This database has been opened read-only

Question

I created a 2003 database for our company and uploaded to one of our Wikispace web sites -- worked fine -- with no problems.  Then Access 2007 was loaded on my computer and now no one can open it and we get the following error message.

READ-ONLY  This database has been opened read-only.  You can only change data in linked tables.  To make design changes, save a copy of the database.

I have already contacted Wikispaces support team and they said to contact the Microsoft team.

Thanks so much for your assistance.

Kathy

Answer 1

Hi Kathy,

I would think the behavior you are seeing is by design.  In order to share a database, you need to ensure it is stored within a normal file share and ensure each user basically has full control permissions on that folder.

Based upon the warning message you are seeing, it sounds like you can still make data changes to the database, but you just can’t make design changes.  In order to make a design change all you would need to do is make a local copy of the database, make your design changes, and then publish the database back to the site.  In any scenario, I would think you would normally want to make your design changes in a copy of the database and then when you are finished testing, move it back to your production environment.

Best Regards,

Nathan O.

Microsoft Online Community Support

Answer 2

Based upon the warning message you were seeing, I thought perhaps you could still edit the data.  Unfortunately, as mentioned, I wouldn’t expect Access to work on a WikiSpace web site or similar web based file shares since it is intended to be shared / opened from a normal Windows file share.  If you store an Access database within a SharePoint document library, you would experience the same behavior.

Best Regards,

Nathan O.

Microsoft Online Community Support

Answer 3

No, this doesn't answer my question. 

I can’t update the database either.  When I click on a field, I get a message that says this record set is not updatable.  When I try to go into the form where I create a record, the form does not display at all.