Cheyenne Riley said:
Douglas,
I am using a CD-RW and able to erase or write on the disc over and over.
When I tried to the Windows Explorer also to change the attributes but got
another error message stating that it could not be changed. I do not have
this problem with any other program.
I would think that you do have this problem with other fields. If you right
click on any file coped from a cd-r to your desktop, they all will have
their read-only flag set (and, when you right click on the file..you can
then un-check the read-only setting). Word just tolerates a read only
setting better, but if you actually try and save your word changes..it will
complain. The fact of copying a word file, or a mdb file to a hard disk, or
floppy, or cd rom makes no difference. The computer does NOT know that the
file is for ms-access, and does not treat it differently. The fact that you
are copying files to a cd-rw does not change the fact that files written tot
he cd are marked as read only. (but, make sure during testing you check the
read-only setting BEFORE you copy to the rw...especially if you just copied
the file form a cd-r...as it will be on your computer..but still marked as
read-only).
I make sure that the program is closed
and use the Window Explorer to make the CD. The program attributes states
that it is active, but once copied to the CD it changes to "read-only"
Yes, and the above is done for all files like Excel etc.
There are two ways to use a cd-rw.
#1, use the cd-rw EXACTLY the same way as a cd-r. If you use cd burning
software, what happens is that you can add the same file over and over again
until the disk fills up. With a cd-r, then the disk is full, and you can't
use it anymore. With a cd-rw, you can erase the disk, and start over.
#2 use direct CD (a formatted CD-RW). Since cd-rw are re-usable, then the
trick here is to NOT use the SAME methods that you do with a cd-r, but use
what is known as a formatted cd-rw. When you used a formatted cd-rw, then
you eccentrically do get a 500 meg removable device (you loose about 100
megs to formatting when you do this). In this mode, files actually are read
and writeable, and in fact you CAN use the mdb file right off of the cd-rw
(assuming your machine is running direct CD and the cd-rw is mounted as a
removable read/write device - note that not all machines have direct CD
available for cd-rw). Do not that just like formatting a floppy disk takes
some time, formatting a cd-rw can take 15-45 minutes (depending on the speed
of your system). And, just like most floppies come formatted, you can
purchase cd-rw that are already formatted for direct-cd. When
direct-cd/formatted cd-rw used, then ms-access can in fact work and function
right off of the cd-rw. (I done this before!). However, since a cd-rw is
very slow, and they are also prone to errors when you do this, I don't
recommend using formatted cd-rw disks as read/write devices in this fashion.
However, direct-cd is great for project and work folders that you frequently
copy from windows to the cd-rw for backups. And, direct cd is great, since
the disk never fills up as you use it. It becomes just like a floppy. Do
note that win98 pc cannot read these disks unless software is installed.
And, even for win2000 boxes, they can read these disks..but still speical
software istalled to use the cd-rw as a read/write drive.
#3, direct CD can also 'fake' the #2 operation on a standard cd-r. It does
not format the drive, but as a file is changed, it simply writes to a new
area of the drive. This is not a real read/write system, but a 'fake' since
it just writes any changes to a new spot. Of course, with any amount of
actively, the cd-r will eventually fill up as no new free spaces exists to
"fake" the read/wrote. You can also use a cd-rw in this mode, but again the
disk eventually fills up, and you will have to erase the disk to start over.
(so, many of these confusing writing systems designed specially for a cd-r
will also work with a cd-rw, but of course with the same results that the
disk does fill up (I am simply saying if you use a cd-rw the same way as a
cd-r, then you get the same results).
So, option #2 is really the only true way to get a continues use cd-rw disk
as a mounted as an actual removable storage drive.
