Opening Access app from Explorer?

[Salad]

I have 2 apps; one written in A97, the other in A2003. If I open an app
in A97 then close it, then open Explorer and dbl-click on the A2003 mdb,
I'm informed it's an unrecognized format. If I open an app in A2003 and
close it, then dbl-click on the A2003 app in Explorer, it opens fine.

Is there a way for opening an app in explorer to use the correct version
of Access to open it?

[Rick Brandt]

Salad wrote:

I have 2 apps; one written in A97, the other in A2003. If I open an
app in A97 then close it, then open Explorer and dbl-click on the
A2003 mdb, I'm informed it's an unrecognized format. If I open an
app in A2003 and close it, then dbl-click on the A2003 app in
Explorer, it opens fine.
Is there a way for opening an app in explorer to use the correct
version of Access to open it?

There is supposed to be a utility you can install that does this, but
really, it's not that big a deal to just give up on opening files that way.
I haven't opened an MDB by double-clicking the file in nearly a decade.

--
Rick Brandt, Microsoft Access MVP
Email (as appropriate) to...
RBrandt at Hunter dot com

[Wayne Gillespie]

On Tue, 23 Sep 2008 06:30:58 -0700, Salad <oi*@vinegar.comwrote:

>I have 2 apps; one written in A97, the other in A2003. If I open an app
in A97 then close it, then open Explorer and dbl-click on the A2003 mdb,
I'm informed it's an unrecognized format. If I open an app in A2003 and
close it, then dbl-click on the A2003 app in Explorer, it opens fine.

Is there a way for opening an app in explorer to use the correct version
of Access to open it?

I don't know about Vista, but in WinXP and earlier you can create separate
shortcut menu options for each version.

In Explorer go to Tools/Folder Options and select the File Types tab.
Select MDB from the file types list, then click Advanced.
From here you can create multiple options by changing the command line in the
"Application used to perform action:" field. Create a new option which points to
the correct MSACCESS.exe for each version. You can even create options which use
various switches such as /Compact or /Decompile.

Each option you create will be added to the shortcut menu when you right click
an mdb file.

When I right click an mdb file on this computer I get 12 options.
I can Open, Compact or Decompile the file using Access 97, 2000, 2002 or 2003
I have similar options for mde files, minus the decompile.

The downside is that you have to set up the options separately while each
version of Access you have is current.
ie Open and close A97 to make it the current registered version then create the
shortcut options.
Then open and close A2003 to make it the current registered version then create
the shortcut options again.
You need to do this as changing the currently registered version of Access also
changes the shortcut menu in explorer for mdb/mde files.

It takes a bit of setting up but I find it invaluble when working with different
versions.

Wayne Gillespie
Gosford NSW Australia

[Salad]

Wayne Gillespie wrote:

On Tue, 23 Sep 2008 06:30:58 -0700, Salad <oi*@vinegar.comwrote:

>>I have 2 apps; one written in A97, the other in A2003. If I open an app
in A97 then close it, then open Explorer and dbl-click on the A2003 mdb,
I'm informed it's an unrecognized format. If I open an app in A2003 and
close it, then dbl-click on the A2003 app in Explorer, it opens fine.

Is there a way for opening an app in explorer to use the correct version
of Access to open it?

I don't know about Vista, but in WinXP and earlier you can create separate
shortcut menu options for each version.

In Explorer go to Tools/Folder Options and select the File Types tab.
Select MDB from the file types list, then click Advanced.
From here you can create multiple options by changing the command line in the
"Application used to perform action:" field. Create a new option which points to
the correct MSACCESS.exe for each version. You can even create options which use
various switches such as /Compact or /Decompile.

Each option you create will be added to the shortcut menu when you right click
an mdb file.

When I right click an mdb file on this computer I get 12 options.
I can Open, Compact or Decompile the file using Access 97, 2000, 2002 or 2003
I have similar options for mde files, minus the decompile.

The downside is that you have to set up the options separately while each
version of Access you have is current.
ie Open and close A97 to make it the current registered version then create the
shortcut options.
Then open and close A2003 to make it the current registered version then create
the shortcut options again.
You need to do this as changing the currently registered version of Access also
changes the shortcut menu in explorer for mdb/mde files.

It takes a bit of setting up but I find it invaluble when working with different
versions.

Excellent explanation and caveats. Thanks.

>

Wayne Gillespie
Gosford NSW Australia