Users get locked out

[Michael C]

I've got an app in VB6 that users access as a database. Some users are
reporting that it is all working ok until 1 particular user connects to the
database. When they do they get the error below. On several occasions I've
sent an email saying that it must be network permissions and not had a
reply. Usually that means it fixed the issue and they don't want to admit it
was their fault but it makes it difficult because I have no idea what the
solution was. Has anyone encountered this? Is there an easy way to reproduce
it on my machine? I don't think it's anything to do with the way the mdb
file is opened from my app as they cannot change the password or way it
connects to the database. I'm just using a simple database password.

Thanks,
Michael

The Microsoft Jet database engine cannot open the file

'S:\blah\blah.mdb'. It is already opened exclusively by another user,

or y ou need permission to view its data.

 

[Tony Toews [MVP]]

I've got an app in VB6 that users access as a database. Some users are
reporting that it is all working ok until 1 particular user connects to the
database. When they do they get the error below. On several occasions I've
sent an email saying that it must be network permissions and not had a
reply. Usually that means it fixed the issue and they don't want to admit it
was their fault but it makes it difficult because I have no idea what the
solution was. Has anyone encountered this?

Oh yes, we've seen that many times.

Is there an easy way to reproduce
it on my machine?

Setup another user and read the blurb that follows.

This is probably a permissions problem on the directory in which the
backend is installed. The users must have create/delete privileges
to that directory. What is happening is that Access can't create the
..ldb file which allows multiple users to update the MDB. So Access
only allows one user at a time.

One simple way of testing this is to ensure the users can create and
delete a file in the network share. Any file, even using notepad, is
enough to test this. I simply don't trust all those permissions screen
within the OS. You never quite know whats lurking behind the advanced
button. So test this yourself.

Sometimes it could only be one user who does not have create
privileges to cause problems who just happens to be the first user
into the MDB at that moment in time. Then all the other Access users
can't access the file because the first user is in exclusively.

"I found that I could keep the permissions set to Change, but had to
ensure that the directory in which the db resides was set to not
inherit permissions from it's parent. It seemed that every time a new
user logged onto a given machine, it got messed up."

See ACC: Determining Which User Has Opened Database Exclusively
(Q169648)
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q169648
Essentially you must use tools on the server to determine who has
locked the file.

For MS info see ACC: Introduction to .ldb Files (95/97) [Q136128]. Or
the version appropriate for your version of Access.

I don't think it's anything to do with the way the mdb
file is opened from my app as they cannot change the password or way it
connects to the database. I'm just using a simple database password.

Agreed. It's not your fault.

Tony
--
Tony Toews, Microsoft Access MVP
Please respond only in the newsgroups so that others can
read the entire thread of messages.
Microsoft Access Links, Hints, Tips & Accounting Systems at
http://www.granite.ab.ca/accsmstr.htm
Tony's Microsoft Access Blog - http://msmvps.com/blogs/access/

 

[Michael C]

Oh yes, we've seen that many times.

Thanks Tony, that looks like it should solve the problem. I won't know until
the customer gets back to me, although because they already said they
checked permissions I might not hear from them

Agreed. It's not your fault.

That's a change!

Michael

 

[Michael C]

Setup another user and read the blurb that follows.

I sent the blurb to the user and they just reported back that it fixed the
problem. I suspect he may have already solved the problem as the reply came
back pretty quickly but he did confirm this was the issue. He was using a
mac file server for windows workstations.

Michael