Help!!! Severe prob on unchanged db.

[Willard B via AccessMonster.com]

I've had a frontend/backend system going at a notforprofit for about 5 years.
I've made no recent code changes. I was called in last night because they
got a 'gray screen' when they tried to open an input form on a returning
client or merely to look at data on a current or previous client. The system
otherwise seems to be working ok.

I pinpointed the problem to a Form Open mod where I set the focus on an input
control, but deleting the setfocus code did no good....same gray screen.

I use an autonumber for the table the form updates. The other day in looking
over the table I found a couple of damaged records.......their autonumber was
ridiculously high....and the data was garbage. I deleted them. I figured
that somehow the table had gotten damaged so I spent a good deal of time
rebuilding the entire backend tables db......a nuisance because of using the
autonumber to join to other tables. Bottom line.....I then had the same
problem with the rebuilt db.

In the middle of the night I copied the db's and brought them home. I get
the same prob with them on my home pc.

I have loaded old copies (months ago) of the same db's....linking old
frontends to old backends ...same problem. The current dbs are Access 2003..
...converted several months ago from 2000. I found a copy of the old 2000
db's and, would you believe....same problem.

For now I'm totally stymied and this is a serious prob for the system users.

 

[Guest]

I have see forms become unusable before. Never was able to pinpoint just why.

I will assume that you have done a compact and repair of the frontend db.

I would suggest that you start by creating a new verson of the form that is
being opened. Start by adding just a couple of simple controls and try the
new form. If it works ok, then continue building the new form, testing it as
you go to be sure that adding a specific control does not cause the problem
to return. You may find the just rebuilding the form nay solve the problem.

 

[walkbet]

If I use the forms properties to make a form read only, then it shows
totally blank (no controls at all) if there are no records in the
underlying table. I therefore no longer use that technique of making
forms "read only". Instead I use the properties of the field controls
themselves. It's more work, but I find it more reliable.

Might this be your circumstance?

 

[Eric D via AccessMonster.com]

Sounds to me that you pinpointed your problem... just seem to be overlooking
the issue.
You found damaged records and deleted them. I bet your indexing is now
screwed up.

To isolate your problem:

Make copies of all tables involved. (actually, make a backup copy of the
entire db beforehand)
Go to the primary table, find where the autonumbering seems to have gone bad.
Delete all records from that point forward. This should cascade delete all
related tables, if any.
Link these tables to your forms and try opening the input form you're having
problems with.

If you no longer have the gray screen, this is definitely your problem area.

 

[Willard B via AccessMonster.com]

Years ago programs were on 80 column cards. Occasionally when a bug appeared
and you couldn't fix it any other way you just rearranged the cards a bit.
If the first card was 'add A to Total' , the second was 'Add B to Total' and
the last was 'Add C to Total' and the Total wasn't correct, you just switched
the first and second cards and Total came out correct
For some reason, the program started working again (no gray screen). I think
the problem was connected to the Data Entry property. I set it in the Form
Open depending on whether user was updating or adding a new record. I
changed the property back and forth in the form property and did a
compact/repair after each time and suddenly the problem disappeared. (PS.....
I have a laptop that I don't use often.....hadn't used it for a couple of
months. I opened it and found a 3 month old version of the frontend and
backend and it had the same gray screen problem. A retroactive bug????)

I have see forms become unusable before. Never was able to pinpoint just why.

I will assume that you have done a compact and repair of the frontend db.

I would suggest that you start by creating a new verson of the form that is
being opened. Start by adding just a couple of simple controls and try the
new form. If it works ok, then continue building the new form, testing it as
you go to be sure that adding a specific control does not cause the problem
to return. You may find the just rebuilding the form nay solve the problem.

I've had a frontend/backend system going at a notforprofit for about 5 years.
I've made no recent code changes. I was called in last night because they

[quoted text clipped - 22 lines]

For now I'm totally stymied and this is a serious prob for the system users.