Access reports create infinite blank pages

[Pete]

Re Office XP 2002

I have an issue with Access which will not display data in a report.
Instead, I just get an infinite number of blank pages. This happens if I
create new reports. I can get around this by utilising an existing report
from another db file, created prior to the start of this problem. I just
delete everything in the existing report and continue from there.

I have tried uninstalling (Clicking ‘Remove’ in Add/Remove Programs) the
whole of the Office XP installation and reinstalling, but the problem
remains. I have noted that after the re-installation is complete, all of my
e-mails and settings remained and configured correctly. I presume the Office
installation was not completely removed initially.

Has anyone had this problem and how can I completely remove the Office
installation; so that I can re-install everything associated with Office XP
and ensure that I am replacing ALL files with the CD versions from the Office
disc.

Many thanks.
Pete.

 

[Jeff Boyce]

Pete

Some version of MS Access had a problem with reports when the Track Name
Autocorrect "option" was turned on. Also, in earlier versions of Access,
not having a printer defined in Windows meant Access couldn't tell how to
format reports. Try checking both these (options in Tools|Options|...)

Regards

Jeff Boyce
Microsoft Office/Access MVP

 

[Pete]

Pete

Some version of MS Access had a problem with reports when the Track Name
Autocorrect "option" was turned on. Also, in earlier versions of Access,
not having a printer defined in Windows meant Access couldn't tell how to
format reports. Try checking both these (options in Tools|Options|...)

Regards

Jeff Boyce
Microsoft Office/Access MVP

Hi Jeff,

I already have a printer installed and set up correctly.
I have disabled the feature you mentioned above and I also did a compact and
repair; but the problem persists.

 

[Jeff Boyce]

Pete

Perhaps one of the other newsgroup readers can offer their perspective.

What version of Access are you using?

Regards

Jeff Boyce
Microsoft Office/Access MVP

 

[Pete]

Pete

Perhaps one of the other newsgroup readers can offer their perspective.

What version of Access are you using?

Regards

Jeff Boyce
Microsoft Office/Access MVP

Jeff:
I'm using 2002 (10.2627.6839) SP3
How can I completely uninstall if the method above does not work; so that I
can reinstall and go through the activation process again as if the was the
first time. Or is this not feasible?

 

[Tony Toews [MVP]]

I have an issue with Access which will not display data in a report.
Instead, I just get an infinite number of blank pages. This happens if I
create new reports. I can get around this by utilising an existing report
from another db file, created prior to the start of this problem. I just
delete everything in the existing report and continue from there.

Have you tried importing everything into a new database?

What happens when you create a new database and create a report in it?
If this is still a problem I'd suggest changing your default printer
and see if that helps.

Tony
--
Tony Toews, Microsoft Access MVP
Please respond only in the newsgroups so that others can
read the entire thread of messages.
Microsoft Access Links, Hints, Tips & Accounting Systems at
http://www.granite.ab.ca/accsmstr.htm
Tony's Microsoft Access Blog - http://msmvps.com/blogs/access/

 

[Pete]

Have you tried importing everything into a new database?

What happens when you create a new database and create a report in it?
If this is still a problem I'd suggest changing your default printer
and see if that helps.

Tony
--
Tony Toews, Microsoft Access MVP
Please respond only in the newsgroups so that others can
read the entire thread of messages.
Microsoft Access Links, Hints, Tips & Accounting Systems at
http://www.granite.ab.ca/accsmstr.htm
Tony's Microsoft Access Blog - http://msmvps.com/blogs/access/

Hi Tony,
The printer is not the issue - although I have tried changing the default
printer; without success. As mentioned above, this applies to all new db's
from a certain point in time - I cannot put my finger on a specific time.
Copying an existing report from another known good db, removing the contents
in design view and continuing from there allows the repoort to function
correctly. I have just installed the same Office XP app from the MS CD's onto
a laptop and the reports function without error.
If I could just completeley uninstall and reinstall the suite again I should
be ok. I used the Remove button from within 'Add/Remove Programs' but this
obviously does not remove everything as the problem still persists and I
didn't even have to activate the product again. How can I completely
uninstall the Office suite to remove the offending file, whichever it may
be?? The corrupt file is not being over-written by a fresh install.
Thanks.

 

[Tony Toews [MVP]]

The printer is not the issue - although I have tried changing the default
printer; without success. As mentioned above, this applies to all new db's
from a certain point in time - I cannot put my finger on a specific time.

Your original posting was not clear that this problem applied to all
new db's from a certain point in time.

However I still suspect the printer driver and not Access. So what
happens if you install the generic text printer and set that as your
default printer? Or a PDF printer driver such as PDFCreator
http://sourceforge.net/projects/pdfcreator/ Watch out for the
*rsehole $$$ software with the same name.

Tony


--
Tony Toews, Microsoft Access MVP
Please respond only in the newsgroups so that others can
read the entire thread of messages.
Microsoft Access Links, Hints, Tips & Accounting Systems at
http://www.granite.ab.ca/accsmstr.htm
Tony's Microsoft Access Blog - http://msmvps.com/blogs/access/

 

[Pete]

Your original posting was not clear that this problem applied to all
new db's from a certain point in time.

However I still suspect the printer driver and not Access. So what
happens if you install the generic text printer and set that as your
default printer? Or a PDF printer driver such as PDFCreator
http://sourceforge.net/projects/pdfcreator/ Watch out for the
*rsehole $$$ software with the same name.

Tony

Tony

I see what the problem is now - MARGINS!!
Having tried the PDFCreator printer, I noticed there was a tiny margin down
the centre of each page (around 3 mm) which was the only section visible on
each page.
For each new report now, the top, bottom, left & right margins are
defaulted to 80,80, 103.73 & 103.73 respectively.
How do I reset these to there initial values so that each new report will
not require me to reset them every time?
Also, I would still like to know why I cannot/how you uninstall Office in
its entirety.

Many thanks.

 

[Tony Toews [MVP]]

I see what the problem is now - MARGINS!!
Having tried the PDFCreator printer, I noticed there was a tiny margin down
the centre of each page (around 3 mm) which was the only section visible on
each page.

For each new report now, the top, bottom, left & right margins are
defaulted to 80,80, 103.73 & 103.73 respectively.

Ahhh, that would make sense. I don't recall ever seeing this exact
problem before in the newsgroups thus it took a bit to diagnose.

How do I reset these to there initial values so that each new report will
not require me to reset them every time?

File >> Page Setup.

Also, I would still like to know why I cannot/how you uninstall Office in
its entirety.

No idea.

Tony
--
Tony Toews, Microsoft Access MVP
Please respond only in the newsgroups so that others can
read the entire thread of messages.
Microsoft Access Links, Hints, Tips & Accounting Systems at
http://www.granite.ab.ca/accsmstr.htm
Tony's Microsoft Access Blog - http://msmvps.com/blogs/access/

 

[Pete]

I see what the problem is now - MARGINS!!
Having tried the PDFCreator printer, I noticed there was a tiny margin down
the centre of each page (around 3 mm) which was the only section visible on
each page.

For each new report now, the top, bottom, left & right margins are
defaulted to 80,80, 103.73 & 103.73 respectively.

Ahhh, that would make sense. I don't recall ever seeing this exact
problem before in the newsgroups thus it took a bit to diagnose.

How do I reset these to there initial values so that each new report will
not require me to reset them every time?

File >> Page Setup.

Tony

Tony, File | Page Setut appears only to work with individual Forms &
Reports, which now default to the values above. Is there another setting I
can alter somewhere, which will affect all new Forms & Reports - therefore
negating the need to change them back every time a new one is created?
Many thanks.

 

[Tony Toews [MVP]]

Tony, File | Page Setut appears only to work with individual Forms &
Reports, which now default to the values above. Is there another setting I
can alter somewhere, which will affect all new Forms & Reports - therefore
negating the need to change them back every time a new one is created?

Ah, I see what you mean. What is your default paper size on your
printer? This is something wield in your printer driver or printer
settings then.

Tony
--
Tony Toews, Microsoft Access MVP
Please respond only in the newsgroups so that others can
read the entire thread of messages.
Microsoft Access Links, Hints, Tips & Accounting Systems at
http://www.granite.ab.ca/accsmstr.htm
Tony's Microsoft Access Blog - http://msmvps.com/blogs/access/

 

[Pete]

Tony, File | Page Setut appears only to work with individual Forms &

Ah, I see what you mean. What is your default paper size on your
printer? This is something wield in your printer driver or printer
settings then.

Tony
--
Tony Toews, Microsoft Access MVP
Please respond only in the newsgroups so that others can
read the entire thread of messages.
Microsoft Access Links, Hints, Tips & Accounting Systems at
http://www.granite.ab.ca/accsmstr.htm
Tony's Microsoft Access Blog - http://msmvps.com/blogs/access/

The Paper Type is set to A4, but I cannot find any other settings in the
printers section which may result in these unacceptably large margins.
Very bizzare... the plot thickens...

 

[Joan Wild]

The Paper Type is set to A4, but I cannot find any other settings in the
printers section which may result in these unacceptably large margins.
Very bizzare... the plot thickens...

Sounds like you might have changed the report template.

Tools, Options, Forms/Reports - Report Template

Mine says Normal. You may have specified some other report name there.

You can create a report with the margins/setup you want and then specify
that in the Options as your Report Template.

 

[Pete]

Sounds like you might have changed the report template.

Tools, Options, Forms/Reports - Report Template

Mine says Normal. You may have specified some other report name there.

You can create a report with the margins/setup you want and then specify
that in the Options as your Report Template.

Hi Joan - both Form & Report Templates are showing 'Normal'.
Perhaps, if I knew which/where these files reside, I could overwrite them
and cure the problem.
Do you know how to completely remove Office so that I can re-install and
hopefully cure this issue - as an alternative?
Many thanks.

 

[Joan Wild]

Hi Joan - both Form & Report Templates are showing 'Normal'.
Perhaps, if I knew which/where these files reside, I could overwrite them
and cure the problem.
Do you know how to completely remove Office so that I can re-install and
hopefully cure this issue - as an alternative?
Many thanks.

I'm not sure which file stores that information.

Since you are keen to uninstall/reinstall Office, I can't recall if Office
XP had this file or not..

Uninstall Office (make sure you pay attention to each message/dialog as you
may be inadvertently telling it to retain something), and then look for
OffClean.exe or Eraser (or something similar) on the CD. Run that to remove
the
traces.

 

[Pete]

I'm not sure which file stores that information.

Since you are keen to uninstall/reinstall Office, I can't recall if Office
XP had this file or not..

Uninstall Office (make sure you pay attention to each message/dialog as you
may be inadvertently telling it to retain something), and then look for
OffClean.exe or Eraser (or something similar) on the CD. Run that to remove
the
traces.

Many thanks Joan. I have just noticed that in Tools | Options - 'General'
tab, there is a Print Margins section which had margins set to 70cm & 80cm.
Having reduced these to more obvious values, all newly created reports are
now inheriting these values and the problem is now rectified. The moral of
the story is - cliché alert - "always check the obvious".

I believe this is the only issue I had and so a complete uninstall is
probably unnecessary at this stage. I note your comments re "OffClean.exe or
Eraser (or something similar) on the CD. Run that to remove the traces." and
will adopt these in the future should the need arise.
Many thanks to all for your assistance.
Pete.

 

[Joan Wild]

Many thanks Joan. I have just noticed that in Tools | Options - 'General'
tab, there is a Print Margins section which had margins set to 70cm &
80cm.
Having reduced these to more obvious values, all newly created reports are
now inheriting these values and the problem is now rectified. The moral of
the story is - cliché alert - "always check the obvious".

I wonder how those got changed? I also wonder why those options wouldn't be
on the Forms/Reports tab instead.

Thanks for the update.