Why Pull Down Menus Suddenly Become Blank

[GHF]

I have a db with extensive lookups using combo boxes. All of a sudden the
pull downs go blank, and selections can not be seen (and made rationally).

The same affect appears in the underlying tables.

Data still appears if it had been selected before today in both the forms
and the tables. In forms, columns not being selected can be seen on the pull
downs.

 

[Nicholas Scarpinato]

First off, have you compacted the database recently, and have you rebooted
the computer the database is on since this started? If the data is still
there, but you can't see it, it sounds like a computer issue, not an Access
one. Sounds like your running low on free memory space.

Either that or the DB has gotten corrupted somehow, but I don't think you'd
be able to open it if that were the case.

 

[GHF]

Thanks for your help -

I have loaded an earlier version of the DB, and the condition is the same.
It was not that way when I burned it to a CD.

I compact the DB every time I close it.

How do I find out about the free memory issue, and what can I do to overcome
it?

 

[John W. Vinson]

I have a db with extensive lookups using combo boxes. All of a sudden the
pull downs go blank, and selections can not be seen (and made rationally).

The same affect appears in the underlying tables.

Data still appears if it had been selected before today in both the forms
and the tables. In forms, columns not being selected can be seen on the pull
downs.

There was a bug in Service Pack 3 for Access 2003 which causes combo boxes to
be shown blank even though they should contain data. A hotfix is available;
see
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/945674

 

[Rick Brandt]

Thanks for your help -

I have loaded an earlier version of the DB, and the condition is the
same. It was not that way when I burned it to a CD.

I compact the DB every time I close it.

How do I find out about the free memory issue, and what can I do to
overcome it?

If you have Access 2003 and have recently applied the latest Service Pack
then this is a known bug for which there is a hotfix available.

 

[GHF]

Thanks for explaining what the problem was, and pointing me in the direction
of what to do.

I went and tried to install the hot patch you indicated, but it asked me for
a subdirectory to put the files, and I took a conservative route and put them
in a directory under My Documents.

Did I -

1. Put them in the rong place (I tried to open the DB, and the pulldowns
are still blank)
2. Should I have put them in some directory under Programs, if if so, which
one?

 

[John W. Vinson]

I went and tried to install the hot patch you indicated, but it asked me for
a subdirectory to put the files, and I took a conservative route and put them
in a directory under My Documents.

I haven't downloaded the hotpatch (or for that matter SP3!!!) myself so I'm
not certain, but my guess is that you need to download a file *AND EXECUTE IT*
in order to update your Access installation. Just downloading it isn't enough.

 

[GHF]

To everybody who chimed in on this problem, thank you very much. It works
now, just as it did before. Pull downs pull.

My only question is if I downloaded SP3 in early March, why was the patch
dated in December 2007? Why wasn't SP3 corrected?

 

[John W. Vinson]

My only question is if I downloaded SP3 in early March, why was the patch
dated in December 2007? Why wasn't SP3 corrected?

Very good question to which I don't know the answer. I don't work at Microsoft
and don't have inside info!

Speculation: many hotfixes are offered only if the user experiences the
problem, which implies that not everyone does.