the Microsoft Office Access database engine could not find...

[tromba]

I've been using Lotus Approach and am trying to migrate to Access 2007. My primary database in Approach has two dbf tables. In Access I went to external data, and with no effort linked to one of them (I want links so I can use both Access and Approach). When I try to do the exact same thing with the other dbf, I get a message that says "the Microsoft Office Access database engine could not find the object CDCompTitle.dbf" and to make sure it exists and is spelled correctly. Since I clicked the browse button to get there it IS there and IS spelled correctly.

I've been searching online for a few days with no results. Several responses to others with this problem said the dbf file is corrupted. I took my dbf (which works with no problem in Approach) and exported to a new file and got the same results on the new file. Other suggestions were about the Jet Engine, updates, etc. but I have SP 2 for Office 2007 and I think that's the latest.



Any suggestions?

[tromba]

I was just looking at my two dbf files and noticed that one is only 8 letters long and the other is 12. The 12 character one is the one that doesn't work. If I rename it to 8 characters, then it works fine.

So Access can't deal with LONG FILE NAMES?

I thought that went away with Windows 3.1!

[RuralGuy]

Good troubleshooting. Do you want to mark this thread as Solved?

[tromba]

Yes, it is solved.... but is it really true that Access is limited to 8 character filenames?

In what circumstances does this apply? Any kind of import?

[LillMcGill]

is it really true that Access is limited to 8 character filenames?

No, not true. You will see this issue with dbf files though.

The dbase rules for names force a max of 10 characters. In Approach, information about longer names is stored in a special index that Microsoft doesn't know about.

[tromba]

Thanks for the reply! That's one problem solved!

[RuralGuy]

Yes, it is solved....

Go ahead and follow the link in my sig and mark this thread as Solved.