tables with msys*

[John Stevenson]

I have recently started using Access 2003 and notice that
when I make a new database it automatically will add
tables that begin with msys (as example msysobject). I
can't delete these but don't know what their purpose is.
Can anyone explain this for me? I have searched all over
the internet and in microsoft without help.

 

[Craig Alexander Morrison]

John

These are system generated tables to manage the objects in the database they
can be hidden by using.

Tools, Options and on the View tab you can uncheck Show, Hidden Objects and
System Objects.

You generally do not need to know about these tables for most standard
applications and database designs.

 

[Allen Browne]

Access uses these tables to store information about what is in your
database. They are absolutely crucial, i.e. if you could delete them, your
file would be corrupted and useless. If you do not wish to see them, uncheck
the Hidden and System boxes under Tools | Options | View.

The use of the tables is undocumented, but in some cases you can guess their
purpose from their names. MSysObjects is the most interesting. When you
create a new table, you will see a new entry there showing the name of your
table, and Type is 1. Create a query, and a new entry shows up in
MSsysObjects with Type 5. Your forms are all there as type -32768, reports
as type -32764, and modules as -32761. Attached (linked) tables are type 6,
or type 4 for ODBC linked tables.

If you wish to follow up some other examples, Stephen Lebans has done some
work on how Access stores the relationships window data:
http://www.lebans.com/saverelationshipview.htm
and michka has done some work on how it stores the import/export specs:
www.trigeminal.com