Sudden problem with functions in queries

[duck]

I am using Access 2003. I have been using this for years now. I regularly
use Left, Mid, and Right functions, along with the CDbl function. All of a
sudden, I am getting an error when trying to build expressions in a query.
it comes back with an error, "There was an error compiling this function". I
have compacted the database, rebooted, and tried everything I know. Any
ideas?

 

[Sylvain Lafontaine]

Decompile your database: create a shortcut with the following startup
options:

/decompile /compact /repair

Another way of decompiling is to go into the References dialog window of the
VBA environment, add a dummy reference, close the References dialog windows
(important!) and after that, reopen it and remove the dummy reference
previously added. Changed the list of references will force Access to
recompile all modules the next time they are used.

A final possibility is that you have now a missing reference into this list
of references.

--
Sylvain Lafontaine, ing.
MVP - Windows Live Platform
Blog/web site: http://coding-paparazzi.sylvainlafontaine.com
Independent consultant and remote programming for Access and SQL-Server
(French)

 

[John Spencer]

To expand on the last part of Sylvain Lafontaine's response.

To do its job, Access makes use of various external program and object
libraries. If you move a database from one machine to another, these
references may be "broken" or if you install new versions of software
(applications or operating system) the references can change.

When this happens, you need to take steps to let Access repair the
reference(s) ON THE COMPUTER WHERE THE FAILURE IS OCCURRING.

Here are MVP Doug Steele's instructions for how to do it:

*** Quote ***

Any time functions that previously worked suddenly don't, the first thing to
suspect is a references problem.

This can be caused by differences in either the location or file version of
certain files between the machine where the application was developed, and
where it's being run (or the file missing completely from the target machine).
Such differences are common when new software is installed.

On the machine(s) where it's not working, open any code module (or open the
Debug Window, using Ctrl-G, provided you haven't selected the "keep debug
window on top" option). Select Tools | References from the menu bar. Examine
all of the selected references.

If any of the selected references have "MISSING:" in front of them, unselect
them, and back out of the dialog. If you really need the reference(s) you just
unselected (you can tell by doing a Compile All Modules), go back in and
reselect them.

If none have "MISSING:", select an additional reference at random, back out of
the dialog, then go back in and unselect the reference you just added. If that
doesn't solve the problem, try to unselect as many of the selected references
as you can (Access may not let you unselect them all), back out of the dialog,
then go back in and reselect the references you just unselected. (NOTE: write
down what the references are before you delete them, because they'll be in a
different order when you go back in)

For far more than you could ever want to know about this problem, check out
http://www.accessmvp.com/djsteele/AccessReferenceErrors.html

Just so you know: the problem will occur even if the library that contains the
specific function that's failing doesn't have a problem.

**** End Quote ****

John Spencer
Access MVP 2002-2005, 2007-2010
The Hilltop Institute
University of Maryland Baltimore County