update / kb 904018

[Paul]

Automatic update (notify me but do not automatically download or install)
says:

"Microsoft has released an update for Microsoft Access 2002. This update
removes the functionality in Access 2002 that lets users add new data to or
edit existing data in a linked Microsoft Excel worksheet.

More information for this update can be found at
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...F0-BEF5-4054-B854-B1240B5135F5&displaylang=en" So, I wondered why I would want to not be able to update thru excel. Normally I would not want users to update thru excel spreadsheet, so Iwould set up a source query that did not allow updates, but if I did for some reason want users to be able, then I would be screwed if I had installed this update. So, I went to that site, which has more links then text, one of those links took me to another page that again had more links then text. One of those links listed issues that I might experience after installing 904018. One of those issues was that I may not be able to update data via a linked excel spreadsheet. First this is the reason for the update, now it is a possible issue with the update. Can anyone clue me in? paul

 

[TC]

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/904953/
says:

"Because of legal issues, Microsoft has disabled the functionality in
Access 2003 and in Access 2002 that let users change the data in linked
tables that point to a range in an Excel workbook."

Those issue are:

http://news.com.com/Patent+ruling+costs+Microsoft+8.9+millio n/2100-1007_3-5735432.html

HTH,
TC

 

[Paul]

Thanks, so I think that I will not install this. What's your opinion? Of
course it may not matter, since that page says that it is part of office
sp2, which I installed long ago.

Paul

 

[jmarsh1000]

snip<

This update installed itself onto our PC yesterday morning, just as
soon as I connected to the ISP. The browser (IE6) wasn't even started
up. The system is set up only to notify of updates. And Access is not
even installed! Any ideas? Everything seems OK, so I'm assuming it's
not malware. NIS & Norton AntiVirus running; Spybot didn't find
anything...

Confused,

John Marsh.

 

[TC]

I don't really have an opinion on this one. I did not know anything
about it until I saw your question & researched the answer.

I think it would be fruitless to try not to install it. It will
undoubtedly be wrapped up in other updates that will eventually sneak
themselves on to your PC.

It does seem tough on the poor old end-user. And also on developers -
what if you marketed an application that autonmated Access & Excel, and
relied on the functionality that they have just turned off? Gak!

Cheers,
TC