Question Open .mdb file and just edit/save forms and reports?

[kingfisher42]

Hello!

A client of mine just bought a company including some individual piece of software programmed in Access.
However, since the owner changed and the company who made this program a few years back doesn't exist anymore he asked me if I could edit the program and get it to show the new logo and so on...

I said I would look it up since I have Access 2007 installed on my machine, so here I am, I copied the database and tried to edit the elements in Access, however (although it is not password protected and so forth) it gives me a bunch of errors when I try to open the .mdb file. I googled them but it seems like they are individually tied to that program.

So far, so bad.

Now here's my question:

I just need to change and replace some texts, some graphics and some other digital values (like opening times and so forth). Is there any way I can just open the .mdb file, replace the graphics on the reports and forms and save it again? I don't need to change any functionality of the programm, just some graphics and text values.

Because it does work on the machine it actually is working on but doesn't open once I try to copy it to another workstation...

I tried MDB Viewer Plus and it does import the tables but I don't see any forms or reports there, just the tables and queries, so it is only half the deal.

Any programs out there that could do the trick?
I did try to import the .mdb to a new blank one in Access and it gives me some ActiveX control errors among some file access restrictions, it does show the forms I'd need to edit though.

Thanks in advance!
I don't know where else to look now

 

[gemma-the-husky]

its more likely that there are some support files (hidden maybe, or not obvious) on the original machine that you also need to copy. maybe nothing sinister - just that the guy who set it up knew what support files were needed etc

i would be inclined to use a version of access earlier than A2007 if poss, because it wont be an A2007 dbs.

but if you have to use A2007, after all the error messages, does the dbs remain loaded? - try F11 (in A2007), and see if you can see all the tables etc.

assuming you can get in, then its just a matter of working out exactly ahow the dbs accomplishes its magic, which may be quite a process, depending on how complex the app is.

 

[kingfisher42]

Hey gemma-the-husky,

thank you for your reply!
Sorry for getting back to you so late. I had to get a copy of Access 2003 and that wasn't so easy

So, I've checked the following:

It is not an MDE-file.
It is not password protected.

When I load the .mdb by simply double-clicking it (or with the "Open"-Command in Access) it just opens a blank screen, the title of the program does show however.

When I create a blank database in Access and try to import all data via "Get External Data..." it seems to import everything (Tables, Queries, Forms, Reports and Macros) BUT the modules, it doesn't import them and gives me the following error:

You don't have permission to import, export, or link to [modulename here]

I tried Compact & Repair but same result.

Basically I really just need to adjust the Reports in Design-mode, nothing more...

Any ideas?

 

[irish634]

Have you tried using the bypass key? Open the original file using File --> Open and hold the shift key while you open it. Can you see the database window/navigation pane (all the tables, forms, etc) after doing that?

 

[kingfisher42]

Have you tried using the bypass key? Open the original file using File --> Open and hold the shift key while you open it. Can you see the database window/navigation pane (all the tables, forms, etc) after doing that?

Thanks, just tried that. Same result. Just a blank screen, as if I wouldn't have opened any database at all.