I can't see my Access 97 Tables...

[Guest]

I have an Access 97 database used in our software that has two tables in it
and I can’t see either of them so I can’t modify the data. I checked and they
aren’t marked as hidden or as a system object. I also checked the permissions
and I am opening the database as Admin. The programmer that used to work on
this must had set this up this way but I can’t find anything in Access to
change to get it to show me the tables. I did find the table names in the
system table MSYSOBJECTS and they both have ‘Flags’ set as 1, and I can’t
modify this system object to change them to 0 to see if that is the problem.
Has anyone else ever had this problem or can tell me where to information on
how to view/modify these two tables? (I know they are there because our
software is writing to them)

 

[Jack MacDonald]

Don't know the "why" -- but this may be a workaround:

create a query that selects all the rows and columns from the table
ie. SELECT * from TableName

I have an Access 97 database used in our software that has two tables in it
and I can’t see either of them so I can’t modify the data. I checked and they
aren’t marked as hidden or as a system object. I also checked the permissions
and I am opening the database as Admin. The programmer that used to work on
this must had set this up this way but I can’t find anything in Access to
change to get it to show me the tables. I did find the table names in the
system table MSYSOBJECTS and they both have ‘Flags’ set as 1, and I can’t
modify this system object to change them to 0 to see if that is the problem.
Has anyone else ever had this problem or can tell me where to information on
how to view/modify these two tables? (I know they are there because our
software is writing to them)

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http://www.geocities.com/jacksonmacd/ for info on MS Access security

 

[Tim Ferguson]

I have an Access 97 database used in our software that has two tables
in it and I can’t see either of them so I can’t modify the data.

What about the other system and hidden tables:- if you cannot see them
either, go to Tools > Option > View and switch ON hidden objects and system
objects.

If this reveals your missing tables, then you can right-click on them in
the database window and reset the Hidden flag. (Note: I have checked this
in A2000, but my faulty memory seems to say that it was similar in A97.)

I did find the table names in the system table MSYSOBJECTS
and they both have ‘Flags’ set as 1, and I can’t modify this
system object to change them to 0 to see if that is the problem.

In general, even trying to faff around with system tables is courting
disaster. That is what the GUI is for.

As a last resort, you can always try a bit of VBA:

' this needs DAO library set!
For Each tdf In db.Tabledefs
If GetHiddenAttribute(acForm, tdf.Name) Then
SetHiddenAttribute acForm, tdf.Name, False
End If
Next tdf

By the way, I have not tried or tested this, but it is probably a close
first step. By the way, what are the names of the tables? There is some way
of naming tables to make them look hidden -- I am hazy on the details
because, as you are discovering, it's about as secure as a colander full of
water, so I never bothered to learn or remember it.

Hope that helps a bit


Tim F