MDE in Access 2003

[Belinda]

My office is the process of upgrading all users to Office 2003 from Office
XP. I've encountered a problem that when I've edited a database created with
Access 2002, and create an MDE file, those users still in Office XP cannot
open the MDE file. They receive an error that says something like "file is
incorrect format."

(And I have to edit all existing databases...Access 2003 shows a missing
reference to web components that impedes the database from executing formulas
and it gives an error message. In order to check-off the missing reference,
I have to open the databse, go to VBA, edit the missing reference and
re-issue the MDE file.)

Has anyone experience the same? Is there a workaround until everyone here
is upgraded? Or even better, a workaround that missing web component
reference so that I don't have to edit all the databases?

 

[Belinda]

Sorry found an answer from Allen Browne under "Runtime XP problem" and I only
searched for MDE.

The question I now have is, is there a workaround that missing web component
in the vba reference library so the databases don't have to be edited and new
(incompatible!!) MDEs issued?

 

[Chris Mills]

Are you using Web Components? (Does your app compile if you remove that
reference, if so then you don't need it)

I think "normally" one would create the mde under the earlier version of
Access, and in many cases the mde will happily handle a later reference (the
Microsoft Access xx Object Library being a prime example of a change it
handles), but I'm not sure if Web Components is one of them.

If you NEED the Web Components, and the change to Access2003 doesn't handle it
(assuming a later 2003 version is present), then you may need to install the
Web version your app is compatible with.

Which would be a nuisance of course. Much easier if you find you don't need
it. There are only about 3 references Access fundamentally needs, unless you
have a specific further reason of course.

(this is from my ng reading of 2002/2003 mde issues-I don't have 2003 to test)
Chris

 

[Belinda]

Thanks for replying Chris.

I don't need Web Components, and the app compiles fine without it.

What I was looking for is a workaround this issue. As it stands, I'm going
to have to open approx 35 databases to remove that library reference and
re-create the MDE file I distribute. And obviously, was trying to avoid it.

 

[Chris Mills]

To avoid replacing the "35 databases", you would need to supply the missing
reference file (and possibly register it using Regsvr32.exe). But you might
get similar problems in the future for all I know. It's not even certain if
you're "allowed" to distribute that reference (though perhaps who especially
cares about that).

Obviously, it's much better to remove unnecessary references.

That covers the only two "workarounds"-any Reference MUST be present. Either
way, you have "x databases" to fix-up!

If this is a Front-End mde database (program without data), then it should be
easy enough to just distribute a new file to overwrite the old Front-End,
without having to go to any major installation procedure?

HTH
Chris

 

[heying]

To avoid replacing the "35 databases", you would need to supply the
missing
reference file (and possibly register it using Regsvr32.exe). But you
might
get similar problems in the future for all I know. It's not even certain
if
you're "allowed" to distribute that reference (though perhaps who
especially
cares about that).

Obviously, it's much better to remove unnecessary references.

That covers the only two "workarounds"-any Reference MUST be present.
Either
way, you have "x databases" to fix-up!

If this is a Front-End mde database (program without data), then it should
be
easy enough to just distribute a new file to overwrite the old Front-End,
without having to go to any major installation procedure?

HTH
Chris