Upgrading to 2013 - Compact on Close issue

[Lynn Cohen]

We are in the process of upgrading from Access 2010 to 2013 for a user community of about a dozen. I’m not a programmer; just a former user who supports the users.

Their Access dbase is split. The front end (Database 2015 app) and back end (Database 2015 data) live on a shared drive; and each user has a local copy of the front end (Database 2015 app) on her home drive. The front end and back end files are set to Compact on Close. Each local copy is also set to Compact on Close.

Three users have been upgraded to Access 2013. When each closes her local copy, she gets this error message:

“The compact and repair operation has been cancelled. You might not have adequate permissions to the folder that the database is located in. You need full permissions to the directory the database is located to compact and repair.”

I first checked that the users have full permissions to the drive on which the front end and back end of the database reside – which they do.

I then unchecked Compact on Close on a user’s local copy, closed the file, and reopened it. Compact on Close was still checked, and the error message appeared again.

Wondering if anyone else has experienced this problem. I’m thinking I shouldn’t be very concerned, as the master files are compacting on close. Any suggestions are appreciated!

Thanks,
Lyn

[CJ_London]

there should be no need for a front end to be compacted - it doesn't contain any tables which is what causes a db to increase in size and then need compacting. Just compact it once before distributing to users.

with regards the backend, compacting can only be done when there are no users connected to it so only the last user will be successful.

Having said that, compact on close is generally a bad idea - you are the last to leave and you have a bus to catch - and access is spending precious time compacting before you can turn off your machine - now you're jumping from foot to foot and checking your watch. Turn it off whilst compacting and you risk corrupting the db.

Ideally you need some code and a timer to run it at 3 in the morning when everyone is off the system.

With regards unchecking the compact on close this should work - you did click the OK button at the bottom to set the changes? you should get a message to say you must close and reopen db for changes to take effect. If not working, try changing the front end on your network - is it works there, redistribute the front end from there.

You will need to go into the backend to unset the compact on close there anyway

[Lynn Cohen]

Thank you, Alex. I fixed the "Compact on Close" setting and the problem is resolved.