Testing Repair from VB6

[Frank]

I have coded a compress/repair routine (VB6) which, upon an open failure of
the Access 97 database, will run to attempt a repair before giving up and
reporting the error to a user. My problem is - how can I test it? The
compress works OK, but that is not the issue here. How can I make an Access
97 database need a repair? What makes the Jet routine decide that a database
is bad and needs to be repaired? An answer that suggests changing bits
inside the database is acceptable (I am a serious "35 years of programming"
nerd) - as long as "which bits" to change are given.

I would rather test this scenario before my users experience the problem -
lord knows there are enough "gotchas" that I haven't thought of.

Thanks!

Frank

[Douglas J. Steele]

Try turning off your computer while Access is running an update to your
application.

--
Doug Steele, Microsoft Access MVP
http://I.Am/DougSteele
(no e-mails, please!)

"Frank" <fn*********@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:10*************@corp.supernews.com...

I have coded a compress/repair routine (VB6) which, upon an open failure of the Access 97 database, will run to attempt a repair before giving up and
reporting the error to a user. My problem is - how can I test it? The
compress works OK, but that is not the issue here. How can I make an Access 97 database need a repair? What makes the Jet routine decide that a database is bad and needs to be repaired? An answer that suggests changing bits
inside the database is acceptable (I am a serious "35 years of programming" nerd) - as long as "which bits" to change are given.

I would rather test this scenario before my users experience the problem -
lord knows there are enough "gotchas" that I haven't thought of.

Thanks!

Frank

[Frank]

Doug-

Thanks for the suggestion. Makes sense. However, after at least 20 tries,
it never corrupted. I wrote a tight loop (in Access) to add records - the
database increased in size from 194KB to 24000KB (+) by the time I stooped
over to turn the computer off, but no corruption. Too bad this doesn't
happen in the "real world". I am running Windows 2000, Access 97. I'll try
this on a Windows 98 machine tomorrow. I know it is possible to corrupt an
Access database - seems hard to do it on purpose.

Any more ideas?

Thanks,

Frank

"Douglas J. Steele" <NOSPAM_djsteele@NOSPAM_canada.com> wrote in message
news:Rb********************@rogers.com...

Try turning off your computer while Access is running an update to your
application.

--
Doug Steele, Microsoft Access MVP
http://I.Am/DougSteele
(no e-mails, please!)

"Frank" <fn*********@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:10*************@corp.supernews.com...

I have coded a compress/repair routine (VB6) which, upon an open failure

of

the Access 97 database, will run to attempt a repair before giving up and reporting the error to a user. My problem is - how can I test it? The
compress works OK, but that is not the issue here. How can I make an

Access

97 database need a repair? What makes the Jet routine decide that a

database

is bad and needs to be repaired? An answer that suggests changing bits
inside the database is acceptable (I am a serious "35 years of

programming"

nerd) - as long as "which bits" to change are given.

I would rather test this scenario before my users experience the problem - lord knows there are enough "gotchas" that I haven't thought of.

Thanks!

Frank

[Frank]

Doug,

Your idea sounds reasonable. I tried it at least 20 times, but it never
corrupted the database (too bad this doesn't happen in the "real world"). I
wrote a routine (in Access) which added records in a tight loop - the size
went from 194KB to 24000KB+ before I stooped down to turn off the machine.
I am running Windows 2000, Access 97. I'll consider trying it on a Windows
98 machine, but don't know why it will be any different. "Consider" = I had
some technical difficulties unrelated to Access - turning off computer
without debooting is kinda harsh.

Any more ideas?

Thanks,

Frank
"Douglas J. Steele" <NOSPAM_djsteele@NOSPAM_canada.com> wrote in message
news:Rb********************@rogers.com...

Try turning off your computer while Access is running an update to your
application.

--
Doug Steele, Microsoft Access MVP
http://I.Am/DougSteele
(no e-mails, please!)

"Frank" <fn*********@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:10*************@corp.supernews.com...

I have coded a compress/repair routine (VB6) which, upon an open failure

of

the Access 97 database, will run to attempt a repair before giving up and reporting the error to a user. My problem is - how can I test it? The
compress works OK, but that is not the issue here. How can I make an

Access

97 database need a repair? What makes the Jet routine decide that a

database

is bad and needs to be repaired? An answer that suggests changing bits
inside the database is acceptable (I am a serious "35 years of

programming"

nerd) - as long as "which bits" to change are given.

I would rather test this scenario before my users experience the problem - lord knows there are enough "gotchas" that I haven't thought of.

Thanks!

Frank

[Douglas J. Steele]

Sorry, no. It's unusual for someone to _want_ corruption! <g>

--
Doug Steele, Microsoft Access MVP
http://I.Am/DougSteele
(no e-mails, please!)

"Frank" <fn*********@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:10*************@corp.supernews.com...

Doug-

Thanks for the suggestion. Makes sense. However, after at least 20 tries, it never corrupted. I wrote a tight loop (in Access) to add records - the
database increased in size from 194KB to 24000KB (+) by the time I stooped
over to turn the computer off, but no corruption. Too bad this doesn't
happen in the "real world". I am running Windows 2000, Access 97. I'll try this on a Windows 98 machine tomorrow. I know it is possible to corrupt an Access database - seems hard to do it on purpose.

Any more ideas?

Thanks,

Frank

"Douglas J. Steele" <NOSPAM_djsteele@NOSPAM_canada.com> wrote in message
news:Rb********************@rogers.com...

Try turning off your computer while Access is running an update to your
application.

--
Doug Steele, Microsoft Access MVP
http://I.Am/DougSteele
(no e-mails, please!)

"Frank" <fn*********@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:10*************@corp.supernews.com...

I have coded a compress/repair routine (VB6) which, upon an open

failure

of

the Access 97 database, will run to attempt a repair before giving up

and reporting the error to a user. My problem is - how can I test it? The
compress works OK, but that is not the issue here. How can I make an

Access

97 database need a repair? What makes the Jet routine decide that a

database

is bad and needs to be repaired? An answer that suggests changing bits
inside the database is acceptable (I am a serious "35 years of

programming"

nerd) - as long as "which bits" to change are given.

I would rather test this scenario before my users experience the problem - lord knows there are enough "gotchas" that I haven't thought of.

Thanks!

Frank