Viewing Access 97 database in Access 2003 machine

[41db14]

Can anyone tell me if its possible to have Access 2003 installed on my
machine and be able to open and view (read only) a Access 97 database thats
out on a network shared drive?

I want to be able to view (read only) the Access 97 database and not receive
a message asking if I want to convert the database? The Access 97 database
is password protected.

 

[Roger Carlson]

I believe if you say 'No' to that message the first time, it won't ask
again.

--
--Roger Carlson
MS Access MVP
Access Database Samples: www.rogersaccesslibrary.com
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[41db14]

Roger, Thank you
As I mentioned the access 97 database in out on a network shared drive, one
thing I forgot to include is there are 196 individules that will also have
the same viewing rights. A small group of them will also have the ability to
enter, change, and delete data/recods.

Would the "convert to 2003" question be asked only one time for all of them?
Is there any way to be absolutley certain?
I am concerned because if any one of them ever accidently selects "converts
to 2003" then the rest will not be able to view.....

 

[Bill Mosca, MS Access MVP]

The question will pop up for each person as it is based on the user profile
if I am not mistaken.

When you convert a DB, the original is untouched so you don't have to be too
worried about that.

 

[Roger Carlson]

I don't know for certain. I did a little experiment here. I opened an
Access 97 database (that's on a server) in Access 2000 on one machine and
said No to the convert. Then I opened the same database from an Access 2003
installation on a different machine, and it opened it directly in Access 97,
read-only format. It did not ask to convert. This would tend to confirm
that it is saved with the original file (which frankly doesn't make much
sense to me, but there it is.) I'd say you should test it in your
environment.

Note: when I say "read-only", I mean for the application (forms, reports and
code) only. The data can be modified.

--
--Roger Carlson
MS Access MVP
Access Database Samples: www.rogersaccesslibrary.com
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[Roger Carlson]

Thinking it might be because I opened it on both machines, I copied a fresh
Access 97 database to the network and opened it in Access 2000. I answered
No to the convert question. Then I asked a co-worker to also open it in
Access 2000. She did not get the convert message. It appears that once
will do it.

--
--Roger Carlson
MS Access MVP
Access Database Samples: www.rogersaccesslibrary.com
Want answers to your Access questions in your Email?
Free subscription:
http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/scripts/wa.exe?SUBED1=ACCESS-L

 

[Rick Brandt]

Thinking it might be because I opened it on both machines, I copied a
fresh Access 97 database to the network and opened it in Access 2000.
I answered No to the convert question. Then I asked a co-worker to
also open it in Access 2000. She did not get the convert message.
It appears that once will do it.

In older versions it was described as "enabling" the file. Even when you don't
*convert* you are still changing the structure of the file so it can be used in
the newer versions. I noticed that in some cases the file is dramatically
larger after "enabling" even if compacted.

 

[David W. Fenton]

Can anyone tell me if its possible to have Access 2003 installed
on my machine and be able to open and view (read only) a Access 97
database thats out on a network shared drive?

I want to be able to view (read only) the Access 97 database and
not receive a message asking if I want to convert the database?
The Access 97 database is password protected.

I don't know from password protection (a stupid feature that no one
with any sense should use), but I do know that if your app is split
(as every Access app should be), then you don't have an issue: give
the A2K3 user an A2K3 front end linked to the A97 back end, and the
A97 users an A97 front end linked to the A97 back end. All versions
of Jet are forward compatible and can read and write older versions.
But *Access* versions are *not* fully forward compatible, which is
why if your app is not split, you'd have conversion/enable prompts.