Access crashes when deleting text box label

[warriorjoe]

Using Access 2003 with XP/Pro SP3. Problem is the database I am building was working fine until a couple weeks ago. When I add a text box control either to a form or a report, and delete the label, then save the report, Access crashes with a message "Access encountered an error and must shutdown..." and offers option to repair DB and send report to Microsoft.

After the repair, the form or report so modified appears in the database window, but cannot be opened either for design or view mode.

Have performed all the various forum-related suggestions on similar crashes (have not seen any posts but one on this particular problem, and no solution was presented).

I can run Access 2007, autoconvert the DB to 2007 format, and no problems.

I rebuilt one report from scratch in 2003 and it worked OK - no problem. I hate to have to rebuild all those complex reports and forms! Hopefully someone can shed some light on the problem so I will know what is causing it. BTW - the problem occurs on another computer running XP/Pro and a laptop running Vista, so it is not machine-specific.

If I create a text box control and make the label invisible, I do not get the problem!!???

Thanks for any help provided.

Joe

 

[Galaxiom]

Did you try exporting all the objects to another 2003 database?
Essentially the 2007 conversion does this too.

If you have added and deleted a lot of objects you may have run into the maximum number of objects that can be suppported in the life of the database. This can also happen when tables are regularly imported and deleted as part of operating the database.

However the bit about the invisible label seems bizarre and does not fit my suggestion but I suggest you try exporting the objects anyway.

 

[warriorjoe]

Thanks for the reply, Galaxium.

Yes, I did the export thing but nothing changed.

If I create the text box with label, make the label tiny and make it invisble but do not DELETE it, and save the form or report, all works well. Problem occurs when I DELETE the LABEL and then save the form or report.

I'm pretty good with Access, but this one has me stumped. Never seen it before and been writing Access since version 1.0!

Joe

 

[Galaxiom]

That is the weirdest problem I have seen in this forum.

So this is any form or report in a particular database?
And exporting the objects carries the problem with them?

What happens if you use the clipboard to transfer all the controls from a form to a new form in another database?

 

[warriorjoe]

I can do a copy/paste of all the controls on a report to a NEW report in the SAME database, and no problem with the new report.

Also, I can delete ALL the controls on a report in the defective database, add a new text box control and delete the label for that control, and the problem is still there in THAT report with only one control - and the report has no module or code!!!!

Thanks again for your interest.

Joe

 

[MMcDermott]

I'm having the same problem. With both forms and reports in Access 2003. I would hate to rebuild the forms into a new form. Any other solutions or why the problem is occurring.

 

[Big Pat]

Same here. I was convinced I had done something really stupid, but now I'm not so sure. This happens with one particluar database at work all the time, only with adding/moving controls on forms or reports. It's got so bad that I'm doing manual backups before I tweak the smallest thing.

When mine crashed even our IT dept couldn't fix it. I had to revert to a backup which was about a week old and start over. I wish I kew what caused this. My various other DBs are fine.

I had the same problem in another job a few years ago and I think I even posted on this site about it, but I don't think it ever got resolved. It's just so bloody odd. You can see your form right there but you can't open it in design mode or in form mode. It's infuriating!!

 

[vbaInet]

Something to try when creating controls on the form/report:

1. Drop the control onto the form/report (don't do anything else)
2. Click the 'X' close button and it would prompt you to save
3. Select Yes to save

Open the form or report in design and (hopefully) it wouldn't give problems. If that works, you would need to repeat the same process for new controls and remember to save a backup.

These problems experienced do they only happen at work computers? That is networked computers? I suspect the IT team haven't distributed the Office applications on each machine, but rather it's run off from a central location on the server.

 

[SOS]

Make sure you follow these tips for keeping corruption out.