Tough question regarding opening an .MDB (access) file - from a link. 1

[garymgordon]

I am simply trying to create a link to a .mdb (access database file) that is on our server - that will open in IE 5.5.

I have no problem in creating a link to an Excel (.xls) or Word (.doc) file ... and having it open in IE 5.5. But ... when I create a link to the .mdb file ... for some reason .. after it finds the file and asks me if I want to open it or save it .. when I click on OPEN IT ... it goes through some crap and then nothing happens.

When I take the link ... such as:

F:\FILES\name_of_file.mdb and put this in the address bar, it works fine and it opens up in IE 5.5.

But, when I create a link in my HTML page that looks like this:

<a href=&quot;../../FILES/name_of_file.mdb&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;>name_of_file</a>

it does find the file.
But ... it won't open it up.

Again, when I try an Word file or Excel file - they all work fine and open up. Again, when I put the link in the address bar ... it opens up fine.

Any ideas as to what might be wrong??

I am wondering ...

Is there a better way to call this using VB SCRIPT ????

Or what might you recommend???

Thanks,
Gary
Gary M. Gordon, LLC
webmaster@garymgordon.com
Certified Web Developer ::
Application Programmer

http://www.garymgordon.com/

 

[garymgordon]

Additional Note:

I guess ... my thought is ...

Is there a way (from a link on the html page) to directly call the .mdb file - as if I had entered it into the address bar.

Since it is working that way ... yet the link is giving me a problem ... I wasn't sure.

Anyhow .. this is driving me crazy.



Gary
Gary M. Gordon, LLC
webmaster@garymgordon.com
Certified Web Developer ::
Application Programmer

http://www.garymgordon.com/

 

[garymgordon]

Another thing ...

Why .. if I can place the file location such as F:\FILES\name_of_file.mdb in the address bar ... and it opens up fine ... will it not work when I call the file from a links - as in: <a href=&quot;&quot;>file</a>

Any thoughts???

Gary
Gary M. Gordon, LLC
webmaster@garymgordon.com
Certified Web Developer ::
Application Programmer

http://www.garymgordon.com/

 

[garymgordon]

Another comment:

The file I am trying to open up - is a 2 meg file.

When I tried it with a file of less than 100k, it opens no problem.

How can I solve this ... if the problem is the size of the file?? (Please don't tell me to make it smaller. hahahaha)

Gary
Gary M. Gordon, LLC
webmaster@garymgordon.com
Certified Web Developer ::
Application Programmer

http://www.garymgordon.com/

 

[MichaelRed]

Try looking at the 'clues' you have provided. It &quot;looks like&quot; a memory issue. this -in turn- may be realted to the specifics of the O.S. Try the same with a machine which has LOTS more memory and storage.

MichaelRed
m.red@att.net

There is never time to do it right but there is always time to do it over

 

[garymgordon]

I think it is a memory issue.

That's kind of the problem.

But, .. I have 256 meg of ram on my machine.

I don't understand why it allows me to open the file when I put the path into the address bar ... but when I try from a link (on a webpage) it just doesn't do it.

That's the difference.

Any ideas??

Thanks,
Gary
Gary M. Gordon, LLC
webmaster@garymgordon.com
Certified Web Developer ::
Application Programmer

http://www.garymgordon.com/

 

[petey2K]

It has to do with the way Access works. Access tries to write stuff to the database all the time, I suspect that when you give a real path, Access, behind the scenes, can write stuff into the directory that the file is in (look for the .ldb file). Even if you make no changes in an Access file, the timestamp on the file changes.

 

[garymgordon]

I guess ... then there's no way to do this .. correct??

Gary
Gary M. Gordon, LLC
webmaster@garymgordon.com
Certified Web Developer ::
Application Programmer

http://www.garymgordon.com/