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LilianM

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MDE file

I need to work on a database that was created on an earlier MS Access version and then converted to an MDE file. The problem is that I cannot open or converter the file.   When I tried to open it a get the message "You can't convert or enable an MDE file".  I am not familiar with MDE files, and I don't understand how they work.  Can you help?  

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John Mc Hale
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MDE files are 'compiled' Microsoft Access Databases. Their primary purpose is to prevent users from modifying the design of forms, reports, macros and modules ... you cannot therefore access the design of these features. However, you can still use the tables and queries ... so

Create a new database and import the tables and queries into the new database via the File..Get External Data...Import menu option. At least you will have a head start.

Hope this helps!
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Bondo

See below,

Saving your Access database as an MDE file prevents the following actions:

Viewing, modifying, or creating forms, reports, or modules in Design view.
Adding, deleting, or changing references to object libraries or databases.
Changing code — an MDE file contains no source code.
Importing or exporting forms, reports, or modules. However, tables, queries, data access pages, and macros can be imported from or exported to non-MDE databases.


Since your trying to updated it to a newer version of Access it's trying to modify either a form, report, module and the MDE file won't allow that.  You'll need to find a MDB version to work with.


Hope that helps and sorry if it doesn't,

Bondo


Hope that helps,

Bondo
Have you done a search for the associated MDB?
As Bondo commented, you will need to get that one to modify
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mjasic

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Thank you for helping me understand what kind of file I am working with.