MDW

  • Thread starter Thread starter Derrick
  • Start date Start date
D

Derrick

We are getting ready to convert all of our databases from Access 97 to
Access to 2003. We have started playing around with some of them
making sure that everything will go smoothly. We have run into a few
errors so far and I was hoping if somone could explain or help me out?
When I join our .mdw, which is on the network, Access 2003 will not
retain the workgroup. I have to rejoin the next morning or in some
cases when I close out the application. Also, it creates a multiple
system.mdw's and I was wondering how, why does it do this. We are
testing them on "dummy" computers that we have setup. I would like to
hear what you may have to say on this subject, I am trying to get an
understanding of this. Made a copy of the databases and everything and
put them on the server as well. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
 
I don't know if this will have any impact on your specific problem, but in
the research I have done, it is recommend you do not convert directly from 97
to 2003. It is suggested you should convert from 97 to 2000 then convert
from 2000 to 2003. I have heard of other problems going directly from 97 to
2003. I have not tried doing that myself, but that is what I am hearing.
 
Klatuu said:
I don't know if this will have any impact on your specific problem, but in
the research I have done, it is recommend you do not convert directly from
97
to 2003. It is suggested you should convert from 97 to 2000 then convert
from 2000 to 2003. I have heard of other problems going directly from 97
to
2003. I have not tried doing that myself, but that is what I am hearing.
Click to expand...

I have converted several 97 apps to 2003 with no problems.

Regards,
Keith.
 
Derrick said:
We are getting ready to convert all of our databases from Access 97 to
Access to 2003. We have started playing around with some of them
making sure that everything will go smoothly. We have run into a few
errors so far and I was hoping if somone could explain or help me out?
When I join our .mdw, which is on the network, Access 2003 will not
retain the workgroup. I have to rejoin the next morning or in some
cases when I close out the application. Also, it creates a multiple
system.mdw's and I was wondering how, why does it do this. We are
testing them on "dummy" computers that we have setup. I would like to
hear what you may have to say on this subject, I am trying to get an
understanding of this. Made a copy of the databases and everything and
put them on the server as well. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Click to expand...

The answer is, don't join your custom workgroup by default. Stay joined to
the default and unmodified system.mdw and join your custom workgroup on a
session-specific basis using a desktop shortcut with a command line in the
format

"Full path to your app.mdb" "Full path to MSACCESS.EXE" /wrkgrp "Full path
to your WIF.mdw"

including the quotation marks.

A2k3 has its disadvantages for the developer - see
http://allenbrowne.com/ser-48.html for more info.

HTH - Keith.
www.keithwilby.com
 
Good for you. Here are a couple of excerpts from Documentation our research
people put together:

Database Version Access 2003 Compatibility
Access 97 If you are currently using a version of Access that is older than
Access 2000, you must convert your files to Access 2000 before working with
them in Access 2003.
Access 2000 Access 2003 supports the Access 2000 file format— so, in most
cases, you need only install Access 2003 and then open your Access 2000
files, even if they contain VBA code. However, if your database employs data
access pages and they were created using Access 2000, you will have to
convert them.
Access 2003 Access 2003 supports the Access 2002-2003 file formats, so in
most cases you need only install Access 2003 and open your Access 2002 files.
Access 2003 also uses the Microsoft Office XP Web Components to create data
access pages. Because the same components were used to create data access
pages in Access 2002, those pages will work normally in Access 2003.

2.2.1. Identify any special steps / procedures necessary to open Access 97 /
2000 / 2002 MDB files in workgroup mode. Are there restrictions placed on
the MDB when opened in Access 2003 (can’t update design, modules that need
recoding)? If one person has a file open are there any conversions / updates
made to the MDB that would prevent someone from Access 97 / 2000 / 2002 from
using the MDB at the same time.
Access 2003 does not fully support the Access 97 file format. Access 97
files will have to be converted or enabled before working with them in Access
2003. When Access 2003 enables the database, the original database format is
maintained. When you use an enabled Access database in Access 2003, you can
view database objects and add, delete, or modify records in Access 2003, but
you can't modify the design of objects. To modify the design of existing
objects or to add new objects, you must open the file in the previous version
of Access. Microsoft has detailed instructions for converting Access 97
files including workgroup information files - see the Access 2003 Help
documentation for more information. No special steps / procedures or
restrictions were found to open a 2000 / 2002 MDB file in workgroup mode.

Multi-User Databases are databases which have an associated WIF (Workgroup
Information File). Multi-User databases typically will have a host of issues
that could complicate the conversion process.
• Access Restriction: Only a user with Admin authority as defined within
the WIF(.mdw) will be able to convert the associated mdb file (AND) the
database will have to be opened exclusively which will lock out all other
users until the database was converted.
• WIF (Workgroup Information File) The WIF contains the database
permissions: the groups and users as well as their relative level of
authority for each part of the database. It is not required that the WIF
(mdw) be converted at the same time as the associated mdb, however it is
recommended by Microsoft to convert the WIF(mdw) to take advantage of new
security features contained with 2003. Warning: If the WIF was built upon the
SYSTEM.MDW rather than creating a new WIF, when the Access97 installation is
removed it may remove the SYSTEM.MDW as well. This could result, depending on
the circumstances, in a total inability to recover the data from the
database. A copy of the WIF should be made and it’s associated groups, users
and permissions printed in order to prevent this scenario from occurring.
 
Of course you can convert to 2000 and leave it at that since 2003 reads 2000.
Cuts the conversion time in half!
Good for you. Here are a couple of excerpts from Documentation our research
people put together:

Database Version Access 2003 Compatibility
Access 97 If you are currently using a version of Access that is older than
Access 2000, you must convert your files to Access 2000 before working with
them in Access 2003.
Access 2000 Access 2003 supports the Access 2000 file format— so, in most
cases, you need only install Access 2003 and then open your Access 2000
files, even if they contain VBA code. However, if your database employs data
access pages and they were created using Access 2000, you will have to
convert them.
Access 2003 Access 2003 supports the Access 2002-2003 file formats, so in
most cases you need only install Access 2003 and open your Access 2002 files.
Access 2003 also uses the Microsoft Office XP Web Components to create data
access pages. Because the same components were used to create data access
pages in Access 2002, those pages will work normally in Access 2003.

2.2.1. Identify any special steps / procedures necessary to open Access 97 /
2000 / 2002 MDB files in workgroup mode. Are there restrictions placed on
the MDB when opened in Access 2003 (can’t update design, modules that need
recoding)? If one person has a file open are there any conversions / updates
made to the MDB that would prevent someone from Access 97 / 2000 / 2002 from
using the MDB at the same time.
Access 2003 does not fully support the Access 97 file format. Access 97
files will have to be converted or enabled before working with them in Access
2003. When Access 2003 enables the database, the original database format is
maintained. When you use an enabled Access database in Access 2003, you can
view database objects and add, delete, or modify records in Access 2003, but
you can't modify the design of objects. To modify the design of existing
objects or to add new objects, you must open the file in the previous version
of Access. Microsoft has detailed instructions for converting Access 97
files including workgroup information files - see the Access 2003 Help
documentation for more information. No special steps / procedures or
restrictions were found to open a 2000 / 2002 MDB file in workgroup mode.

Multi-User Databases are databases which have an associated WIF (Workgroup
Information File). Multi-User databases typically will have a host of issues
that could complicate the conversion process.
• Access Restriction: Only a user with Admin authority as defined within
the WIF(.mdw) will be able to convert the associated mdb file (AND) the
database will have to be opened exclusively which will lock out all other
users until the database was converted.
• WIF (Workgroup Information File) The WIF contains the database
permissions: the groups and users as well as their relative level of
authority for each part of the database. It is not required that the WIF
(mdw) be converted at the same time as the associated mdb, however it is
recommended by Microsoft to convert the WIF(mdw) to take advantage of new
security features contained with 2003. Warning: If the WIF was built upon the
SYSTEM.MDW rather than creating a new WIF, when the Access97 installation is
removed it may remove the SYSTEM.MDW as well. This could result, depending on
the circumstances, in a total inability to recover the data from the
database. A copy of the WIF should be made and it’s associated groups, users
and permissions printed in order to prevent this scenario from occurring.
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
Regards,
Keith.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Klatuu said:
Database Version Access 2003 Compatibility
Access 97 If you are currently using a version of Access that is older
than
Access 2000, you must convert your files to Access 2000 before working
with
them in Access 2003.
Click to expand...


I have no problems converting Access 97 applications using Access 2003. I
still do most of my work in Access 97, because that's the version we're
still on at the office, but I will often convert the sample applications
using Access 2003 when I need to write about additional features that
weren't available in Access 97.
2.2.1. Identify any special steps / procedures necessary to open Access 97
/
2000 / 2002 MDB files in workgroup mode. Are there restrictions placed on
the MDB when opened in Access 2003 (can't update design, modules that need
recoding)? If one person has a file open are there any conversions /
updates
made to the MDB that would prevent someone from Access 97 / 2000 / 2002
from
using the MDB at the same time.
Access 2003 does not fully support the Access 97 file format. Access 97
files will have to be converted or enabled before working with them in
Access
2003.
Click to expand...

This is no different than Access 97 files in Access 2000 or Access 2002 (or
Access 95 files in Access 97, for that matter)
 
Klatuu said:
Good for you. Here are a couple of excerpts from Documentation our
research
people put together:

Database Version Access 2003 Compatibility
Access 97 If you are currently using a version of Access that is older
than
Access 2000, you must convert your files to Access 2000 before working
with
them in Access 2003.
Click to expand...

Why must you? Do you blindly believe your "research people"?
Access 2000 Access 2003 supports the Access 2000 file format- so, in most
cases, you need only install Access 2003 and then open your Access 2000
files, even if they contain VBA code. However, if your database employs
data
access pages and they were created using Access 2000, you will have to
convert them.
Access 2003 Access 2003 supports the Access 2002-2003 file formats, so in
most cases you need only install Access 2003 and open your Access 2002
files.
Access 2003 also uses the Microsoft Office XP Web Components to create
data
access pages. Because the same components were used to create data access
pages in Access 2002, those pages will work normally in Access 2003.
Click to expand...

Nothing about A97 there.
2.2.1. Identify any special steps / procedures necessary to open Access 97
/
2000 / 2002 MDB files in workgroup mode. Are there restrictions placed on
the MDB when opened in Access 2003 (can't update design, modules that need
recoding)? If one person has a file open are there any conversions /
updates
made to the MDB that would prevent someone from Access 97 / 2000 / 2002
from
using the MDB at the same time.
Click to expand...

Nothing about conversion there.
Access 2003 does not fully support the Access 97 file format. Access 97
files will have to be converted or enabled before working with them in
Access
2003.
Agreed.

When Access 2003 enables the database, the original database format is
maintained. When you use an enabled Access database in Access 2003, you
can
view database objects and add, delete, or modify records in Access 2003,
but
you can't modify the design of objects. To modify the design of existing
objects or to add new objects, you must open the file in the previous
version
of Access. Microsoft has detailed instructions for converting Access 97
files including workgroup information files - see the Access 2003 Help
documentation for more information.
Click to expand...

The help? I think not. This is infinitely more valuable
http://allenbrowne.com/ser-48.html
No special steps / procedures or
restrictions were found to open a 2000 / 2002 MDB file in workgroup mode.
Click to expand...

Workgroup mode?
Multi-User Databases are databases which have an associated WIF (Workgroup
Information File). Multi-User databases typically will have a host of
issues
that could complicate the conversion process.
. Access Restriction: Only a user with Admin authority as defined within
the WIF(.mdw) will be able to convert the associated mdb file (AND) the
database will have to be opened exclusively which will lock out all other
users until the database was converted.
. WIF (Workgroup Information File) The WIF contains the database
permissions:
Click to expand...

No it does not. Permissions are stored in the mdb file. I can't take the
rest of this "research" seriously, sorry.

Keith.
 
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