Tried to open .laccdb with Notepad, now all locking files associated with NP (AC2007)

[AOB]

Hi guys,

This is dumb, but...

I was curious to see the contents of the record-locking file (.laccdb) for a BE I was connected to, so right-clicked and tried to open it with Notepad.

However, in my Monday morning haziness, I forgot to untick the box that says "Always use the selected program to open this kind of file"

So now all .laccdb's have the Notepad icon on my PC (even if I close and reopen the DB and thus generate a new locking file) and in Windows Explorer, the file type is just "LACCDB" instead of the usual "Microsoft Office Access 2007 Record-Locking File"

Anybody know how I can get it to revert back to the way it was? Tried re-assigning the associated application to Access but that doesn't give the previous icon (and the "type" is still wrong)

Hate when I'm dumb...

Thanks

Al

 

[gemma-the-husky]

it won't matter.

it hides the association because the file type .ldb / .laccdb is now associated with notepad. There is a control panel / folder view setting that "hides extensions for known file types". that's why you do not see the file type. I always set this to false, as I like to see the file type

however, ACCESS will still open the locking file normally

not sure where it is exactly, but in control panel or folder options you should be able to find the associations details, and delete the notepad default for this particular file type

 

[AOB]

Yeah tried that also - Control Panel > Default Programs > Set Associations - but it only allows me to 'set' an association, not restore back to a default? So pretty much the same as using 'Open With...' from the folder.

I can 'set' it to MS Access but that's obviously not technically correct (I believe prior to my meddling, it was assigned to an 'Unknown Application' - but was still picking up the correct icon & type for a Record-Locking file...?)

 

[gemma-the-husky]

yes, I see what you mean.

the ldb, laccdb are showing as unknown application on my system.

I couldn't delete an association either.

As I say, it won't make any practical difference

 

[AOB]

Okay thanks Dave, yeah I'm not too worried about it as the locking file still gets generated as normal whenever anybody connects, just curious to know if I could restore it. Thanks anyway!

 

[JB10507]

Years later here in 2021 I did the same thing... and went through the same troubleshooting haha. However I had success returning the .laccdb file to its original default of an 'Unknown Application', by resetting all default apps to Microsoft's recommended defaults. (While in the Default Apps settings page, scroll to bottom to see the Reset button.) Then i had to manually reset my desired defaults

 

[The_Doc_Man]

Thanks for the tip, JB. Enough time has passed that MS must have recognized the error of not allowing a reset. Anyone falling into that trap will see your answer, which is of course one of the main goals of the forum... to provide answers.