Problems opening database from different version of Access

[Guest]

I am unable to open two database files sent to me. I get "Unrecognized
database format", and Help shows Microsoft Jet Error Message 3343". I had
this problem in the past, and it was because I am using Access 97 and the
database was created using a newer version of Access. I am guessing that
this is again the problem.

Is there any way that I can get the data from a newer version database using
Access 97? If not, is there anything someone with a newer version of Access
could do to generate a database that I could open with Access 97?

 

[Brendan Reynolds]

Later versions of Access can save in Access 97 format. Of course,
complications may arise if the database depends on features that were not
supported in the earlier format. For example, Access 2000 (more properly,
Jet 4) introduced a new data type, Decimal. If the data you need does not
include any Decimal fields, converting it to Access 97 (Jet 3.5x) format
should be straightforward. It is done in the later version by opening the
database to be converted and selecting, from the "Tools" menu, "Database
Utilities", then "Convert Database", and finally "To Access 97 Format". A
new copy of the database is created in Access 97 format, the original
database is not over-written.

 

[Van T. Dinh]

Wouldn't it be more logical to ask the sender to convert them to A97 file
format before sending them to you rather relying on complete "strangers" in
these newsgroups?

 

[Guest]

When I referred to "someone" with a newer version of Access, I was not
referring to someone in the newsgroup. I was referring to a business contact
or the sender, and asking if there was something they could do to create an
Access 97 compatible database, if there was nothing I could do in Access 97
to open it. Sorry for the confusion.