Access 97 error: "Can't load the [function-name] format."

[Derek]

Hi all.

I know this version of Access is no longer supported by Microsoft, but for
various reasons, we still have a few 97 databases kicking around our
organization. Recently, one such database has started showing this error for
some users. For whatever reason, it reports the same error multiple times
using different format names that partially match function names.

[database-name] Can't load the [function-name] format.

The setting for this format in the windows registry is incorrect. You can't
same the output data to a file in this format until you correct the settings
in the registry.

Run Setup to reinstall [database-name] or, if you're familliar with the
settings in the registry, try to correct them yourself. For more information
on the Registry, click Help.

On one particular user's machine, the error comes up four times on load, and
again when she loads a report. I've searched the web and found a few posts
from people with the same issue, but none with answers! It started a couple
of months ago and seemed to hit people over a short time period, so I'm
thinking it might have been caused by a recent Windows Update. Our
environment uses Windows XP w/SP3 and Office 2007 w/SP1 but we've had to keep
Access 97 because of some of our legacy databases. Access 97 is at sr2b.

If anyone can find any information that might help me solve this, I'd be
eternally greatful.

Thanks.

 

[Arvin Meyer [MVP]]

Quite possibly this is a References error. Open any code window, go to:

Tools >>> References

and see if anything is marked as MISSING

if there is, you'll need to find the path to the missing reference, or
uncheck it, if no longer applicable. If not, please post the error number as
well as the exact error text.

 

[Derek]

Hi Arvin.

Sorry to take so long responding. We had some urgent matters that put this
problem on the back burner for awhile.

Anyway, I checked the references, and none were marked as missing.
Unfortunately, there's no number on the error dialog box. When the user
opens the form, it shows the same error four different times with different
"formats" in each. I'll note the contents of the error first, then I'll list
the faulting "formats." In all cases, the title of the dialog box is simply
the title of the database. The error is

<I>dbtitle</I> Can't load the 'o].[name]' format.
The setting for this format in the Windows Registry is incorrect. You can't
save the output data to a file in this format until you correct the setting
in the registry.

Run Setup to reinstall <I>dbtitle</I> or, if you're familliar with the
settings in the registry, try to correct them yourself. For more information
on the Registry, click Help.

The other "formats" it's claiming are

rID]
119
me

Hopefully, someone will have seen this or something similar.

Thanks.

Quite possibly this is a References error. Open any code window, go to:

Tools >>> References

and see if anything is marked as MISSING

if there is, you'll need to find the path to the missing reference, or
uncheck it, if no longer applicable. If not, please post the error number as
well as the exact error text.
--
Arvin Meyer, MCP, MVP
http://www.datastrat.com
http://www.mvps.org/access
http://www.accessmvp.com

Hi all.

I know this version of Access is no longer supported by Microsoft, but for
various reasons, we still have a few 97 databases kicking around our
organization. Recently, one such database has started showing this error
for
some users. For whatever reason, it reports the same error multiple times
using different format names that partially match function names.

[database-name] Can't load the [function-name] format.

The setting for this format in the windows registry is incorrect. You
can't
same the output data to a file in this format until you correct the
settings
in the registry.

Run Setup to reinstall [database-name] or, if you're familliar with the
settings in the registry, try to correct them yourself. For more
information
on the Registry, click Help.

On one particular user's machine, the error comes up four times on load,
and
again when she loads a report. I've searched the web and found a few
posts
from people with the same issue, but none with answers! It started a
couple
of months ago and seemed to hit people over a short time period, so I'm
thinking it might have been caused by a recent Windows Update. Our
environment uses Windows XP w/SP3 and Office 2007 w/SP1 but we've had to
keep
Access 97 because of some of our legacy databases. Access 97 is at sr2b.

If anyone can find any information that might help me solve this, I'd be
eternally greatful.

Thanks.

 

[medok]

I've got the same problem with Access 97 Russian, and this problem is rather
"fresh" maybe some months, though I use Access 97 for ages.
It happens with all databases. and every time it shows different format.
Strange, that this error doesn't really causes any problems except the
annoyance.

This problem happens both on windows xp sp2/3 and widnows server 2003 SP2,
too.

But some pcs on network do not have this problem opening the same databases

Derek, do you use advantage db?

 

[Derek]

I don't think Advantage DB was used for this database, but it was written
before I started with the company. The problem is being blamed on recent
security hardening done on workstations, but I'm thinking it might have been
an update, possibly May or June. Users log in with standard user accounts.
They have write access to the folder Access 97 is installed in, because some
functions require it. I'm not seeing any permissions issues in Process
Monitor, and Access 97 is excluded from Data Execution Prevention.

If any of this gives someone a clue, I'd love to hear it. I know Access 97
is EOL, but so much functionality was dropped in Access 2000 that it made it
hard to upgrade. Four versions later, the problem is compounded, and a lot
of routines will be better off rewritten.

All suggestions greatly appreciated.

 

[James A. Fortune]

Hi all.

I know this version of Access is no longer supported by Microsoft, but for
various reasons, we still have a few 97 databases kicking around our
organization. Recently, one such database has started showing this error for
some users. For whatever reason, it reports the same error multiple times
using different format names that partially match function names.

[database-name] Can't load the [function-name] format.

The setting for this format in the windows registry is incorrect. You can't
same the output data to a file in this format until you correct the settings
in the registry.

Run Setup to reinstall [database-name] or, if you're familliar with the
settings in the registry, try to correct them yourself. For more information
on the Registry, click Help.

On one particular user's machine, the error comes up four times on load, and
again when she loads a report. I've searched the web and found a few posts
from people with the same issue, but none with answers! It started a couple
of months ago and seemed to hit people over a short time period, so I'm
thinking it might have been caused by a recent Windows Update. Our
environment uses Windows XP w/SP3 and Office 2007 w/SP1 but we've had to keep
Access 97 because of some of our legacy databases. Access 97 is at sr2b.

If anyone can find any information that might help me solve this, I'd be
eternally greatful.

Thanks.

See my response in the following thread:

http://www.accessmonster.com/Uwe/Forum.aspx/databases-ms-access/41583/Office-97-Value-Pack

James A. Fortune
(e-mail address removed)

I think that custom database programming is a waste of your talent. --
Robert Trapp

 

[Derek]

Thanks James. I've sent the other page to work, and will give it a shot
Tuesday. It's Thanksgiving up here in Canada, but it may even be as simple
as copying the keys from one user's profile to another. If these are
missing, there might be other stuff missing as well, so I might even just
create a new profile for her and see if the error is corrected.

Thanks.

Hi all.

I know this version of Access is no longer supported by Microsoft, but for
various reasons, we still have a few 97 databases kicking around our
organization. Recently, one such database has started showing this error for
some users. For whatever reason, it reports the same error multiple times
using different format names that partially match function names.

[database-name] Can't load the [function-name] format.

The setting for this format in the windows registry is incorrect. You can't
same the output data to a file in this format until you correct the settings
in the registry.

Run Setup to reinstall [database-name] or, if you're familliar with the
settings in the registry, try to correct them yourself. For more information
on the Registry, click Help.

On one particular user's machine, the error comes up four times on load, and
again when she loads a report. I've searched the web and found a few posts
from people with the same issue, but none with answers! It started a couple
of months ago and seemed to hit people over a short time period, so I'm
thinking it might have been caused by a recent Windows Update. Our
environment uses Windows XP w/SP3 and Office 2007 w/SP1 but we've had to keep
Access 97 because of some of our legacy databases. Access 97 is at sr2b.

If anyone can find any information that might help me solve this, I'd be
eternally greatful.

Thanks.

See my response in the following thread:

http://www.accessmonster.com/Uwe/Forum.aspx/databases-ms-access/41583/Office-97-Value-Pack

James A. Fortune
(e-mail address removed)

I think that custom database programming is a waste of your talent. --
Robert Trapp