Enabling Access97 with Access2002

[Ashley Sutton]

We run a secure Access97 database in a back end/front end configuration and there is a gradual changeover taking place from Access97 to Access2002 front end. (I'm told that this is progress but I'm not so sure!)

I have today spent many hours trying to get the new Access2002 front end to work with the existing 97 format. However so far as I can see, enabling 97 format or conversion to 2002 format is only possible if one is the owner of the database. In a multi-user environment this is not possible. Also changing ownership of the database is a disruptive procedure which can't be done whilst users are logged in. (To change ownership from person A to person B you log in as person B and create a new empty database. Then import all of the objects from the source database (owned by person A). Having done that, rename the new database to replace the original.) This process is pointless anyway as all users can't be owners simultaneously.

I have looked through various on-line forums, checked the Access help pages but have found no reference to this problem. Am I alone or am I missing something glaringly obvious? Any assistance would be much appreciated.

 

[RV]

Off topic.
If you're talking (as you suggest) about upgrading there will be a point were you have to "freeze production".

Meaning users can't use the database while you're finallly migrating to Access2002.
I guess you'll both have to convert backend and frontend to Access2002.

To be frankly honest, I don't see what "ownership" has to do with your conversion.
Can't it be you're heading for the wrong direction?

RV

 

[Ashley Sutton]

Microsoft claim that a staged conversion is possible with some users remaining on Access97 using the database as usual whilst others who have migrated to 2002 can enable the existing database in 97 mode. Once all users have migrated to 2002 a conversion of the database back-end can take place. This is what we are trying to do because a one-off change to all users is not possible.

The issue of ownership seems to be that an upgraded user using Access2002 to 'enable' the 97 back-end database receives an error stating that 'The current user account doesn't have permission to convert or enable this database' (I have attached a jpg showing the error message). After experimentation the only way I can get beyond this error is to make the current user the owner of the database that is being opened: As described in my first post this isn't a working solution in a multi-user environment.