Missing data

T

Taryn

I have an Access database that was created in about 1997 and is being run on
Access 2007. We use this to store our clients records. Over the past 3-4
months we have been losing data from some records and not others. The
information on the form remains but the linked records are gone. I have tried
running office diagnostics and there are no found problems. Desperate for any
suggestions!
 
J

John W. Vinson

I have an Access database that was created in about 1997 and is being run on
Access 2007. We use this to store our clients records. Over the past 3-4
months we have been losing data from some records and not others. The
information on the form remains but the linked records are gone. I have tried
running office diagnostics and there are no found problems. Desperate for any
suggestions!
Click to expand...

More information needed!

You say you can see the records on the form, but "the linked records are gone"
- what's the Recordsource for the form? What are the Control Sources for the
controls which have missing data? What do you mean by "the linked records"?

John W. Vinson [MVP]
 
T

Taryn

Thankyou for your reply. Not sure about the recordsource for the form; we
enter data directly into the forms. Our database form is composed of 6 tabs
(e.g. client details, case details, reasons, crime, actions, contacts). The
first one (client details)is the one that doesn't lose any data. The other 5
(which I called linked records) seem to randomly lose data (but not all the
time). Please excuse my poor IT knowledge!
 
J

John W. Vinson

Thankyou for your reply. Not sure about the recordsource for the form; we
enter data directly into the forms.
Click to expand...

Forms are JUST WINDOWS. They don't store any data at all. Data is stored in
tables, and only in tables.

If you open your form in Design view, and view its Properties, the first
property on the Data tab is the Recordsource. This may be the name of a table,
of a query, or it might be a big hairy SQL statement (another way to visualize
a query).
Our database form is composed of 6 tabs
(e.g. client details, case details, reasons, crime, actions, contacts).
Click to expand...

I would GUESS that there is a Subform - a form based on a different table, and
linked to the current record on the mainform - on each tab page. If so each
subform has its own Recordsource (which might be the ClientDetails table, the
CaseDetails table, etc. - I don't know how your tables are structured).
The
first one (client details)is the one that doesn't lose any data. The other 5
(which I called linked records) seem to randomly lose data (but not all the
time). Please excuse my poor IT knowledge!
Click to expand...

Without more details - which you might not be in a position to provide at the
moment, I realize! - it's awfully hard to be sure. But I suspect that you
might have some database corruption going on!

MAKE A BACKUP of your database (if you already have one, don't overwrite it,
you might need both backups). Then choose Tools... Database Utilties...
Compact and Repair. This process can repair some types of corruption. If that
doesn't help (or maybe even if it does, just for thoroughness) go to
http://www.granite.ab.com/access/corruptmdbs.htm and read up on the symptoms
and solutions to database corruption.

It's also possible that the form was not designed quite correctly - you'll
either have to learn about the mechanics of Access forms, or find someone
local who does to look at it; or find someone who's willing to let you email
the database and debug it (sorry, I'm not one of those people at the moment).

John W. Vinson [MVP]
 
T

Taryn

Thankyou again for all of your assistance.
I couldn't connect to the web site you suggested.
The record source for the form says Clients. The subforms linked to the
mainform do not show record source under the data tab; they only show Enabled
(yes). Each one of these is based on a different table. Does this tell you
anything diagnostic?
 
J

John W. Vinson

Thankyou again for all of your assistance.
I couldn't connect to the web site you suggested.
Click to expand...

Hrm. Seems to be down! I've sent a note to Tony Toews who provides it.
The record source for the form says Clients. The subforms linked to the
mainform do not show record source under the data tab; they only show Enabled
(yes). Each one of these is based on a different table. Does this tell you
anything diagnostic?
Click to expand...

You need to view the properties of the Form *within* the subform control.
Right click the little square at the upper left of the subform in design view
and select Properties. You'll also want to look at the Master Link Field and
Child Link Field of the (outer) Subform Control, though if this form was
working before that should be OK.

Have you tried compacting and repair? More importantly - *do you have a
working backup*?

John W. Vinson [MVP]
 
T

Taryn

Yes, I tried compact and repair. And yes we have a backup (thankfully), but
it is a backup of the current faulty system.
 
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