Database window mystery

[betwalk]

Hello-

I helped a friend today with a problem I've never seen before. He
called me last night when he was working in his Access database (XP, I
think...). He is just learning about databases and was working in the
datasheet view from the database window, teaching himself about table
structures and data entry and queries. He called me to say that his
database window had disappeared. Just very suddenly. He saw it "zoom"
off screen to the left. He described it as a "digital vacuum cleaner
sucked it up". I found this all very difficult to imagine, so told him
to leave everything alone and I'd stop by today to see what I could
figure out.

Well. The Access program was open. The title bar showed that his
database was open. The vertical scroll bar didn't indicate that any
scrolling was available. The horizontal scrollbar looked like
something was waaaaaayyyyyy off to the left. However, when I tried to
scroll back to the right nothing would happen. If I tried to drag the
scroll box to the right it would "snap" back to the left as soon as I
released it, as if there were nothing there to bring into view.

This condition seemed to exist for all three database files that he had
on his PC.

I tried closing and reopening Access. The files showed in the Open
dialog box, but would be "hidden" anyway. I tried rebooting the
laptop, but that made no difference.

I was easily able to reconstruct his file by creating new blank
databases and importing all his tables and queries, etc. So nothing is
lost. But I am reallyl stumped about where those database Windows
went. As he is a beginner, I didn't think he would have set any
Startup options, but I did check them just in case he'd been playing
around and inadvertantly toggled off the view of the database window.
He did not. I also checked the Window menu, which will offer the
"UnHide" command if the database Window is hidden. It did not. It
offered "Hide" which meant to me that nothing was "hidden" yet.

So. Ideas anyone?

 

[Dirk Goldgar]

Hello-

I helped a friend today with a problem I've never seen before. He
called me last night when he was working in his Access database (XP, I
think...). He is just learning about databases and was working in the
datasheet view from the database window, teaching himself about table
structures and data entry and queries. He called me to say that his
database window had disappeared. Just very suddenly. He saw it "zoom"
off screen to the left. He described it as a "digital vacuum cleaner
sucked it up". I found this all very difficult to imagine, so told
him to leave everything alone and I'd stop by today to see what I
could figure out.

Well. The Access program was open. The title bar showed that his
database was open. The vertical scroll bar didn't indicate that any
scrolling was available. The horizontal scrollbar looked like
something was waaaaaayyyyyy off to the left. However, when I tried to
scroll back to the right nothing would happen. If I tried to drag the
scroll box to the right it would "snap" back to the left as soon as I
released it, as if there were nothing there to bring into view.

This condition seemed to exist for all three database files that he
had on his PC.

I tried closing and reopening Access. The files showed in the Open
dialog box, but would be "hidden" anyway. I tried rebooting the
laptop, but that made no difference.

I was easily able to reconstruct his file by creating new blank
databases and importing all his tables and queries, etc. So nothing
is lost. But I am reallyl stumped about where those database Windows
went. As he is a beginner, I didn't think he would have set any
Startup options, but I did check them just in case he'd been playing
around and inadvertantly toggled off the view of the database window.
He did not. I also checked the Window menu, which will offer the
"UnHide" command if the database Window is hidden. It did not. It
offered "Hide" which meant to me that nothing was "hidden" yet.

So. Ideas anyone?

I don't know what changed the window position settings for the database
window, but try going back into the original database file and clicking
Window -> Cascade. That ought to bring the database window back into
view.

 

['69 Camaro]

He described it as a "digital vacuum cleaner

sucked it up".

Ah. The digital vacuum cleaner. No doubt a close relative of the super
sock sucker in the dryer, which only eats one sock of every pair.

So. Ideas anyone?

Select the Window -> Cascade menu and see whether the Database Window
reappears onscreen again.

HTH.
Gunny

See http://www.QBuilt.com for all your database needs.
See http://www.Access.QBuilt.com for Microsoft Access tips and tutorials.
http://www.Access.QBuilt.com/html/expert_contributors2.html for contact
info.

 

[betwalk]

Gunny & Dirk-

Thanks so much for these prompt replies. You both seem to be on the
same page, which I will take as a sign from the digital gods that you
are both right! I'll call my friend and tell him to give this a try.
I'll letcha know how it goes...

Have a great weekend.

(going to look for Gunny's maverick sock now. Might find it out on the
street tring to climb the telephone pole so it can join the sneakers
dangling from the phone wire...)

 

[betwalk]

Ah HA! You two are so smart! It worked!

I knew he hadn't lost his data anyway, but it's nice to know that
little trick!

Betsy