Receiving message saying missing MSOWC.DLL. What do I need to do?

[Guest]

I have Access 2003 on my computer and the rest of the computers on the
network have Access 2000. We have a document that was originiated in Access
2000 and I am unable to get it on my computer with 2003.

I get a message saying that contains a missing or broken reference to
MSOWC.DLL. What do I do? How can I fix it to access that document on the
network from my computer?

 

[Guest]

THE OTHER USERS HAVE 2002 NOT 2000.

 

[Dirk Goldgar]

I have Access 2003 on my computer and the rest of the computers on the
network have Access 2000. We have a document that was originiated in
Access 2000 and I am unable to get it on my computer with 2003.

I get a message saying that contains a missing or broken reference to
MSOWC.DLL. What do I do? How can I fix it to access that document
on the network from my computer?

By "document", are you referring to an Access database? Are you sharing
that database across the network, or have you copied it to your
computer? Sharing a database on a network, unless that database
contains only data (no forms, reports, modules, etc.), is not recommend;
this is one of the reasons. You can fix the broken reference on your
computer, but that probably means it will then be broken for someone
else. The best approach is to split the database into a back-end
databae (tables only) and a front-end database (everything else, with
the tables linked to the back-end), and then give every user their own
copy of the front-end.

I believe MSOWC.DLL is the Microsoft Office Web Components. You may not
even need that reference, depending on which features of Access you're
using. I think you need it for pivot tables and pivot charts. You
could try opening the VB Editor, clicking Tools -> References..., and
unchecking the reference. The close the References dialog, click
Debug -> Compile, and see if you get any error messages. If not, put
the database through all its paces and see if it works okay.

If the reference is *not* needed, then removing the reference shouldn't
affect other users even though you share the database on the network.
If the reference is needed, you'll have to put it back, and then it will
be broken for the others. You really need to split the database, so you
can fix the references in your copy of the front-end, and others won't
be affected.

 

[Guest]

Yes, when I say document I do mean database. The database is saved on the
network server and that is where everyone goes to access it. And yes, it is
forms that we use to place orders. When I say everyone on the network there
are only 4 of us. We are a small office

 

[Dirk Goldgar]

Yes, when I say document I do mean database. The database is saved
on the network server and that is where everyone goes to access it.
And yes, it is forms that we use to place orders. When I say
everyone on the network there are only 4 of us. We are a small office

You should split the database into back-end and front-ends, as I
mentioned. Until you do, you will be subject to problems like this, and
also more susceptible to corruption (though that depends on how solid
your network is and how the database is actually used). For a more
detailed discussion of splitting databases, see this link to Tony Toews'
website:

http://www.granite.ab.ca/access/splitapp/index.htm

and also this MS article:


http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/d.../en-us/odc_ac2003_ta/html/odc_acmultibest.asp
Best Practices When Using Microsoft Office Access 2003 in a
Multi-user Environment