MS Access 2003 freezes but VB editor still works - corruption? Help!

[Chrisso]

Hi All

I have an MS Access 2003 database that has been operatiing fine for 6
months. All of a sudden I have a problem where after adding a record
with VB MS Access is completely unresponsive. That is, to the user MS
Access freezes and has to be killed with the task manager.

What is weird is that I can still use VB editor and successfully run
commands in the current window like:
? CurrentDb.Name
? Form_FMainSearch.Name

I can also look at all the modules etc as though MS Access is not
frozen. This suggests to me MS Access is not frozen but cannot
redisplay itself on the screen to the user for some reason.

Does anyone have any advice on what I can do next? I have backups I
can revert to no problem but I want to know how to stop this problem
in the future to end the support calls I am currently getting.

Is this a sign of corruption in my database? I think one my users is
using MS Access 2002 - would this cause problems?

Is there a command I can execute from VB to force Access to refresh
the screen? I tried DoEvents to no avail.

Thanks for any clues.

Chrisso

 

[Allen Browne]

Any chance something turned Echo off?

What happens if you issue a command in Immediate window such as:
DoCmd.Close acForm, "FMainSearch"

 

[Stefan Hoffmann]

hi Chrisso,

I can also look at all the modules etc as though MS Access is not
frozen. This suggests to me MS Access is not frozen but cannot
redisplay itself on the screen to the user for some reason.

At which point does it "hang"? Any chance that this may be an infinite
loop either in code or in macros?

Is this a sign of corruption in my database?

No, normally not.

I think one my users is using MS Access 2002 - would this cause problems?

Do you have a shared mdb or do you use a split front-end / back-end
solution, where every user has its own front-end?



mfG
--> stefan <--

 

[Chrisso]

Any chance something turned Echo off?

What happens if you issue a command in Immediate window such as:
    DoCmd.Close acForm, "FMainSearch"

--
Allen Browne - Microsoft MVP.  Perth, Western Australia
Tips for Access users -http://allenbrowne.com/tips.html
Reply to group, rather than allenbrowne at mvps dot org.














- Show quoted text -

Hi Allen - thanks for your response. When I execute the command you
suggest (DoCmd.Close acForm, "FMainSearch") that form does indeed
close. However I still cannot activate the MS Access window at all -
it just simply does not take any clicks and wont activate. So I cannot
select anything in the database window like tables or queries.

If I execute DoCmd.Echo True this does not fix the problem either. It
is very strange.

Chrisso

 

[Chrisso]

hi Chrisso,

On 07.02.2010 10:54, Chrisso wrote:> I can also look at all the modules etc as though MS Access is not

At which point does it "hang"? Any chance that this may be an infinite
loop either in code or in macros?


No, normally not.


Do you have a shared mdb or do you use a split front-end / back-end
solution, where every user has its own front-end?

mfG
--> stefan <--

Hi Stefan - thanks for your reply.

I just have one shared .mdb file that all users access concurrently.
It sits on our company network and has been running fine like this for
over 6 months.

Chrisso

 

[Chrisso]

Hi All

I have an MS Access 2003 database that has been operatiing fine for 6
months. All of a sudden I have a problem where after adding a record
with VB MS Access is completely unresponsive. That is, to the user MS
Access freezes and has to be killed with the task manager.

What is weird is that I can still use VB editor and successfully run
commands in the current window like:
         ? CurrentDb.Name
         ? Form_FMainSearch.Name

I can also look at all the modules etc as though MS Access is not
frozen. This suggests to me MS Access is not frozen but cannot
redisplay itself on the screen to the user for some reason.

Does anyone have any advice on what I can do next? I have backups I
can revert to no problem but I want to know how to stop this problem
in the future to end the support calls I am currently getting.

Is this a sign of corruption in my database? I think one my users is
using MS Access 2002 - would this cause problems?

Is there a command I can execute from VB to force Access to refresh
the screen? I tried DoEvents to no avail.

Thanks for any clues.

Chrisso

The only way I can then shutdown MS Access is to kill it with the task
manager.

Chrisso

 

[Allen Browne]

Hmm: given that there are multiple people in the one database file (i.e.
it's not split with each user having an independent front end), and that the
different users could be on different versions/service packs, I think your
best bet would be to tip everyone out, run through this recovery sequence:
http://allenbrowne.com/recover.html
split the database, and give each user their own front end.

If any forms use the Timer event, that could also be a suspect.

 

[Chrisso]

Hmm: given that there are multiple people in the one database file (i.e.
it's not split with each user having an independent front end), and that the
different users could be on different versions/service packs, I think your
best bet would be to tip everyone out, run through this recovery sequence:
   http://allenbrowne.com/recover.html
split the database, and give each user their own front end.

If any forms use the Timer event, that could also be a suspect.

--
Allen Browne - Microsoft MVP.  Perth, Western Australia
Tips for Access users -http://allenbrowne.com/tips.html
Reply to group, rather than allenbrowne at mvps dot org.









- Show quoted text -

Thanks very much Allen for taking the time to answer my questions.

I am familiar with the reasons for splitting databases however I do
not want the headache of updating all my users front ends whenever I
want to distribute a new one. Anyone in the company (100+ people plus
over 4 different sites) could want to use the database and therefore
could need a front end.

How do I automatically manage getting anyone who wants access the the
database a front end?
How do I automatically update each users front end when I make a
change?
I do have a Timer event which I use to eject users out of the
database. Why is a Timer event a suspect and how do you handle it when
you need to ejects users out of the database to perform maintenance
and upgrades?

Thanks again for your time,
Chrisso

 

[John Spencer]

You really, really, really need to split the database. You are asking for
major problems if you don't in this scenario.

Tony Toews' Auto FE Updater

This FREE utility will automatically update the Microsoft Access front end
(FE) MDB/MDE/ADE/ADP and associated files from a server to client
workstation(s) or other network locations.

This utility is designed to automatically update the front end and associated
files from the server to the client workstation or directory on the server.
The utility will, if required, create the directory on the workstation, copy
files to workstation, create a shortcut on the desktop and update registry
keys. It will then start the Access MDE/MDB. If none of this is required the
next time you run this utility then all those steps are bypassed and it just
starts the Access MDE/MDB.

http://www.autofeupdater.com/

--
Tony Toews, Microsoft Access MVP
Microsoft Access Links, Hints, Tips & Accounting Systems at
http://www.granite.ab.ca/accsmstr.htm

John Spencer
Access MVP 2002-2005, 2007-2010
The Hilltop Institute
University of Maryland Baltimore County

 

[Chrisso]

Hi John

Thanks very much for your response and the link to the free FE
updater.
Can you expand on this? I understand the reason for splitting a front
end from the back end so I can make changes to the front end easily.
What I do not understand is why each user needs his/her own frontend.
Is this a limitation of MS Access as it does not handle concurrent
users well?

With the Tony Toews' Auto FE Updater do you need to know where all the
front ends are or does this happen automtically when the user
registers an interest in accessing the database?

Thanks again,
Chrisso

 

[John Spencer]

Each user should have their own front-end. Otherwise the Front-end can get
"confused" on what is happening. Multiple users using the same front-end at
the same time can lead to locking problems among other things.

Check out Tony's web page for a description. What happens is that you put a
master copy on the server and the Auto FE Updater copies that over to the
user's computer to a specified location. When you put a new version of the
master on the server, the application checks the server version and if it is
later than the copy on the user's computer, it copies the new version over.

As a developer, you can modify your development version, test it, and when
satisfied replace the existing master with a new master. You can have a
central point on a file server with a shortcut that the user clicks. It will
automatically install or update the user's front end and optionally give them
a shortcut on their computer.

John Spencer
Access MVP 2002-2005, 2007-2010
The Hilltop Institute
University of Maryland Baltimore County

 

[David W. Fenton]

:

What I do not understand is why each user needs his/her own
frontend.

Are your users sharing an installation of MS Word stored on a
server? If not, why not? Your front end is an APPLICATION FILE and,
like the Word application files, should not be shared.

If you want the technical explanation (as opposed to the logical
explanation) of exactly why it doesn't work, just ask. I've posted
it a bazillion times, but I'll do it again if necessary.

 

[a a r o n . k e m p f]

wow so after all these years-- Tony finally saw the light and moved to
ADP.

Precious

 

[Tony Toews [MVP]]

wow so after all these years-- Tony finally saw the light and moved to
ADP.

Your statement is completely misleading.

I added the capability of handling any Access related file to the Auto
FE Updater. Actually more accurately that the capability of starting
up any file be in a Word doc/docx, Excel xls/xlxs, etc.

Tony
--
Tony Toews, Microsoft Access MVP
Tony's Main MS Access pages - http://www.granite.ab.ca/accsmstr.htm
Tony's Microsoft Access Blog - http://msmvps.com/blogs/access/
For a convenient utility to keep your users FEs and other files
updated see http://www.autofeupdater.com/
Granite Fleet Manager http://www.granitefleet.com/

 

[De Jager]

Your statement is completely misleading.

I added the capability of handling any Access related file to the Auto
FE Updater. Actually more accurately that the capability of starting
up any file be in a Word doc/docx, Excel xls/xlxs, etc.

Tony
--
Tony Toews, Microsoft Access MVP
Tony's Main MS Access pages - http://www.granite.ab.ca/accsmstr.htm
Tony's Microsoft Access Blog - http://msmvps.com/blogs/access/
For a convenient utility to keep your users FEs and other files
updated see http://www.autofeupdater.com/
Granite Fleet Manager http://www.granitefleet.com/