lack of access print function maybe just a hint of other problems?

[Guest]

OK, so this has been very frustrating, spent many hours so far and no
conclusive findings...
This a corporate environment with multiple Office2003 Pro installed with
default installs from a network install point. ( they all should be
similar). Both XP OS and the office installs up to date with patches.
Typcially we run access databases over Citrix not locally so we havent had to
deal with the problem, although we have been aware and looking at it for
almost a year.

Problem: Showed it self when one of the managers made a simple access
database and called me when he was unable to print from it. examining it
beyond prininting we saw he was unable to access the page setup menu. Further
investigation revealed that when creating a database from any of the Access
templates an error message is produced "Database Wizard - There was a problem
building a form or report" Seaches for any information on this message reveal
nothing.
*Naturally we may think perhaps a permission problem, not the case the user
is administrator to the local machine.
*Running both regmon and filemon do not reveal any failures
*Problem is repeatable on some machines and not others
*Problem is repeatable amongst some users and not others
*Anwhere the print problem exists on the test database, the user will also
get errors if they try and create a database from template. So i think there
are dependecies there, yet I might be able to come behind and use the "run
as" command and start the application and it will create the database without
error. (again both would be administrator so rights should be no issue)
*it appears a crap shoot as to whether it works or not, mostly not
*uninstall and reinstall does not fix it
*have replaced the Access registry key from a working machine to a test with
no result.
This is taking way too much time to resolve does anyone have ideas please?
Thanks in advance.

 

[Norman Yuan]

There is an obvious point that you did not mention: does the computer has a
valid printer installed (it does not have to be a real, phisical printer, a
PDF printer is also OK)? If no printer is set up on the computer, you cannot
design/use report in MS Access.

 

[John W. Vinson]

Problem: Showed it self when one of the managers made a simple access
database and called me when he was unable to print from it. examining it
beyond prininting we saw he was unable to access the page setup menu.

This suggests that the computer doesn't have a default Printer defined (in the
Printers window), or that - for some reason - Access is unaware of this
printer, or finds the printer incompatible.

Try making the Microsoft Document Image Writer the default printer, at least
on a temporary basis, to see if that resolves the problem.

John W. Vinson [MVP]

 

[Guest]

any of these workstations are print with any other application, and yes there
are numerour print options defined

 

[Guest]

any of these workstations are print with any other application, and yes there
are numerour print options defined

 

[John W. Vinson]

any of these workstations are print with any other application, and yes there
are numerour print options defined

Reread my post.

I didn't say anything about "print options".

John W. Vinson [MVP]

 

[Guest]

and i was indicating that the oprtion to print various installed printers was
defined

 

[John W. Vinson]

and i was indicating that the oprtion to print various installed printers was
defined

In the list of printers (in the Start... Printers and Faxes dialog) is there
one printer selected as the Default Printer?

John W. Vinson [MVP]

 

[Albert D. Kallal]

well, make sure you do a compact and repair.

Further, as others mentioned, make sure there is a printer installed, and it
available (and, set as default).

Often, we see a printer install, but it not connected (egg: a printer is on
a laptop, but the laptop is not connected to the network, so there no
printer available).

So, not only make sure a printer is installed, but also ensure it available,
and is set as a default.

It seems that you checked this, but we do want to eliminate some of the
common problems.

The next issue is to ensure that references are ok. While in the
application, jump into code, and do a debug-compile.

Can you go debug-compile?

Further, can you create a mde out of your application? (you *really* should
distribute a mde to your users).

So, Does the code compile? If the code compiles, then try making a mde.

does the mde work? Make sure you test (attempt) this on a machine that does
not work....

 

[Guest]

yes

In the list of printers (in the Start... Printers and Faxes dialog) is there
one printer selected as the Default Printer?

John W. Vinson [MVP]

 

[Guest]

yes

In the list of printers (in the Start... Printers and Faxes dialog) is there
one printer selected as the Default Printer?

John W. Vinson [MVP]

 

[John W. Vinson]

yes

Sorry! I'm out of ideas.

John W. Vinson [MVP]