MEMO field corrupted

[Neophyte317]

In reviewing the articles, I know I shouldn't use the Memo field type. I use Access XP. I have to go with the memo type because the database is used to create court reports for juveniles and some of the entries are lengthy. As a result my users are experiencing deleted data/corrupted data entry in the memo fields.

How can I minimize the problems of data loss and corruption? I've stopped using the tab form, I've reduced the amount of subforms and the amount of fields in the main table.

What are my choices? Would it be wise to ask those with the power to upsize my database back-end to SQL? Thanks

[theaybaras]

Where is your corruption occuring? Are you taking the memo fields into a query? It will help to know where the problem is occuring.

theAybaras

[Neophyte317]

During data entry into a memo field - either the already entered text will spontaneously disappear; or the user will get the "unable to update because someone else . . . " message. Both of these issues are fixed only by re-entering the potentially large amount of data a second time into the memo field. On a few other ocassions the "Delete#" appears in the memo field. The only way I have been able to fix that was to delete the offending record and ask the user to re-enter it.

[missinglinq]

It's not a question of not using memo fields; I've used them for years (in the medical field where "notes" are necessary.) It's a question of simply using them for memos/notes; they just should never be used to hold data that will later be manipulated. Select Queries are about thequeries that they're compatible with. I've never seen personally nor read of them being the source of corruption. In point of fact, the only two factors that I've ever seen identified, and I've seen both of these indicted over and over again, are the multi-user environment and, in the same vein, placing a database on a shared drive. But in point of fact, it's seldom that you can ever really pinpoint the cause of corruption.

Things I would try would be:

Compile your database
Compact and Repair
If this doesn't help, create a new blank db and import everything into it
 

Good Luck!

[Neophyte317]

You are right - I got away from being fixated on corrupt memo fields long enough to realize that the problem was at least partially the result of the various individual default record-lock settings on the users' pcs. Also, the database had been replicated in the past so I did start fresh by creating tables with out the reference to replication. Thanks Pat

[missinglinq]

Glad we could help, Neophyte317!