Access 2002 columns

B

Brittany

Hello all. I'm trying to add a column to my database in Access 2002 and it
won't let me. The error message that keeps popping up is " Could not lock
table 'Calling List'; currently in use by user 'Admin' on machine
"Frontdesk". I don't understand what I'm doing wrong, I've been using this
database for months and never had this happen. Can anyone help me add a
column?
 
K

KARL DEWEY

Back up your database, close it.
Open Windows Explorer and locate the .mdb file. If you also see a file with
the same name but with .ldb as extention then try to deleted it.
 
B

Brittany

That was a little too advanced for me. I don't know how to backup the
database. Can you tell me why it's doing this now? Am I supposed to delete
the .mdb file too?
 
K

KARL DEWEY

Am I supposed to delete the .mdb file too?
NO!

The .ldb file is known as the 'locking file' and is used so that two people
can not try to change the same data at the same time. It also won't let you
make some database changes unless you are the only one in the database.

Sometimes it get corupted and does not self erase when everyone gets out of
the database.
An easy way is to just copy and paste the .mdb file in another folder for
save keeping. If you mess up you always have the copy that was made BEFORE
you did stuff to the database.
What can you not do? Can you not use Windows Explorer?

If you can not delete the .ldb and are working on a LAN then have your IT
guy do it.
 
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