mysterious deleting

N

Nikki

Our archives uses an access database to catalog our collection. We currently
contains over 10,000 records with more being added every day. Upon occasion
we have noticed that records we were in the middle of typing (or sometimes
have just finished) magically delete themselves. Recently, this is happening
quite frequently. Once or twice, we have seen a rather long error message,
but we generally have no indication of the missing records until we notice a
discrepency in our record numbers.
We haven't been able to determine a pattern or any key we have accidentally
hit, so I was wondering if anyone else has had this problem or could offer
any clues to solving it.
 
A

Arvin Meyer [MVP]

Records do not delete themselves. It is very possible that someone is either
accidently or purposely deleting them, or perhaps the record is being
abandoned before finishing. If the latter is the case, an autonumber will be
used. Using bound forms, typing even a single keystroke in a new record uses
a number, even if the data entry person cancels the addition. Perhaps that's
what you are seeing. Autonumbers are meant for one purpose only, and that's
to ensure a unique number, not keep a count of records.
--
Arvin Meyer, MCP, MVP
Microsoft Access
Free Access downloads:
http://www.datastrat.com
http://www.mvps.org/access
 
N

Nikki

I realize that records do not delete themselves. But there are only two
people with access to this database, myself and my assistant. Not only am I
the database administrator, but I add records daily to this database...and
several times in the past few weeks, I will be in the middle of typing a
record and all of a sudden the form goes blank (except for the record
number); sometimes we can reenter the information on the record, but if we go
forward and type a new record and come back to the record that had a problem
it will not be there. Other times, the program freezes and we have to exit
and come back in; at which point we check to see what the last complete
record is and we are generally missing the last one we worked on.
We do not intentionally abandon a record nor have we been able to determine
a pattern (a certain time of day, network problems, accidentally hitting a
certain key, etc.). I am not purposely deleting records, neither is my
assistant.
We have a legal obligation to make sure that the records we enter into this
database and the corresponding materials we put on the shelf match,
especially as this database is for a Fortune 100 company. Hence my concern
over these records disappearing for no discernable cause.
Any other recommendations for possible sources of this problem? --
Nikki
 
T

Tony Toews

Nikki said:
I realize that records do not delete themselves. But there are only two
people with access to this database, myself and my assistant. Not only am I
the database administrator, but I add records daily to this database...and
several times in the past few weeks, I will be in the middle of typing a
record and all of a sudden the form goes blank (except for the record
number); sometimes we can reenter the information on the record, but if we go
forward and type a new record and come back to the record that had a problem
it will not be there. Other times, the program freezes and we have to exit
and come back in; at which point we check to see what the last complete
record is and we are generally missing the last one we worked on.
We do not intentionally abandon a record nor have we been able to determine
a pattern (a certain time of day, network problems, accidentally hitting a
certain key, etc.). I am not purposely deleting records, neither is my
assistant.
Click to expand...

This sounds like a flaky network issue. Have you ever seen the "Disk
or Network Error" message?

For example on one laptop, if I wiggled the network connection the
green light would go out. I had to push it in just that little bit
extra.

For more information on corruption including possible causes,
determining the offending PC, retrieving your data, links, official MS
KB articles and a list of vendors who state they can fix corruption
see the Microsoft Access Corruption FAQ at
http://www.granite.ab.ca/access/corruptmdbs.htm

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
 
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