Unlinking a Linked table

[Mark Mesarch]

Hi,
I imported a table from database A into database B as a
linked table. That worked fine. But then I decided I did
not want the table in Database B to be linked to database
A for the time being. As I understand the Help
information I can select the table in Database B and press
delete. THen I should be advised the that the table will
become unlinked, but not deleted. I get this message.
But when I press the OK key the table is DELETED from
database B. The table is still in database A. AS I
understand the Help information the table should still be
in Database B, just not linked.

Am I doing something wrong?

Thanks.
Mark

 

[Larry]

-----Original Message-----
Hi,
I imported a table from database A into database B as a
linked table. That worked fine. But then I decided I did
not want the table in Database B to be linked to database
A for the time being. As I understand the Help
information I can select the table in Database B and press
delete. THen I should be advised the that the table will
become unlinked, but not deleted. I get this message.
But when I press the OK key the table is DELETED from
database B. The table is still in database A. AS I
understand the Help information the table should still be
in Database B, just not linked.

Am I doing something wrong?

Thanks.
Mark
.
The only way to unlink a linked file is to delete it.

If you want to keep the imformation import it.

 

[Ben]

To expand a bit on Larry's answer:
When you link a table you are basically creating a "window" into another
database. You can view and modify the data, but it "lives" in another file.
According to your description, you have done nothing wrong and have acheived
your goal, you have removed the link. Now, if what you were after is a copy
of the table in database A, say so you could change it in test without
mucking up the live data, then import it into database B rather than link
it. When your testing is done, you can delete the copy and link to the live
table.
Also note that a linked table will have a little arrow next to it in the
database window, an imported table will not.

HTH
Ben

 

[Mark Mesarch]

But according to the Help Messages and the Microsoft book
on ACCESS when you delete a Linked table a dialogue box
should tell that you are just breakiing the link and not
deleting the table. I get that dialogue box. But then
the table disappears.

I know I can just import the table instead of link first.
But the Helps imply unlinking and relinking.

 

[Bob Vanderslice]

Mark,

I think you are just misunderstanding what is supposed to happen. When you
remove a link to another Access db table, it is deleted from the Table
listing. It's not that the link arrow is removed, but the tablename stays.
You can always re-link to it again, but when there's no link to a particular
table, basically it doesn't exist.

I've checked the Help file and my Access book to see what you might be
looking at that would indicate otherwise, but don't see anything. Here's
what the Access app helpfile says--if you're referring to the part where it
says "you are deleting only the information that Microsoft Access used to
open the table, not the table itself", that means (in your example) that it
is deleting the link in Database B to the table in Database A, but not the
actual Table/data in Database A. The last sentence tells you that it's
going to remove the table's name from the list.

Hope this helps,
Bob

Delete the link to a linked table in an Access database
When you delete a linked table, you are deleting only the information that
Microsoft Access uses to open the table, not the table itself. You can link
to the same table again later.

1.. In the Database window, click Tables under Objects, and then click the
linked table.
2.. Press the DELETE key.
Microsoft Access deletes the link and removes the table's name from the
list.