Office 2003 Access opens as Access 2000?!

[JonathanMortimer]

Hi,

We have Office 2003 rolled out across our three sites, however when one of our managers tries to open one of the access database files on her laptop it comes up as Access 2000, which is apparently missing some of the features she needs from the original 2003 document.

Any ideas on this? I have been assured (but unable to verify as I am not there) that the document is being saved as Office Access 2003 and can be opened as such by anyone at that site. I have tried opening it on my laptop but get the same thing (Office 2003 thinks it is an Access 2003 file). We pull files from site to site across our network, I wonder if this has anything to do with it? I can't imagine what though. I tried copying the file to our local server and opening it from there but the result was the same.

 

[JPaules]

I use Access 2003 at work but not at home. Look in Options. Somewhere in there is a setting for Access 2000 format.

--
JP

 

[cmeagan656]

Go to Tools ->Options and on the Advanced tab you'll find a place (upper right side of the tab) to change the default file type to Access 2002 - 2003. By default it is set to Access 2000.

Cheers.

 

[JonathanMortimer]

Sorry, changing the file type setting didn't work.

Any other ideas?

 

[Lilliabeth]

What is not working?




--Lilliabeth

 

[JPaules]

Let's go back to step one. Why do you think that the 2003 files are opening as 2000? Are you *positive* she has Access 2003 on that laptop? (Just checking.)

--
JP

 

[JonathanMortimer]

When the Access file is opened on her laptop it comes up with an Access 2000 file import dialogue, but I'm told that people on site where the files live can access them without any problems as Access 2003 files. The problem happens on my laptop too which has the same Office 2003 install.

I don't know exactly which features are not available.

 

[JonathanMortimer]

No ideas on this? I can't believe that nobody else has had this problem.

When I double-click on one of the Access db files (which are located on a remote server, to which I have full access) Access 2003 opens up (I see the Access 2003 splash screen); I get a warning about unsafe expressions being blocked, and do I want to block them, to which I answer No; I get a further warning telling me that to block unsafe expressions I need to install Microsoft Jet 4.0 Service Pack 8 (never heard of it), it asks me if I want to open this file to which I answer Yes; then I get a dialogue warning me that the file may contain code that was intended to harm my computer and do I want to open the file or cancel, to which I answer Open; then (finally) a window appears with the database stuff in it which is titled "databasename : Database (Access 2000 file format)". I am told by my colleagues that it is definitely a 2003 file, and I have set the default file format option to Access 2002 - 2003.

If I was feeling malicious I'd say it was something stupid like Outlook 2003 interfering, it seems to be the cause of so many other problems!

 

[JPaules]

Try posting your question over in microsoft.public.access

(

http://www.microsoft.com/office/com...spx?dg=microsoft.public.access&lang=en&cr=US)

There are some excellent sources of help over there. I'm positive that one of the MVPs can help you.

--
JP

 

[RoyVidar]

I've read through this, but I don't understand what the problem is.

Seems to me, (at least) two issues are mixed together, one is the file format, the other is the version of Office (and/or) Access. They are two different and separate things.

If the database window says Access 2000 file format, then that is the format of the file. This means you can open and work with the file in 2000 through 2007 versions of Access.

I don't know of any feature at all of difference between the 2000 and the 2002/2003 format, so I keep my databases in 2000 format.

However, Access (and Office), have some changes between the 2000, 2002 and 2003 versions.

So, I suppose the problem for this manager, is that either she has both 2000 and 2003 versions installed, in which case the most simple fix would be to throw the old version out *), or that she only has the 2000 version, in which case she could perhaps be persuaded to upgrade to a more current version of Office.

*) It's possible to have more than one version of Office on the same machine, but I never bother, as it sooner or later will cause some greef, but one could create a shortcut specifying which version to use when opening the file, i e in Explorer, navigate to the correct folder, right-click MSAccess.exe and select Send To | Desktop (create shortcut)

Then right click the shortcut, select properties, and for target, also enter the path of the db, say

"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office11\MSACCESS.EXE" "c:\ThePath\TheDatabase.mdb"

BTW there are seven (7!) Access fora on this site, I'd think the forum181 should fit for question of this kind.

Roy-Vidar

 

[JonathanMortimer]

RoyVidor,
I have made sure that the manager has only Office 2003 Pro installed, the same thing happens for me and I know for sure that I only have Office 2003 Pro because I installed it on a formatted system.

Is there any way to clearly identify an Access file version (without loading it into Access)? Some piece of text embedded in the file perhaps, or some other way? How does Access identify it as an Access 2000 file?

 

[RoyVidar]

As I said,

"If the database window says Access 2000 file format, then that is the format of the file."

If it is 2000 format, then it isn't 2002/2003 format, regardless of where, or from where you open it.

And again, as far as I know, there are no differences in functionality between those mdb file formats, so it shouldn't matter diddly squat whether it is 2000 or 2002/2003 format.

I've never bothered to find versions of file, if you wish, there are methods that are supposed to give such information, here are some info found through a quick search

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/scriptcenter/resources/qanda/oct05/hey1007.mspx

http://groups.google.com/group/comp.databases.ms-access/browse_thread/thread/a6f3fd84ed7332ff/

http://groups.google.com/group/comp.databases.ms-access/browse_thread/thread/c0f6560ace21d17d/

http://groups.google.com/group/micr...daovba/browse_thread/thread/9be213587fa92487/

If you really wish to convert 2000 format files to 2002/2003 format files, then just do so, it is a selection on the Tools menu | Database Utilities | To Access 2002 - 2003 File Format. Then, after you've also changed default file format (as mentioned by cmeagan656), also new database files created with Access, will have 2002/2003 format.

Roy-Vidar

 

[Lilliabeth]

To reiterate Roy's point:

I have Access 2003 on several machines. They all use 2000 format because the default format of Access 2003 was 2000 right out of the software box. This is normal and to be expected. I know of no benefit of changing it.

--Lilliabeth

 

[JonathanMortimer]

OK, if what you say is correct after all this I am beginning to suspect that the problem lies not with the file format but some other setting. Thing is, if there really is no difference then why bother with 2002/2003 file formats at all? I can't believe they would make new file formats if there were no new features to them, it would be as pointless as fitting wheels to a tomato.

 

[MrKABC]

JonathanMortimer:

The Access 2000 file format doesn't completely support ADO - usage of ADO was solidified in the Access 2003 rollout.

At the time of 2003's release Access 97 was still the big hitter, but wasn't as stable as the 2000 version. There was Access 97, 2000, 2002 (XP), and the new 2003 format all in competition.

In order to get user $$$ and make the case for an upgrade, Microsoft touted "compatibility with previous versions" as a major selling point of 2003.

End of history lesson.

Back to topic: What would help is if you could clarify the statement in your OP "...it comes up as Access 2000".

My question to you is: Do you have Access 2000 Runtime somewhere on your system? (possibly installed by another database application?)

Try right-clicking the file on that system and seeing if you get multiple "Access" icons in the "Open With..." dialog.

A.

 

[JonathanMortimer]

Hi Mr KABC,

When I right-click and 'Open with...' it has 'Microsoft Office Access' as the only recommended application, and there are no Access programs listed under 'Other programs'.

Attached is a picture of the box I get when opening these files.

 

[MrKABC]

Hello JonathanMortimer:

I looked at the picture of your database, and I am seeing the text "Maltius: Database (Access 2000 file format)" on the top of the box of photo 1. Is that what you are referring to when you say it's an Access 2000 database?

If so, this is NORMAL by default. Access 2003 came "from the factory" so to speak with the setting to make ALL new databases under the 2000 format. You can change the setting to Access 2003 for future databases by clicking TOOLS>OPTIONS and selecting the ADVANCED tab. On the upper right hand corner is a dropdown for "Default File Format". You may set the default to 2003 if you wish.

Note that changing the default setting only applies to NEW databases created from that point forward. If you want to change your EXISTING database you must convert it by clicking TOOLS>DATABASE UTILITIES>CONVERT DATABASE and then selecting TO ACCESS 2002 - 2003 FORMAT.

However, this really shouldn't matter for most databases. As others have said above, there really isn't much difference between 2000/2003 formats (in fact many Access books advise to leave the 2000 format for greater compatibility).

Does this help you at all?

A.