Hi Experts,
I'm running a front-end/ back-end Access 2003 application on Windows Server 2003. The app is being developed using Access 2007 using a 2003 format d/base on a Windows Vista Ultimate machine.
The problem I'm describing below only happens when running on the server.
I have a strange problem on a form where it appears that if a special character, eg: "*", is entered as the first character of a text field, then Access is crashing.
I've tried entering the special character at other positions in the string and it works OK. I've also tried entering an alpha character, eg:"a", as the 1st character and that's also OK.
I thought this must be a corruption on the table, but I've rebuilt it by creating a new back-end and importing the tables, but it doesn't solve the problem.
Any thoughts/ideas gratefully received
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Hi Bellone, thanks for your reply - interrogate away!
The problem does not happen if the first character is numeric, but it does happen on other special characters, eg: "&", "!",
I develop the FE app on my local PC (Access 2007, Vista) using a test BE - a copy of the live BE. I cannot re-create the problem on this setup - it just happens when the live FE/BE is running on Windows 2003 server.
The form to update the text field is opened up from a menu, then I enter the data and go back to the menu. When I then try to go back into the update form after entering a special character as the first character, Access crashes with the "Access needs to close.." message and there are no other error messages.
I've now tried entering an "*" as the first character in other text fields on the form and that seems to work fine.
Thanks again for your time, much appreciated.
Hi RedPoppy - The fact that it happens on one backend, but not the other, and with one field but not others, would seem to indicate that it's the backend table which is corrupting (let's call it Table1). I know you have copied everything to a new database, but I think it would be worth trying the following.
Create a query based on Table1, but with no records showing (e.g. by making the the selection criterion for the autonumber key field zero).
Turn this into a make-table query and make a new table called, say, Temp.
Reset autonumber, if any, and other indexed fields in Temp.
Use an append query to add the data from Table1 to Temp.
Rename Table1 to Table1Bad, then rename Temp to Table1.
See if it still corrupts.
Hi Bellone,
I tried re-creating the table as you described but the problem is still there.
I have however noticed that it's not happening on all the records - I've just been testing using the first record until now. I tried deleting the first record and repeated the test editing the new first record and it fell over with the same error. Not sure if that helps or just adds to the confusion.
Hi Bellone:
"What happens if you enter a valid first record and then, say, an asterisk as the first character in the second record?" - it works OK
I also tried inserting an "*" directly in the table on the first record, which it accepted but then when I tried to open the form it crashed with the same error.
Hi Bellone,
I think you're on the right lines. The form is a main form with several linked sub-forms on tabs - I've just tried removing all the sub-forms and lo and behold the problem has disappeared! I've now put back each of the sub-forms in turn and found the one that seems to be causing the problem, so I'll investigate that and get back to you. Thanks for your help so far, it's been driving me nutty for the last 2 days.
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by: BellonePosted on 2009-10-20 at 03:52:54ID: 25612720
May we please have a little more info? Is it always just the asterisk that triggers the crash, or does it also happen if the first character is numeric? Also, what actually happens - does the system hang as soon as you press Enter or Tab to move from that fields, or when the form closes, or when? And is there any error message at any stage?