Format Specification Error

[Sher]

Has anyone experienced the following error: "The format specification for
'xxxx' is invalid.You can't save output data to a file in this format until
you correct the setting for the format in the Windows Registry. Run Setup to
reinstall Microsoft Access or, if you're familiar with the settings in the
Registry, try to correct them yourself."
where the xxxx is the value that changes?

This seems to happen several times before our access '97 application
displays a report. I have found that it is error number 2283 but don't
understand how to correct it.

Thank you,

 

[Evi]

I had a couple of strange (but solvable) little errors (though not that one)
when i tried to run access 97 under Windows 2000 or XP
They were all solved by a) checking my References in Tools, References
(particularly insuring that Microsoft DAO 3.5 Object Library is in the list
rather than 3.6, which I have always unticked)

I also had to find DAO350.dll. I right clicked it and chose 'Open With'
then, ticking the 'Always Open With' box. I browsed to Regsvr32.exe (which I
had in C:\Winnt\System32). This re-registered the Dll which i could then add
to my references in an Access db.

 

[Evi]

I see that your problem is specifically referred to on this site
http://www.e-tech.ca/001-AccessFAQ.asp?affid=CFR
as one of the symptoms of a corrupted db (ouch!)

Have a look at the data in your tables and see if any of them look odd. When
mine when gungy I found some of my Autonumbers had disappeared from one of
my tables! I actually got away with just creating a new db, importing all
the data from the old one, and deleting the gummy lines in the corrupted
table. I was lucky!

Evi

 

[Sher]

Evi, I don't see my error on the page you referenced below. Are you sure it's
there?

 

[Evi]

Darn it! The best reference i could find (when actually awake!) is this one
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/883503/en-us
which is not directly connected to Access but may be relevant. Does your
report contain dates formatted with a dash instead of a /?

Evi

 

[Markus]

Hi Sher,

Has anyone experienced the following error: "The format specification for
'xxxx' is invalid.

I had the same error this morning. My solution:
For some reason I activated the "Compatibility mode" for the msaccess.exe
(right click msaccess.exe -> Properties -> Compatibility -> Compatibility
mode). Since I've disabled this everything works without errors.


HTH.

Regards -- Markus