Converting 97 database to 2000 database

[J.V.]

We have been trying to convert a database over with
resulting runtime errors and even one error during
conversion that warned of a corrupted Visual Basic for
Applications project.

I noticed that the database would work in Office XP.
(Although, we could not, and should not, make changes that
db because we would lose Office 97 functionality). So I
just made an experiment. I used Access 2002(XP) to
convert the Database to Access 2000 file format. The
conversion on this test copy of the database seemed to
operate normally and I could now open the database in
Office 2000.


We have not yet completely checked functionality.


What do you think about all this? Is there something
about Office Access 2000 that makes it more sensitive to
programming issues than 97 before it or 2002 after it.

One person told me this: Make sense?

When MS updates Access to a newer version, the latest
version of Visual Basic is incorporated into the Access
Basic language. This will sometimes make certain code
obsolete when upgrading a database. It is quite possible
that MS has made allowances in Access 2002 for code that
caused problems when upgrading to Access 2000. If so, it
would also make sense that Access 2002 would convert that
code properly when converting to the prior version, Access
2000.

 

[Chris Mills]

What do you think about all this?

Uhh....me?

Yup, Access 2000 tends to be flakey and Access 2002 is reported to be less so.

Here is what you can do.
1) do a full decompile/compile/compact before conversion.
2) do a full decompile/compile/compact after conversion.
3) do a basic functionality test. Mine involves opening each of 400 forms. If
there's an error, do a decompile/compile/compact again. I'm getting a bit
sleepy now...

Is there something
about Office Access 2000 that makes it more sensitive to
programming issues than 97 before it or 2002 after it.

One person told me this: Make sense?

When MS updates Access to a newer version, the latest
version of Visual Basic is incorporated into the Access
Basic language. This will sometimes make certain code
obsolete when upgrading a database. It is quite possible
that MS has made allowances in Access 2002 for code that
caused problems when upgrading to Access 2000. If so, it
would also make sense that Access 2002 would convert that
code properly when converting to the prior version, Access
2000.

I'm not sure about all that. Access is quite good at "backwards
compatibility", provided one recognises a difference between DAO and ADO
(defaults, etc). Also, generating an A2k file under A2k2 will use the
"Microsoft Access 10.0 Object Library", so running same under A2k will at
least need a recompile because that's the 9.0 library.

I'm happy (of sorts) converting A97 to A2k, which I do regularly. One "bug" I
came across, is in queries you may need to WHERE Trim(value) (ie Trim),
something not apparent in A97 or earlier though compatible with it. I couldn't
believe it!

There can be slowness on large A2k FE's (30mB or so). Break modules into
several smaller ones, is one possible unexplained fix.

I don't see that MS has "made some allowances" at all in A2k2. They more
likely just improved some issues. Certainly I'm advised that you're better off
with A2k2. A2k is the dog next-best to A95 (oops, swear-word!)

Chris