Access can't find my database

[Pandora]

I thought it would be convenient to group all my tables into one folder but then Access couldn't find them so I tried to put them back where they were but it still says it can find them. I also deleted some old tables from my computer without deleting them in Access first and now I can't delete the original file in Access. I don't even have an individual Access folder. I have Office 12 and everything is just in there -- Word, Power Point, Access, One Note. None of them are in their own folders. There's no PowerPoint folder, or Access folder, etc.

[June7]

What do you mean by 'group all my tables into one folder', Access tables are in an Access file. How can you delete tables without deleting them in Access? What are these 'tables' you refer to?

[Pandora]

When I saved my database and tables they went to my documents folder and they were all mixed up with everything else so I created a folder for them and moved them into it. When I was first experimenting with Access I had created some tables just playing around I deleted them from My Documents without thinking. Then of course when I opened up Access, they were still there-- in Access -- but now I can't delete them from there because there's no file. Do you see what I'm saying?

[June7]

Still not clear what you mean. You don't save tables to folders, you create tables in an Access file and save the file to folder. So still don't know what you are referring to when you say 'saved tables'.

You have a frontend Access file that is linking to tables in another Access file? You deleted the backend file and now the links in the frontend won't work and you can't delete the links? Can you restore the deleted file from trash? Run Compact & Repair, maybe that will fix something.

I just tested deleting a link after the backend fiile was deleted and not a problem. Can't replicate your issue.

If by 'opened up Access, they were still there' you mean still in the Recent list, just ignore them.

[Pandora]

Okay, I created a database, right, and it was there when I opened Access. Then I created a form that was linked to that database. It also saved a copy in My Documents, same as with the form I created. There was no Access folder involved anywhere. It just saved them in My Documents. I never thought to go back into Access to delete them when I didn't want them, I just deleted them from My Documents and now Access is saying it can't find it. I tried restoring them but it didn't work.

Update: It seems that my database files are also being saved to my C:\Users\Public\Documents file So now I have files out the wazoo. What the h*ll's going on and can I fix it?

[June7]

Of course Access does not create a folder, it creates a file with .accdb extension. When you use Access to create a database project, a .accdb file is created. This file contains tables, queries, forms, reports, macros, VBA code. One .accdb file can link to tables in another .accdb. However, these Access components are not saved outside an Access project file. This is why I am confused by your description. You cannot delete tables or forms from MyDocuments. You can delete .accdb files. Even though a .accdb file has been deleted, the Access application will still show the file in the list of Recently used files. Just as Excel and Word show a list of recently used files.

[Pandora]

Of course Access does not create a folder, it creates a file with .accdb extension. When you use Access to create a database project, a .accdb file is created. This file contains tables, queries, forms, reports, macros, VBA code. One .accdb file can link to tables in another .accdb. However, these Access components are not saved outside an Access project file. This is why I am confused by your description. You cannot delete tables or forms from MyDocuments. You can delete .accdb files. Even though a .accdb file has been deleted, the Access application will still show the file in the list of Recently used files. Just as Excel and Word show a list of recently used files.

And I'm trying to tell you that for whatever reason, these files were saved in My Documents. I don't know how or why, but they are there. Plus, when I open Access now I have a whole list of totally useless files or whatever you want to call them on the right side of my screen that are connected to nothing because I deleted the file that was saved in My Documents and even when I restored the files it refuses to recognize them. How do I get rid of all these files or whatever they are?

[June7]

Do you mean the list under 'Open Recent Database'? No, you cannot delete items from this list. This list shows the last Access files opened, even if the files by those names have been deleted. This is no different than the list of recently opened files you will see in Excel or Word. Access doesn't know the files no longer exist, it simply stored a path/filename, although it is odd to me that it can't find the restored files, if they were restored to the exact original path. Even if you could delete items from this list, it would not delete the actual file. The list will revise itself as you open other files.

This has been changed in Office 2010 so that you can remove items from the Recent list. Again, this does not delete the actual file.

[Pandora]

So eventually I can have thousands of completely useless files just sitting there? Go, Microsoft.

[June7]

This 'right side' list does not show when a project is open. The max that will display is 9. You can change this to 0 in Office button > Access Options > Advanced > Display. This will also blank the list of Recent files that displays from the Office button dropdown. I doubt this 'Recent Files' feature is exclusive to MS.

[Pandora]

Oh, my gosh. Now I understand why everybody was so confused by what I was trying to say. I went into Options and created a save file in the Office 12 folder where Access is located because it was set to save everything to 'My Documents.' I also managed to fix my display to show just the most recent project. Thanks to everybody for your help.