Linked Tables Error - "File Already in Use"

[Ken Mitchell]

I've got an Access 2003 DB which I have split in to front-end and back-end
databases using the Database Splitter. The backend (with all the tables) is
on the server, in a shared directory with full control. The front-end (with
the forms, querys and reports) is located on the Desktop. Any one user can
open the front end DB - but no one else can. The next user gets the error
message "Could not use <database path and name >; File already in use".

It looks like the backend DB is being opened exclusively, but since the
front end was linked to the back end using the Linked Tables Manager, I don't
think that should be happening.

This is a new install of Access 2003 on new WinXP box at a client site, and
this has never been a problem before - but there's a first time for
everything, I guess.

There's something that I need to tweak - but it isn't obvious what.

Thanks.

 

[Jerry Whittle]

Tools, Options, Advanced tab. What's it say on both the FE and BE under
Default Open Mode and Default Record Locking?

Are you sure that the FE is on the desktop or maybe is it a shortcut to the
FE?

 

[Ken Mitchell]

Thanks for the quick response, Jerry. One client has the FE on the desktop,
another has the client in their "My Documents" directory with a shortcut on
the desktop. Each client has his/her own FE database. There will be a total
of five users once this gets straightened out.

Under Tools, Options, Advanced, I have Default Open Mode - Shared, Default
record Locking - Edited Record, and "open databases using record-level
locking" is selected. That was the second thing I thought of. (The first was
permissions on the BE directory, but I was pretty sure I'd set THAT
right....)

Anything else I can check? Thanks.

 

[Ken Mitchell]

OK, a friend has helped me solve the problem. Her explanation: it's a
permissions issue. In Win Server 2003, permissions, she says, aren't
inherited like they used to be in older versions. My BE database was in a
subfolder in a folder. I had explicitly set "Full Control" permissions on
the parent folder, but had assumed (and what does the word "ASSUME" mean?
Anyone? ) that the subfolder would have those same permissions. Since the
subfolder apparently didn't have "create" rights, the BE database wasn't able
to create the .LDB file, which forced Access to open the BE database in
"exclusive" mode.

Now that I have explicitly set "Full Control" permissions on the actual
Database folder, both users (and presumably, others when I install the FE)
can hit the database. And my problem appears to be solved. Thanks for
everyone who gave this any thought at all.

 

[Pieter Wijnen]

Is a .ldb created along with the BE
If not there's either insufficient rights to create files in the BE
directory - or it is opened in exclusive mode

Pieter

Thanks for the quick response, Jerry. One client has the FE on the
desktop,
another has the client in their "My Documents" directory with a shortcut
on
the desktop. Each client has his/her own FE database. There will be a
total
of five users once this gets straightened out.

Under Tools, Options, Advanced, I have Default Open Mode - Shared, Default
record Locking - Edited Record, and "open databases using record-level
locking" is selected. That was the second thing I thought of. (The first
was
permissions on the BE directory, but I was pretty sure I'd set THAT
right....)

Anything else I can check? Thanks.

--

 

[Ken Mitchell]

Thanks, Pieter. It turned out to be the first, that I had not assigned the
appropriate permissions to that folder.

I appreciate the response.