Strange Fields in Access

[gary125]

Sometimes when I close Access 2007 and re-open a strange field has been added
and my previous field information is gone and replaced with numbers. When I
go into design view and try to delete the field it won't allow the deletion.

 

[John W. Vinson]

Sometimes when I close Access 2007 and re-open a strange field has been added
and my previous field information is gone and replaced with numbers. When I
go into design view and try to delete the field it won't allow the deletion.

I would guess that you used the Lookup Field wizard to create a lookup field
in your table.

The way Access does this is to create a new table - the lookup table -
containing a numeric autonumber primary key and the text value to be looked
up, and storing an integer field in your table as a link to the lookup table.
Depending on the settings on the Lookup tab, you may see what's actually IN
the table (a number), or you may see something that is actually NOT in the
table - the lookup.

 

[gary125]

I'm sorry but I really don't understand what you are saying and I'm sure that
someone with more knowledge of Access would know what to do. Access will not
let me delete these fields or rows. All the knowledge I have concerning
Access hass been trial and error and some reading of teh Microsoft book on
Access.

 

[John W. Vinson]

I'm sorry but I really don't understand what you are saying and I'm sure that
someone with more knowledge of Access would know what to do. Access will not
let me delete these fields or rows. All the knowledge I have concerning
Access hass been trial and error and some reading of teh Microsoft book on
Access.

Gary, you can see your screen - I cannot. Please give me some information that
would help me solve your problem.

Open the table in design view.
In a message here, tell us the name of the Table; the name of each field; the
datatype of each field.
Then select each field, and look in the Lookup tab of the field properties on
the lower left of the window. Does it refer to "Combo Box" somewhere within
that tab?

You say "will not let me delete". This suggests that you are getting an error
message, or some response that is preventing the deletion. What DO you get?
Does an error box pop up? If so, what does it say?

 

[gary125]

John, I started this db in 1999 when I started to work for my present
company. They had no computer related way of tracking employee information
(i.e., name, address, ssn, phone, etc.). I tried excel spreadsheets but you
know that doesn't work. With no previous knowledge it was trial and error in
setting up the Access db. I probably started out wrong, but I created a db
called Employees. In that I have many fields.

Work location, pay rate, craft description, DOH, term date, reason for term,
date eligible for insurance, type of insurance, date of drug screen, and the
list goes on.
In addition, I work out of two offices so I have a master on the main office
computer and have made a replica on a memory stick to carry out to the
jobsite so I can work there too. Then come back and update the briefcase at
the main office.

This has happened several times before and I have had to "rebuild" so to
speak my information. Most recently I have a field called 401k with a drop
down list of events. Next to that field is a field called 401k eligible
which I enter a date they can participate. That is the field that has
changed to numbers.

Also, for some reason, fields named "Temp 0 and Temp 1, have been created,
also with numbers and I don't know why.

I'm sorry for such a long explanation but I am about to pull my hair out
over this. I have put many hours into creating this which (over time) has a
total of 2500 employee entries.

Gary

 

[Evi]

I haven't had much chance to use Replicas but they do do some strange
things. Is this is starting to sound more and more like some kind of weird
corruption?. Import all the database items into a new blank db.
Can you re-create your odd-field table from scratch and use an append query
to add the data from your other table? or will that cause problems in your
Primary Key field?
Evi

 

[gary125]

If I import all the items into a new db won't that just transfer the problem?
The new field(s) are Temp0*, Temp1*, and the newest is John. That was not
there this morning and when I opened my Design Master on the main computer it
was there. Just for clarity, the temp fields now have random numbers ranging
from the number 1 to numbers in the triple digits. One field has dates in
the late 1800's to early 1900's. AS far as appending, I don't have enough
knowledge to perform that function as of yet.

Gary

 

[gary125]

What I forgot to ask is should I just try to rebuild the db. I have 2600
separate lines in the t able and it is all employee information with
approximately 120 columns of information?

If I import all the items into a new db won't that just transfer the problem?
The new field(s) are Temp0*, Temp1*, and the newest is John. That was not
there this morning and when I opened my Design Master on the main computer it
was there. Just for clarity, the temp fields now have random numbers ranging
from the number 1 to numbers in the triple digits. One field has dates in
the late 1800's to early 1900's. AS far as appending, I don't have enough
knowledge to perform that function as of yet.

Gary

 

[Evi]

Fields called John doesn't sound like typical corruption. I've little
experience with multiuser environments so maybe someone else can say if this
sounds familiar but this sounds more like multiple users accessing the
database and possibly crashing out of it (or are they still accessing it
when you check?). The date fields sound like number fields that have been
wrongly formatted as dates. In a query, use the Format function to format
them as
Time:
=Format(YourWierdDateField, "hh:nn")

Number:
=Format(YourWierdDateField,"00.00")

and see if the results look familiar.

Evi

If I import all the items into a new db won't that just transfer the problem?
The new field(s) are Temp0*, Temp1*, and the newest is John. That was not
there this morning and when I opened my Design Master on the main computer it
was there. Just for clarity, the temp fields now have random numbers ranging
from the number 1 to numbers in the triple digits. One field has dates in
the late 1800's to early 1900's. AS far as appending, I don't have enough
knowledge to perform that function as of yet.

Gary

 

[gary125]

The John field showed up after I created a field called 401k Eligible and I
actually formatted using short date. I am the only user of the db. When I
go in and try to format the TempField*0 and TempField*1 with a short date it
tells me this is a replication field and the changes can't be made.