Question Access 2007/2010 compatibility question

[Big Pat]

Hi,

I've created an Access 2010 database and have now found it won't open in Access 2007 which most of our users still have. Is there a way for me to find out which parts of it are causing the problem? I haven't used any fancy new functionality (wouldnt know how to!!) but could Access have put something in, sort of automatically?

I read the Microsoft help page that came up on my colleague's machine and there was a bunch of stuff about new sort orders and new languages, but I haven't used anyhting like that. I can't seem to find the exact page now, but one thing that caught my eye was about long connection strings to external tables: the database does link to five Sharepoint lists.

I can create a new database on his 2007 PC and relink to Sharepoint, but is there a way to copy across the forms I have created, seeing as his PC won't open my database? I read something about saving forms as text files but I don't know if that's the best way to go (and didn't fully understand it anyway!)

Thanks

 

[Pat Hartman]

Access seems to flip a switch if you ever use an A2010 feature and even if you remove it, the switch stays flipped. If you really are not using any A2010 functionality, create a new, empty database and import all the old objects. Set the start up properties and any necessary references. If the new database won't open with A2007, then you have used some feature that is not compatable.

 

[Big Pat]

Thanks Pat.

I tried that but to no avail. Brand new db with freshly imported objects, moved it to the A2007 PC, wouldn't open!

I've given up and have rebuilt from scratch. I could save my queries' SQL and forms VBA to text files and re-use them (although labouriously) in the new db. I googled and found out about Application.SaveAsText for the form design (might have that syntax wrong now!) and the forms EXPORTED Ok, but when I tried to IMPORT them to the new A2007 db, I got error messages I didn't understand. So I've rebuilt these by hand!!

Lots of midnight oil burned and I'm 90% of the way done with the new db but it's so frustrating. When we moved form A2003 to A2007 I hated it (and all of Office) but I had thought that Office 2010 was at least an improvement. Now I'm rethinking even that.

 

[Lightwave]

Pat unfortunately you've learnt the hard way. Its better to design in the lowest version and import to later versions as you effectively cannot deprecate from later to earlier versions.

If you'd been able to stick with designing in Access 2003 it is almost certain you'd have transferred your application to 2007 or 2010 without an issue.

Be careful as well if you are thinking of putting multiple versions of Access on your developer machine. They have a tendancy to corrupt each other.

I still think for somone like you it is best to have your developer machine in the lowest form of Access you can get away with and transfer "up" to 07 and 10.

And yes apart from sharepoint connectivity (which is not available for many many companies) 07 or 10 doesn't offer anything new for people like yourself that is seriously starting to develop applications.