Access - cannot edit and save report

Question

I have 2 copies of my database (development and production). They are identical (other than that since it is a split database, one has links to the tables). BOTH of them have the Name AutoCorrect feature ON.

However, in one, when I open my report in design view, I can make changes and then save. In the other, when I open the report in design view I get the message: "You do not have exclusive access to the database at this time. If you proceed to make changes, you may not be able to save them later." And sure enough, it will not allow me to save changes.

I just want to say as well, that I am really not a "tech person". This is an inherited database and I am the one who was chosen to maintain it as necessary, so please keep that in mind when responding.

Answer 1

Hi. I am not sure why you would want to update two separate databases. Normally, you would update the master copy and then deploy it to production. However, try downloading a copy of the production db to your local machine and see if you can make design changes there.

Answer 2

@DBG I tried copying the production version and then opening report in design view and still got that same error message. (I would try to upload the version on my computer to the server but at this point I am afraid to do anything to the production version. It is working for everyone now and I can't risk doing anything that would compromise that. It is a small change that I need to make to only one report --a change in conditional formatting of one field--so I think it would just be easier to change that one thing right on the production version. That is why I want to just make the change to the one report and move on)

Answer 3

The funny thing about what you're saying though is that the production copy should be just a master for all users' local copy of the database. If so, any changes, great or small, should/could be done on the dev copy and then deployed to the prod copy/location.

Something must have happened to the prod copy to make it act like this. Besides, it's considered best practice to deploy ACCDE versions of the db, so no one can make unauthorized changes to its design.

Answer 4

Freida -

A few important things here.

1. Nobody should be opening the same frontend for the database. Every person should have their own frontend in a location that they can access.
2. You should never work on the production database itself. You should have a master copy that you develop in and keep backup copies before you make changes.

Now you may say that it is impossible to let everyone have their own front end but I tell you that is thinking that will only lead to heartache. But there is a silver lining. Years ago I created a tool which can enable auto updating for any frontend. That is partly how I became a Microsoft MVP (2008, 2009, 2011). You can get a copy of the front end auto update enabling tool here: https://btabdevelopment.com/free-access-tools/
which can, once you have enabled the auto updating feature, you can send the initial front end copies to everyone. That may take the most effort. But then you can then work on a copy of the master, and once you want to deploy, you change the version number in the table. (there are instructions for the tool available on the site too) and then the next time the person opens their copy of the frontend, it tells them that it is out of date and needs to update. It will then close itself, delete the old copy of itself and download a new copy of the frontend from the master location and automatically reopen.