Question Surviving using Access (1 Viewer)

Tessa

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I am not a experienced user of Access World and I did not know where else to put this post than in a new thread.

I know this is a harsh post but I simply needed to vent my frustrations.

25 years ago I gave up on using Access for anything else than the most simple tasks. It was simply too troublesome to work with, mostly because of unrepairable broken databases.

Then 6 month ago I thought I would give it another try. Now 6 month later I am this close (0.0000….. mm) to give up on Access again.

I am working on a project where I have a utility database MyUtils.accdb referenced by an application database SomeApp.accdb. This morning I decided to rename MyUtils.accdb to Utils.accdb and did the following:

  • I closed both databases.
  • I opened SomeApp and removed the reference to MyUtils.accdb and closed SomeApp again.
  • I renamed MyUtils.accdb to Utils.accdb
  • I opened SomeApp and created a reference to Utils.accdb
And then hell broke loose. The only thing I am able to do now in SomeApp is to open tables. Everything else causes SomeApp to terminate without as much as a single message about what is wrong. I have tried to Compact and Repair but that made exactly no difference.

I’ve had great problems using ActiveX components like Windows Media Player, TreeView, ListView and VLC media player all of which works smoothly when I test them in a C#-application on the .NET-platform. As far as I remember this is the 6’th time in 6 month I am left with an unrepairable database.

The only thing that hasn’t caused me any problems, is the data part of my application but perhaps that is due to the fact that I’m using SQL Server as the underlying database.

Okay. Perhaps I should have been warned because the first thing you see on Access’ info page is a big fat button with the caption Compact & Repair Database.

I have only once in my 35 years as a software developer used a tool this bad and that was 25 years ago when I used Access for the first time. I would be ashamed of myself if had released a piece of software as buggy as Access.

One of the members in here, I don’t remember who, has written something like this in his signature: After 20 years working with Access I do not have much hair left to give. I know what he means.

How do you guys keep the flag flying?
 

Cliff67

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Hi Tessa

are you able to zip up your databases so others may have a look at what is going on?

regards

Cliff
 

Tessa

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Cliff67 - it is very nice of you to offer some help but unfortunately I am not allowed to publish the application database SomeApp.
 

isladogs

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You ask how we keep the flag flying.
Very simply in my case because my experience is nothing like yours.
Like any software, Access does have its strengths and weaknesses and I try to work to its strengths rather than try to battle with its weaknesses. It remains a very popular application because the alternatives have their own weaknesses which in many cases less them less appealing

One thing I would strongly recommend is to use ActiveX controls as little as possible as they can be problematic. Some organisations block their use completely. Also, some ActiveX controls do not work in 64-bit Access e.g. Flexgrid. That's because they have never been updated for that purpose.
 

Cliff67

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He Tessa

I understand, there is always a need for corporate privacy on any forum.

Are you able to put break points in the DBs and trace it through to see where the it is bombing out on you?
Cliff
 

MajP

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Not that this will make you feel better about Access, but sounds to me you should try a decompile in this situation especially since able to see the tables. Compact and repair usually does not solve these problems with the code project.
Everything else causes SomeApp to terminate without as much as a single message about what is wrong. I have tried to Compact and Repair but that made exactly no difference.
 

Tessa

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Fair enough isladogs but I mean to rename a referenced database should be a fairly simple and not dangerous task or do you disagree?

There are many many things I love about Access if only it wasn't that unstable. It is the only tool I know of where you get the full package i.e. database, form and report designers and IDE. Ease of use is another strong side of Access in my opinion. And I like the concept of 1 app = 1 file all included.

Sometimes you do not have the choice to avoid ActiveX and since they have been around for so long why on earth don't those Access guys at Microsoft make them work. Others, many many others, have been able to make them work.
 

Tessa

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Cliff67

Nope. As soon as I open VBA Access Terminates.
 

Tessa

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Gasman - nothing that has to do with Access
 

isladogs

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Yes of course renaming & relinking another database shouldn't be a major issue.
The fact that it was is an indication of problems.

MajP has already suggested decompiling which I'd also recommend as it will remove any compile code including any that is corrupted
Compacting may fix data issues but will have no effect on corrupted code.

If, after decompiling, you are still unable to open your app without it crashing, try starting using the shift bypass & stepping through the code.

Unfortunately as you are unable to post your app, all any of us can do is offer generic solutions. We may not be able to guess what your problem(s) are caused by.

If you have had approx one unuseable database per month then perhaps there are issues with your network connections e.g use of wireless or cloud servers.
Otherwise if you are developing in Access 365 there is a known issue that some developers have had major problems with.
See https://www.devhut.net/2018/06/13/access-bug-database-is-in-an-unrecognized-format/ for more details and a workround. I've never experienced that issue so can't advise on it.

As for ActiveX controls, do bear in mind that all Access is doing is allowing you to make use of controls developed by other teams outside of Access (and not all are by MS). Its not the remit of the Access development team to update these.
 

Tessa

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Isladogs:

I am not able to recompile (decompile?) my database. When I start a compilation Access shuts down.

I am in fact using Office 365 so I will have a look at the link you submitted. Thanks.

And isladog! I promise not to criticize or complain about Access anymore. From now on only cool facts:).
 

Tessa

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Anybody who knows how to export or import forms and modules from or to an Access database. I have tried External Data.Access but that only allows you to export one object at a time.
 

isladogs

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I complain about it all the time but usually it turns out to be my fault!

Decompling is the exact opposite of compiling. Which can't you do?

See here for more details about decompiling. http://www.fmsinc.com/microsoftaccess/Performance/Decompile.asp

If that doesn't fix it, you can create a new blank database and import all objects and code from the old database
 

Frothingslosh

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External Data - Access only allows you to select one database at a time, but you can select or deselect any number of objects at once, even all of them. Just click on the ones you want - you can't shift- or ctrl-click, but just clicking item names works like ctrl-click does in most apps.

If you want, you can literally import or export every object in the database at once.
 

Tessa

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isladogs
I do know what decompiling means! What I didn't know was the trick with the command line option.

I tried to decompile my database and for a while I thought it had helped. Nope.
I did create a new database and exported all the objects to the new database. Same result.

I have a wild guess now. It stroke me that my databases both are stored in a OneDrive folder and I suspect that that could be the problem. I will try moving my databases tomorrow.

For now, thanks to everybody who has tried to help.
 

Frothingslosh

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Oh, that's probably it. Access doesn't play well AT ALL with OneDrive.
 

isladogs

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You wrote the rather confusing sentence:
I am not able to recompile (decompile?) my database.

As I wrote in post #12
If you have had approx one unuseable database per month then perhaps there are issues with your network connections e.g use of wireless or cloud servers.

Using OneDrive is definitely a very BAD idea. Corruption is inevitable
Absolutely fine for allowing you to retrieve your files on different PCs but not to use it for running FE or BE files
 

The_Doc_Man

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Tessa - please examine the referenced thread, post #12.

https://www.access-programmers.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=302783

In it, I explain what kind of connections are needed AND WHY for an Access database. The "One Drive" method does not use the correct kind of connection for your purposes. Your frequent corruption comes from the use of an inappropriate connection method. The crash is probably related to it. However, I'm rather surprised that Access would even have allowed you to establish the linkage to something if you couldn't actually test the connection.

As to what is in the event viewer logs? You have at least two and maybe three logs that would be relevant. The System log might not help, but there should be EITHER a Network log or an Application Log. And sometimes (not sure exactly when) there will be an Office Apps Log that is separate from the general App log.

As to there being nothing at all there? I sincerely doubt that. The next time you want to test for this, be sure the time of day is visible on your screen SOMEWHERE. Whether you have a clock gadget or just have the date and time in the lower right corner, that is good enough. Do the steps to trigger the crash. Look at the time of day immediately.

Now check each log to find that specific time. Look at EVERY EVENT within the one minute interval either side of that crash. There will not be that many of them if it is only the app that crashes and not Windows itself. (All bets are off if it causes a Windows crash.) I'm thinking a possible network-related driver failure would do the trick, and that would be triggered by trying to link with something that doesn't want to play nice over the network with your Access front end.
 

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