views:

43

answers:

2

So I have an access mdb file that was originally create using Access 2003/Office 2003. Since I have recieved a new image at work that has 2007 Office installed. The file extension of the access database is still mdb., and the convert was done to 2002-2003 Access database previously.

Here is my question: I have users that still need to access the 2003 mdb because they have not been updated yet. However, I try to compile this version, and it shows up as a .mde file (not the .accdb, etc) so it looked as though it retained the version just fine.

However when they open it, they get the standard "Cannot open file. Check to ensure that the correct version of Access is installed"

I sthere something I am doing wrong here, or forgetting to do? Once I have 2007 on my desktop can I not compile a 2003/.mde file?

Thanks Justin

+2  A: 

Unfortunately you can't. You have to find a 2003 machine to compile, or have a virtual machine installed with Office 2003.
You MAY however have 2 (or more) versions on a single pc, but -I think- you MUST install them in the proper order (older version first), and specify a different folder for each during the custom install.

iDevlop
I found two versions of Access to be a huge pain, but this user may not have a choice.
Jeff O
@Jeff O: I have been using 2 versions quite successfully as a trainer. But now I do essentially development, I prefer to use a VM, which is less prone to confusion.
iDevlop
I thought I may not have set it up properly. Each time I switched i had to wait for some update.
Jeff O
While you must specify a different folder for each install of Access you do *NOT* have to install them in chronological order. This is a myth that is wrong. I have very deliberately installed Access versions in random orders on my systems over the last five or eight years and have never, ever had a problem. Other than the standard Access 97 Hatten font problem. I currently have A97, 2000, 2002, 2003 and 2007 installed. I need to install A2010 real soon now.
Tony Toews
Jeff O, switching from any version to Access 2007, and likely 2010, takes a significant length of time, is a pain but is standard behavior. I do it every few days to test stuff in different versions of Access.
Tony Toews
Also be aware of the following for the devs or users is multiple versions of Access installed. Errors using multiple versions of Access under Vista or Windows 7 http://allenbrowne.com/bug-17.html
Tony Toews
Also see http://msmvps.com/blogs/access/archive/2010/09/29/you-can-install-access-versions-in-whatever-order-you-want.aspx There might be some comments in a day or two mentioning things I've forgotten.
Tony Toews
+1  A: 

It used to be that for the main file formats, if you compiled your MDE in the lowest version in use, it would run on the later versions. That is, for an A2000-format MDB, if you compile your MDE in A2000, it should run in A2000, A2002 (XP), A2003, and, presumably, A2007 and A2010.

If your lowest target version is A2003, then compile on A2003 and the MDE should work in A2007 and A2010 (assuming everything else is appropriately coded, e.g., late binding used wherever possible to avoid hardwired references to particular versions of Office apps, for instance).

David-W-Fenton