Access 2010

Question

I have an access 2010 web database that works with no compatibility issues.  I switched the backend from access to sql and get ODBC all kinds of errors such as "Form 'ContactDetails' depends on client object ODBC Linked Table 'ContactsLinked'".  I troubleshoot any connectivity issues and evertyhing works very well.  So why am I not able to publish the same access database as before?

Answer 1

This forum is for questions regarding apps for Office which are new in the Office 2013 Preview release. You will likely have better luck in this forum.<o:p></o:p>

Mike Morton - Senior Program Manager - Visual Studio<o:p></o:p>

Answer 2

Keep in mind that any VBA form is NOT checked by the web compatibility system. The reason is that you can publish any and all VBA forms, but you cannot use them in a web browser – so they ALWAYS pass the compatibility checker since they are always compatible with the desktop. In effect, they are ignored by the compatibility checker.

The above is important. The SAME applies to any external linked data source such as ODBC to SQL server. In fact as you well know, a external link in Access can be to just about anything. So that link might be a local ACCDB file, or evne a csv text file. And these external links are permited in a web appclation. However, since such files are local, or are external connections, then they are NOT allowed as a data source for web only forms.

So if I attempt to create a web form based on an external connection, then you get this message:

And if you do look at the drop down when setting the data source for a web form, it will in general ONLY show compatible data sources for a form. This drop down I speak of is here:

So "listen" or respect that drop down of choices. Now, you can of course "force" the issue and ignore the drop down, and type in any "any old" linked table name into the above record source of the web form. But you are kind of "RAMMING" in a square peg into a round hole so to speak if you do this.

While you can "try" this forcing idea - it does not work, and you quite much will experience the SAME frustration as that child in kindergarten forcing that square into the round hole – it don't work!

And if you do run the compatibility checker, you will get this error message:

The above error message simply flat out states that the data source depends on an ODBC linked table. (as such, the error message means it not allowed).

In other words, you cannot use an external linked table. So your logon and authentication and a bunch of issues crop up – in a nutshell you simply cannot use those external connections on the web forms. As noted, a linked table in Access might be Oracle, might be a text file, and might even be a local accDB file - so those external linked files are not allowed for web forms.

And keep in mind the above error message is a hyper link, and when clicking on it, I get a web page, and note the 102000:

Quote:

Error text    object name depends on client object name.

What it means    The indicated web object relies on another object that is not a web object. Some examples include:
 A web form that displays the information from a client query
A web form that has a button which launches a client report when clicked
 
The web object will not function correctly on the Web unless you remove the reliance on the client object.
 
What to do    Remove the reference to the client object. You may also want to recreate the client object as a web object, and replace the reference to the client object with a reference to the new web object.

Wow! I been around the block in this industry – but that kind of error message and explain darn near deserves an award of some kind! A rather nice message with good advice in it.

So you can most certainly include client (VBA forms). You can also include external linked tables to say a local accDB file (or even a text file). However, those external links cannot be used as a data source in those web forms.

Albert D. Kallal (Access MVP)
Edmonton, Alberta Canada