What works in my PC does not work in a Remote PC

Question

I have written a database for someone else and installed it in their PC. It works just fine.

Now they want an update - to be able to view PDFs from Access. This works just fine from my PC with the command: Application.FollowHyperlink "C:\Users\nevadamax\Documents" & Me.[PDFName]

but does NOT work in the Remote PC. The error is "Cannot open this type of file."

References set in both PCs are:

I think that adding the extra references (in the red box) to the Remote PC would solve the issue.

1.How can I add the references I need?

2.Is there another reason for the problem besides references?

Thank you in advance for your help!

Max

 

Answer 1

Hi,

1. The FollowHyperlink method has nothing to do with the VBA References. So, this is not the reason for the error.
2. Your posted code is missing a backslash after "Documents" which would result in an uncorrect path and would lead to error 490 "Cannot open the specified file.". As you state a different message and that it works on your PC, the missing backslash might be a mistake in the post here. Nevertheless you should check the correctness of the resulting path with a MsgBox or Debug.Print.
3. Are you sure that the error is coming from Access/VBA? If yes, what's the error number you get?

If no, then the program that FollowHyperlink is trying to launch to read the PDF might be a problem or might have a problem with the file. Is it a standard PDF or any particular advanced type of PDF?

Servus
Karl

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Answer 2

The PDFs work perfectly!!! They can be opened in Adobe Reader. The problem is with MICROSOFT ACCESS, not ADOBE!!! Don't try to pass the buck. I need answers to questions 1 and 2.

Answer 3

To add a reference you simply scroll down the list and tick the relevant checkbox. I doubt that this is the problem here, though. Over the years I've seen a number of instances where .pdf files can be a little temperamental when the FollowHyperlink method of the Access Application object is used.

You might like to take a look at BrowseDemo.zip in my public databases folder at:

https://onedrive.live.com/?cid=44CC60D7FEA42912&id=44CC60D7FEA42912!169

This little demo file illustrates how to associate one or more external files with a record. More to the point in your case it calls the Windows API ShellExecute function to open or print a file, using the following module:

Option Compare Database

Option Explicit

Public Const SW_HIDE = 0

Public Const SW_SHOWNORMAL = 1

Public Const SW_SHOWMINIMIZED = 2

Public Const SW_SHOWMAXIMIZED = 3

Public Const OP_OPEN = "Open"

Public Const OP_PRINT = "Print"

Declare PtrSafe Function ShellExecute& Lib "shell32.dll" Alias "ShellExecuteA" (ByVal _

hwnd As Long, ByVal lpOperation As String, ByVal lpFile As String, ByVal _

lpParameters As String, ByVal lpDirectory As String, ByVal nshowcm As Long)

Dim lngRetVal As Long

Dim lngHwnd As Long
```Sub ShellToFile(strPath As String, _

```vba
Optional strOperation As String = OP_OPEN, _

Optional lngShow As Long = SW_SHOWNORMAL)

Dim lngRetVal As Long

Dim lngHwnd As Long

lngHwnd = Application.hWndAccessApp

lngRetVal = ShellExecute(lngHwnd, strOperation, strPath, vbNullString, CurDir, lngShow)

If lngRetVal < 32 Then

    MsgBox "Unable to open/print file " & strPath, vbInformation, "Warning"

End If
```End Sub