports-not-showing-image-issue

and an even more revealing search can be found here:

https://www.google.com/search?q=ms+access+does+not+recognize+jpg+file+error

hopefully that can get you started until you get expert advice.
Thanks for your reply. I'll have a look.
 

Plem

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Hi, still not found a resolution, but this appears to be a Windows 10 problem. It works fine on Windows 7.
 

vba_php

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i wouldn't doubt that, Plem. i've had numerous problems with the OS, and some of them are up there on the scale of "weirdness". some of them I've asked questions about on this forum and no one responded. some of the links in that search I gave you talk about win 10 being the problem.
 

theDBguy

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Hi. Pardon me for jumping in... You said you have a 2003 database, but can you please confirm which version of Access you are using to open it? Thanks.
 

vba_php

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Hi. Pardon me for jumping in... You said you have a 2003 database, but can you please confirm which version of Access you are using to open it? Thanks.
that's a great point. there are issues with that scenario too.
 

The_Doc_Man

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Check your Windows Update history to see if you downloaded a patch at or about the same time that this problem first manifested. It is possible for you to "roll back" patches and that might be appropriate in your case - if this was brought on by a patch. Also ask yourself if you downloaded a new browser version or new graphics software, because sometimes they diddle "behind the scenes."

Sudden non-recognition of a file type is usually an "associations" error. It can ALSO be caused by any patch or download that causes a new program to be recognized as a .JPG handler. If that handler isn't happy with OLE references, that could also do it to you.
 

zeroaccess

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I think The_Doc_Man is on the right trail. Windows has transitioned from the Windows Photo Viewer to Photos, and in the process, some default app settings for .jpg (and especially .jpeg) got messed up. I know the new app does more, but the reason I hate it is because it never seems to allow a crisp 1:1 pixel mapping of my images. Which is why I brought Windows Photo Viewer back from the dead.

Try it and see if it helps with your Access issue.
 

Plem

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Hi, Thanks for your replies. The PC in question is not connected to the internet so it wont have been a Windows update. I am using the Access 2003 development tool to access it rather than a runtime version (i want to upgrade to the latest version ASAP but perfect world and all that!). I vaguely remember seeing an article about the default photo viewer on windows 10 causing the error so think you are all on the right path.
 

pallem

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Hi all,
I still can't find a resolution to this. Any objections to posting on another forum and reporting back. Don't want to cross post?
 

The_Doc_Man

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The general idea regarding the dislike of cross-posting is not that you do it but that you don't tell anyone you have done so. Note also that other forums could simply ignore the cross-posted question. Others might acknowledge it and try to answer.

But I have an idea. You said this was Win10 so I have explored a bit. Had to figure out how to get there from here because the control panel changed all to Hell and gone vs. previous versions of Windows.

Click the lower-left corner Window icon. Select the gear to get to Settings. From there, go to Apps, then to Default Apps. At the bottom of that short list, there is an option to change default apps by individual file type. Click that.

Technically, this leads you to the "Associations" list. The list is alphabetically sorted. Scroll to find .JPG and .JPEG in the list to see what is being used for either of them. If you see a "plus" sign next to a particular file type, it will offer you the chance to select the default. In any case, you can click on the choice to change it. See if that gives you any traction.
 

pallem

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Hi, thanks for the reply. Tried that with no success, but have realised that it will now not let you assign any image file to the image control. I thought it was just jpg but its also .bmp, .emf etc.. This is a change in Windows 10 since Christmas as i was able to do this before Christmas. So, if you have an existing image control with an image linked or Embedded its fine. But if you try to create an new image control and assign a new image it displays the error. Roll on migrating this database to a newer version of Access!!
 

The_Doc_Man

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Have to say that is a bit strange. I can't talk about some of the newer image types but .JPG has been around since the 1990s. It can't be that 2003 has decided to forget about it.

One thing you MIGHT try before the pain of a migration... IF you have your original installation disks, load them up and invite the installer to REPAIR Access. That might help.
 

MajP

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Not sure if related at all, but one of the strangest things seen in older versions of Access. So there are quirks. I do not remember the version, maybe 2003. If i loaded an image with .jpg or .JPG the result was different. The lower case rendered correctly the upper case was low resolution and blurry. Change the case and change the resolution. That was weird.
 

The_Doc_Man

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Now THAT is weird. I know a little about .JPG format but I didn't think it had text elements. It is essentially a PICTURE compression format, not a text compression item, so text rendering shouldn't even enter into the picture. (Sorry for the pun... actually, no I'm not.)

JPEG encoding works on 8x8 pixel blocks, so there is a possible issue with image losses looking a bit "pixelated". If the characters happen to overlap multiple blocks, they could easily have different transform results based on the color compression method being used, but that would cause color inconsistency, not necessarily blockiness or smoothness in different cases.
 

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