Issue: LDB Not Being Created

[No Spam]

Fellow Access 2003 Users,

For all of my databases on my network, a bizarre and exceptionally
frustrating issue has recently started happening about 2 months ago.

When a database is typically (not in exclusive mode) opened, the LDB
file gets created as it should be and multiple users can access the
database. Perfect!

However, if the database is closed and then reopened within the next
several minutes, the LDB is not created (I found this out by watching
the folder in Windows Explorer). This results in the person opening
it being able to use it with no issues, but other users get a "file
already in use" error. If that user closes out and then goes back in,
the LDB appears and all is well again. I know this sounds like a
crazy pattern, but it appears as though it is every other time it does
not create a LDB.

I am not sure whether to attribute this to a service pack or some
other issue, but I can say with 100% assuredy that the code on the
databases hasn't changed, network permissions haven't changed, our
antivirus hasn't changed, and our network hasn't changed. These
databases have functioned perfectly for over 3 years and then
suddenly, we are plagued with this issue.

I will provide eternal thanks to anyone who can point me in the right
direction. I exhausted Google and came up empty.

Thank you!

[Albert D. Kallal]

Perhaps one of the users entering that database does not have create file
permissions for the backend folder?

What this would mean is that when one user opens the back and has correct
file create permissions, then all other users of the network would be able
to freely open and use the database.

However if one user opens up the file does not have correct permissions to
that back and folder, then he'll open the file, but no other additional
users will be able to open that data base because the locking file or
temporary LDB cannot be created.

So I would check the actual user permissions and user rights assigned to the
individual users of the folder. This is absolutely nothing to do with access
in terms of access permissions, we're talking about the network and file
folder permissions.

Note also that several users could open the database that have a actual
correct file creation rights to that folder, then the last user in is one of
those users who does not have file create permissons. as he would exit, the
locking file disappears, but when he opens the file, he's unable to create
that user locking file, and thus everyone else will be locked out. So is
going to depend on the particular user and permissions and which user gets
in first that will explain this strange phenomenon (in other words this
behavior will change depending on which user gets in first, and which user
does or does not have that file creation permissions, so some users might
have this right, and things will work fine unless they're the first or last
guy in or out of the application).

On the other hand also keep in mind that you'll have to use the refresh
button in the windows desktop explorer to make sure that you see that file
being created, or deleted. Often windows itself will not update that
directiry view very fast, thus in fact files have been created or deleted in
that directory but you don't see the user interface being updated. So,
you'll have to use the refresh button in the windows explorer quite often to
make sure you're actually seeing the current state of files in that
directory.

My first spider sense in this whole problem to check the user permissions
and make sure they have full creation file rights in that directory, and
also full file deletion rights.

--
Albert D. Kallal (Access MVP)
Edmonton, Alberta Canada
pleaseNOO...@msn.com

[No Spam]

Albert,

Thank you very much for that extensive reply - it is greatly
appreciated.

I would totally agree that it is a rights issue (and was convinced it
was until i extensively tested it) except that I am the network
administrator with full control rights to that folder and all the
files within it. Also, if it was a rights issue, I would presume that
I wouldn't be able to create the LDB file every other time I open the
database. I am baffled!

Again, just to reitterate:

* I open the database and the LDB gets created.
* I close the database and the LDB gets deleted.
* I open the database a few moments later and *no* LDB is created.
* I close the database.
* Repeat process....

This process happens infinitely even if no one else tries to open the
databse.

One last note: these are simple databases that are not split between a
front end and back end - just a single MDB.

Thank you and if anyone has any ideas please send them my way.

[Tom van Stiphout]

On Wed, 07 Jan 2009 11:31:26 -0500, No Spam <nos...@earthlink.net>
wrote:

I don't have much for you, but I suspect it's the server OS that is
the problem. See if you can temporarily put the database on a
different machine (even one of the workstations). I bet you cannot
reproduce the problem then.

-Tom.
Microsoft Access MVP

[Tony Toews [MVP]]

No Spam <nos...@earthlink.net> wrote:

>Again, just to reitterate:
>
>* I open the database and the LDB gets created.
>* I close the database and the LDB gets deleted.
>* I open the database a few moments later and *no* LDB is created.
>* I close the database.
>* Repeat process....

I'm with Tom in that it's likely some kind of bizarre server OS issue. What is the
server OS?

You've done a nice job in getting this down to simple reproducable steps.

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/

[No Spam]

Thank you.

The server is Microsoft Server 2003 R2.

A (positive) update to the situation: I "uninherited" the rights on
the folder by unchecking the box on the advanced security screen,
applied it, and then rechecked the box to inherit them, basically
refreshing the security on the folder. Since then, knock on wood, we
have been okay.

Thanks to everyone who helped - I'll let you know if anything changes.