Upgrading to Access 2000

How to Convert a Previous-version Database to Access 2000

If you want to make design changes to a previous-version Microsoft Access database in Access 2000, or if you want to take advantage of Access 2000 features when you use a database, you must convert the database to Access 2000.

Convert a previous-version Access database

You cannot convert an Access database into a file with the same name and location as the original database. Before you convert a previous-version Access database, perform the following tasks:

• Create a backup copy of the Access database.
• Close the Access database.

If the Access database that you are using is a multiuser database located on a server or in a shared folder, make sure that no one else has it open.

To convert a previous-version Access database

1. In Access 2000, on the Tools menu, point to Database Utilities; point to Convert Database, and then click To Current Access Database Version.
2. In the Database To Convert From dialog box, select the database you want to convert, and then click Convert.
3. In the Convert Database Into dialog box, type a new name (without the .mdb extension) for the Access 2000 database file.

   – or –

   Select a different location for the Access 97 database file. (You can keep the same name for the database file or change it.)

4. Click Save.

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Convert a secured Access database

Before you convert a secured database, you must join the workgroup information file that defines the user accounts, and the user account that you use to log on during conversion must have the following permissions:

• Your user account must have Open/Run and Open Exclusive permissions for the database.
• Your user account must have Modify Design or Administer permissions for all tables in the database, or you must be the owner of all tables in the database.
• Your user account must have Read Design permissions for all objects in the database.

To join a workgroup information file

1. Quit Access 2000.
2. To start the Workgroup Administrator, open the folder for the language of Microsoft Office that you are using, and then double-click Wrkgadm.exe.

   Alternatively, you can use the MS Access Workgroup Administrator shortcut in the Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office folder.

3. In the Workgroup Administrator dialog box, click Join.
4. In the Database box, type the path and name of the workgroup information file that defines the Access workgroup you want to join, and then click OK.

   – or –

   Click Browse, and use the Select Workgroup Information File dialog box to locate the workgroup information file.

   The next time you start Access 2000, it uses the user and group accounts and passwords in the workgroup information file for the workgroup that you join.

After you convert an Access database, you can make sure that it retains its security by recreating the workgroup information file in Access 2000. If you recreate the workgroup information file, you must have the exact, case-sensitive information, and you must define the accounts and groups exactly the same as the original workgroup information file.

If you cannot recreate the workgroup information file, you can use the Workgroup Administrator to join the secure database’s previous-version workgroup information file. However, it is recommended that you convert the workgroup information file to Access 2000 before you join it. As long as you use the database with its original workgroup information, it retains all its security except permissions for the modules.

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Protect Visual Basic for Applications code in a converted database

In Access 2000, you cannot protect your modules with user-level security. However, you can protect your modules, and the code behind your forms and reports, by protecting the Visual Basic® for Applications (VBA) code with a password.

To protect VBA code with a password

1. Open the Microsoft Access database that contains the VBA code you want to protect.
2. In the Database window, under Objects, right-click Macro, and then click Visual Basic Editor.
3. In the Visual Basic Editor, on the Tools menu, click ProjectName Project Properties.
4. Click the Protection tab.
5. Select the Lock project for viewing check box.
6. Enter a password in the Password box, and confirm the password by entering it again in the Confirm password box.

The next time you open the Access database or Access project, the Visual Basic for Applications code is protected. You or any user is required to enter the password to view and edit the Visual Basic for Applications code.

When you protect Visual Basic for Applications code with a password, consider the following:

• To remove the password, clear all information on the Protection tab in the Project Properties dialog box for the Access database file or Access project file.
• If you set a password but do not select the Lock project for viewing check box, anyone can view and edit the code; only the Project Properties dialog box is protected.
• Store the password in a safe place. If you forget the password, you cannot view or edit the VBA code.

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Convert new toolbars and menu bars

Access 97 or later supports a new style of toolbars and menu bars. When you convert an Access version 2.0 or Access 95 database to Access 2000, any custom toolbars, as well as built-in toolbars, are automatically converted to the new style of toolbar.

Custom menu bars created with the Microsoft Access 95 Menu Builder or with macros that use AddMenu actions are interpreted as the new style of menu bars when you open a converted Access database. However, custom menu bars are not automatically converted, and therefore they cannot be edited by using the Customize dialog box.

To create a menu bar or shortcut menu from previous-version macros

1. In the Database window, under Objects, click Macros, and then click the name of the macro for which you want to create a menu bar or shortcut menu.

   To create the new style of menu bar or shortcut menu from macros that you previously used for custom menus, select only the top-level menu bar macro. You do not need to select the macro group for each menu that appears on the menu bar.

2. On the Tools menu, point to Macro, and then click Create Menu From Macro or Create Shortcut Menu From Macro.

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Enable Name AutoCorrect in a converted Access database

The Name AutoCorrect feature automatically corrects common side effects that occur when you rename forms, reports, tables, queries, or fields, or controls on forms and reports. However, this feature is not enabled by default in a converted database.

To enable Name AutoCorrect in a converted Access database

1. On the Tools menu, click Options, and then click the General tab.
2. To have Access maintain the information it needs to run Name AutoCorrect, but not take any action, select the Track name AutoCorrect info check box.
3. To have Access run Name AutoCorrect as name changes occur in the database, select the Perform name AutoCorrect check box.
4. To have Access keep a log of the changes it makes each time it runs Name AutoCorrect, select the Log name AutoCorrect changes check box. Access saves the changes in a table called name AutoCorrect Log. Each change is a record in the name AutoCorrect Log table.
5. Open each of the database objects in Design view, save the object, and close it.

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Update code in a converted database

The DoMenuItem action is replaced in Access 2000 with the RunCommand action; the DoMenuItem action is still supported for backward compatibility. When you convert a database, the DoMenuItem action is automatically converted to the RunCommand action.

If your Access database uses add-ins or library databases created in previous versions of Access, you must convert them.

Access 2000 does not support the DAO 2.5/3.x compatibility library. If you attempt to convert an Access database in which the code contains older versions of DAO objects, methods, and properties that depend on the DAO 2.5/3.x compatibility library, you receive a message that there were compilation errors during the conversion of the database.

Before you convert an Access database, update the code so that it does not depend on the DAO 2.5/3.x compatibility library. If you still receive a message that there were compilation errors during conversion, open the converted database in Access 2000, remove the reference to the missing DAO 2.5/3.x compatibility library, and then set a reference to the Microsoft DAO 3.6 Object Library.

If you enable the database instead of converting it, you cannot remove or set references in Access 2000. You must make any changes to the code or the references in the previous version of Access.

To remove or set a reference while the Visual Basic Editor is open

1. On the Tools menu, click References.

   The References command is available only when a Module window is open and active in Design view.

2. In the References ProjectName dialog box, select the check boxes for the type libraries you want to reference, and then clear the check boxes for the type libraries that you do not want to reference.

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Convert a replica set to Access 2000

To convert a replica set created in Access 97 so that you can use it in Access 2000, you must convert each replica individually. For best results, synchronize your replica set before conversion. If your replica set is secured, it is also helpful to convert the System.mdw file, which contains permissions for the database. For the conversion to work, all members of the replica set must be using computers with Access 2000 installed.

Take a conservative approach when converting a replica set. The following procedure allows you to test a temporary second replica set before committing your original replica set to the conversion.

Caution   Do not synchronize the test Design Master you create by following this procedure with members of your working replica set. Otherwise, unintended changes to the data or structure of your working replica set might occur.

To convert a replica set to Access 2000

1. Make a copy of the current Design Master created in Access 97, and put the copy on a different computer, or isolate it completely from any other members of the replica set.
2. In Access 97, make the isolated copy the new Design Master by pointing to Replication on the Tools menu, and then clicking Recover Design Master.
3. Create some replicas based on the new Design Master.
4. To convert the new Design Master to an Access 2000 database, on the Tools menu, point to Database Utilities, and then click Convert Database.
5. Repeat step 4 for all replicas in your replica set.
6. Synchronize the newly converted Design Master with the newly converted replicas.
7. Test the replica set.

If you want to change some objects, either you can make the changes in the original Design Master after you convert it or you can keep the copy to import the changed objects from the original Design Master.

After you are satisfied that the copy works, delete the new Design Master and all of its replicas. Make sure that all users who have access to the Design Master and replica databases have installed Access 2000. Then you can follow the same steps to convert the original Design Master to Access 2000 and convert all the original replicas.

Note   You cannot open the converted replicas again in Access 97.

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See also

For more information about the Name AutoCorrect feature or converting a database that contains code, see Microsoft Access online Help.

For more information about workgroup information files and secured Access databases, see Setting User-Level Security.