Troubleshoot Access projects

I can't find the Transact-SQL or Microsoft SQL Server error message help topics in Microsoft Access help.

The Transact-SQL Help and SQL Server error message help topics are no longer available from the Access Help Contents Tab. For more information on Transact-SQL and SQL Server error messages, see the SQL Server Documentation.

I can't find the SQL Replication and Security menus.

The Database Security and Replication menus previously available from the Tools menu of Microsoft Data Engine (MSDE) are no longer available on Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Desktop Engine. You can use SQL Server 2000 Enterprise Manager to replicate and secure your database. You can also use the GRANT, REVOKE, and DENY Transact-SQL statements to secure your database. For more information on SQL Server Enterprise Manage, SQL Server replication, and security, see the SQL Server Documentation.

I can't create an Access project shortcut on the Microsoft Windows Desktop.

If you use the shortcut menu on the Windows Desktop (by right-clicking the desktop, pointing to New, and then clicking Microsoft Acess Application) to try to create a new Access project (.adp) , you won't be able to. You can only create an Access database.

To create a shortcut to an Access project, locate the Access project in Windows Explorer, right click on the Acces project filename, Click Create Shortcut,  and then drag the shortcut to the Windows Desktop.

Tip

You can also drag a any database object in an Access project or Access database to the desktop.

I'm having problems backing up, restoring, or dropping a SQL Server database connected to my Access Project.

Access cancels a backup, restore, or drop database operation if you don't have adequate permissions. Access cancels a backup operation if you don't have enough disk space to create the backup file. Make sure you have the correct permissions in SQL Server and adequate disk space before doing any of these  operations.

You cannot backup, restore, or drop a SQL Server database running on a remote computer using an Access project. You can backup, restore, and drop a SQL Server 7.0 or later database or SQL Server 2000 Desktop Edition database on a local computer, or use SQL Server Enterprise Manager for these operations on a remote computer.

I'm having problems repairing my Access Project.

When you repair an Access project file (.adp) (Point to Database Utilities on the Tools menu, and then click Compact and Repair Database), Access must open the file in Exclusive mode to perform the repair operation.

Make sure that all other users have closed the Access project before attempting to repair it.

Note   The Compact and Repair Database command compacts and repairs an Access project, not a SQL Server database. To compact and repair a SQL Server database, use SQL Server Enterprise Manager. For more information on SQL Server Enterprise Manager, see the SQL Server documentation.

I'm having problems displaying international characters.

I'm having problems creating or modifying a name for a database object.

Valid database object names begin with a character or an underscore (_) and contain a combination of characters, numbers, and underscores. The maximum length for an object name stored in the database (queries, database diagrams, and tables) is 128 for SQL Server version 7.0 or later, and 30 for SQL Server version 6.5.

The object name should not contain Transact-SQL reserved keywords. Transact-SQL reserves both the uppercase and lowercase versions of reserved keywords. For a list of reserved keywords, see the SQL Server documention.

Special characters, including the double-quote character ("), are not allowed.

In general, avoid names that contain periods.

I can't change the database owner of my table, view, stored procedure, or user-defined function.

In an Access project, you cannot change the database owner of an object using the database, table, or query designers. If you need to change the database owner of an object, use SQL Server Enterprise Manager. For more information on database object ownership and SQL Server Enterprise Manager, see the SQL Server documentation.

I'm having problems opening or saving a database object.

Access deleted the wrong database object or a table has missing data. 

If your Access project is connected to Microsoft SQL Server or Microsoft 2000 Personal SQL Server, the sort order is set to "Dictionary order, case-insensitive," and Unicode collation case sensitivity is turned on, you can see unexpected behavior with database objects that have the same name but are spelled with all or some letters in a different case. For example you can accidentally delete the wrong table if you have three tables named "categories," Categories," and CATEGORIES." Access finds the first occurrence of the object name that matches the spelling but does not try to match the case because it is using a dictionary sort order that is case-insensitive. Therefore, the wrong object could be deleted.

Access uses the sort order to determine which object to delete or open. The default sort order of Microsoft SQL Server and Microsoft 2000 Personal SQL Server  is "Dictionary order, case-insensitive," meaning they ignore case when acting upon objects. Also, the default setting for Unicode Collation is case-insensitive. However, if during the setup of Microsoft SQL Server or Microsoft 2000 Personal SQL Server, the Unicode Collation case sensitivity is turned on, but the Sort Order is left at the default of "Dictionary order, case-insensitive," it allows objects with the same spelling but with different case to exist on the server.

When you install SQL Server or Microsoft 2000 Personal SQL Server make sure you select Custom Setup. In the Character Set/Sort Order/Unicode Collation dialog box, set the Sort Order to Dictionary order, case-insensitive and under Unicode Collation, make sure the Case-insensitive option is not selected.

Note   This behavior does not occur if the server was set up with case-sensitive sort order as well as case-sensitive Unicode collation.

I’m having problems using databases created with Microsoft Data Engine (MSDE) 1.0 under Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Desktop Engine

If you uninstall Microsoft Data Engine (MSDE) 1.0, and then install SQL Server 2000 Desktop Engine, you can connect your Access project to the database file (.mdf) created by MSDE. However, when you connect this database file, Access converts it from SQL Server 7.0 to SQL Server 2000. Therefore, you will not be able to either convert them back to SQL Server 7.0 or use them with MSDE.

It’s possible to have MSDE and SQL Server 2000 Desktop running on the same computer. You can do this by providing an instance name (MSOFFICE, for example) when you do a custom installation of SQL Server 2000 Desktop Engine and ensuring your Access project client computer has Microsoft Data Access Components (MDAC) version 2.6 installed. In this case, you can transfer a SQL Server 7.0 database (Point to Database Utilities on the Tools menu and then click Transfer Database) to a SQL Server 2000 database, but you cannot transfer a SQL Server 2000 database to a SQL Server 7.0 database.