In such cases, one area to look at is permissions.
For example, if I walk up to a machine plug in a USB jump drive, and then from my desktop copy the file to say some shared folder on the network, we can often find that no one else
can open or use that file? The reason of course is once that file is place on that workstation, then it can inherit permissions that are special to that folder or user on that machine. This issue “usually” occurs on “domain” networks (as opposed to say workgroups
– but it not limited to).
What this means is that the file in question has some permissions that “stay” with the file. You can copy it around on that network, but those granted permissions stick and stay with
that file.
You also should be using an accDB file format. Not clear why one is still messing with a 2000 or 2003 format file (that is like, 15 or 18 years old now – a really flag in terms of
introducing additional problems here).
I mean what other applications are you using today with 18 year old file formats? Again, this should be addressed. The only reason I can think of to use mdb is if the mdb file has
user level security in use. (I think 2010, or 2013 is the last version that supports that option anyway).
Anyway, back to the issue at hand.
The other often reason for “read only” is that the folder the back end file is placed under does not have full delete and cerate rights in that folder.
When you open an access file (or a front end that links to the data file), the Access attempts to create a locking file. If that locking file cannot be created, then access defaults
to read only.
Now here is the kicker part. If someone else has the back end file opened (say by links from their front end), then “often” that locking file assumes rights granted to that one user!
The result is then other users (or perhaps one lame user + workstation that has “different” rights) now will ALSO find that the database is read only (because they don’t have rights or permissions to that locking file). So that locking file can assume
rights and permissions that been granted to the FIRST user who opened the back end file. The result is other users get the
access “default” or reduced operation of read only (they also need rights and permissions to that locking file).
The other often reason is even if no one else has opened the file, but they don’t have create rights to that back end folder. So they can read the mdb file, but they don’t have sufficient
permissions to create files in that folder.
Another issue for some problem workstations is they have two network setup. (So they have workgroup and say “domain” setup). Access has “some” issues with this setup, and I seen some
workstations flip to the workgroup permissions – the result is no use of the back end. This can be often resolved by using the ip address of the server folder as opposed to an unc path.
So a few things:
Make sure everyone has full rights to that folder where the back end is. Not just read/write, but also create and delete permissions. (The delete is not required, but until everything
is working, then yes, given everyone FULL rights to that back end folder – including delete and create file rights). (Often I seen the network admin remove delete rights – and thus the locking file can’t be removed, but worse it gets stuck with some particular
user’s permissions – and thus everyone now becomes read only when using Access.
Last but not least:
You should also attempt to figure why you getting some ActiveX error during an import. I would check the VBA references – see what is set, and remove any and all non-required references.
Make sure the code compiles (vba – debug->compile). If no compile errors exist, then you should be able to important to a fresh new accDB file.
And check the mdb file for being “blocked” by windows. When you download, or even just “copy” a file from some folder, often due to workstation permissions, you find you need to right
click on the file and un-block it to “set” correct window permissions.
Regards,
Albert D. Kallal (Access MVP, 2003-2017)
Edmonton, Alberta Canada
