Can't print/open reports or queries

[Adele]

I tried to delete a column in a copied table and save it. A message came up
which I don't recall and clicked OK. Now I can only open and change the
table but can't open any of the reports or queries. I can't print the table
and can't even choose one. The Wizard doesn't work. What have I done? Help!

 

[John W. Vinson]

I tried to delete a column in a copied table and save it. A message came up
which I don't recall and clicked OK. Now I can only open and change the
table but can't open any of the reports or queries. I can't print the table
and can't even choose one. The Wizard doesn't work. What have I done? Help!

Did you actually *delete the column*, i.e. change the structure of the table?
Or just empty the column out so it contains all NULL values instead of data?

My guess is that you (most unwisely) deleted the column from the table's
design view. Of course it cannot now be retrieved, if you didn't keep a
backup. If your Forms, Reports and Queries were based on this table - or on a
query using this table - and they made some use of the field you've deleted,
you would get an error.

It would help us quite a bit if you would post the actual error messages or
problems that you're having. "I can't print" isn't terribly helpful.

 

[Adele]

I had copied the table and renamed it so I still have the original table. I
deleted the column in the copied table. I now know that deleting the column
was unwise and am kicking myself for it as I am guessing this is the cause of
my problem. I can't open the reports or queries on any of my two databases.
One table is quite small so I was willing to recreate it. I completed the
new table but can't create a report or query, or even print the table as it
says "no printer" and can't choose one. At this point I can't use the
program. I am working with Access 2003 but see that in the blue bar of both
databases it says it is in Access 2000 file format. Does that mean anything?

 

[John W. Vinson]

I had copied the table and renamed it so I still have the original table. I
deleted the column in the copied table. I now know that deleting the column
was unwise and am kicking myself for it as I am guessing this is the cause of
my problem. I can't open the reports or queries on any of my two databases.
One table is quite small so I was willing to recreate it. I completed the
new table but can't create a report or query, or even print the table as it
says "no printer" and can't choose one. At this point I can't use the
program. I am working with Access 2003 but see that in the blue bar of both
databases it says it is in Access 2000 file format. Does that mean anything?

Huh. No, Access 2003 (and 2000 and 2002 and 2007) support A2000 format. You
did SOMETHING other than just delete a column in a copy of a table! I have no
idea what.

I take you don't have a backup of the .mdb file anywhere? If so - get it out;
if not, make one NOW and keep it in a safe place. Then use Tools... Database
Utilities... Compact and Repair. Does this have any effect?

If not... check out Tony Toews' excellent corruption FAQ:

http://www.granite.ab.ca/access/corruptmdbs.htm

and try the techniques there. You may need to just "cut to the chase" - create
a new database (in either 2000 or 2002/3 format) and use File... Get External
Data... Import to import everything EXCEPT this table that you were messing
with.

The printer error could be table specific - do you have a default printer
defined (Start... Control Panel... Printers)? Can you specify a printer for
any report?