Calculations

[Lenny]

My report has columns that add up totals by month for a two year period, then
a column that shows year to year variance. The calculation in the variance
column has gotten very large (adding and subtracting about 20 fields). Now
when I try to run the report it automatically dumps me out of access and
creates a backup database.

Is there a maximum number of characters you can have in a
formula/calculation? Is that why I am getting kicked out of Access?

Please help,

Thanks,

Lenny

 

[Allen Browne]

It's unlikely that the problem is the number of characters in the
calculation.

The complexity does make it harder to track down the cause.

Does this involve subqueries? Multiple aliased copies of the same table?

In the mean time, you could start with a basic repair sequence, especially
since it's been crashing:

Try this sequence (in order):

1. Uncheck the boxes under:
Tools | Options | General | Name AutoCorrect
In Access 2007, it's:
Office Button | Access Options | Current Database | Name AutoCorrect
Explanation of why:
http://allenbrowne.com/bug-03.html

2. Compact the database to get rid of this junk:
Tools | Database Utilities | Compact/Repair
or in Access 2007:
Office Button | Manage | Compact/Repair

3. Close Access. Make a backup copy of the file. Decompile the database by
entering something like this at the command prompt while Access is not
running. It is all one line, and include the quotes:
"c:\Program Files\Microsoft office\office\msaccess.exe" /decompile
"c:\MyPath\MyDatabase.mdb"

4. Open Access (holding down the Shift key if you have any startup code),
and compact again.

5. Open a code window.
Choose References from the Tools menu.
Uncheck any references you do not need.
For a list of the ones you typically need in your version of Access, see:
http://allenbrowne.com/ser-38.html

6. Still in the code window, choose Compile from the Debug menu.
Fix any errors, and repeat until it compiles okay.

At this point, you should have a database where the name-autocorrect errors
are gone, the indexes are repaired, inconsistencies between the text- and
compiled-versions of the code are fixed, reference ambiguities are resolved,
and the code syntax is compilable.