Access Access Report Works on One Machine but not Another

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PicoPete

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This issue is sort of similar to some other "works on one machine but not the another", but is not quite the same; Here's the problem:

I've got an Access 2003 database on two machines, same version of Access 2003. The database/report, which was designed on one machine, works perfectly. When copying the MDB file to the other machine, the database works, but the report fails to show any data when previewed.

The purpose of the report is to print (or preview) the current data of the current record displayed within a form - pretty straightforward - with no complex calculations or sums, etc.

The data in the report is based on a query. The query's data is, in turn, keyed to a particular field on a form to display the same data on the form. The report is called by clicking a button on the form that opens the report in preview mode (printing is then also possible).

The form "frm_ERAS_LETTER Subform2" is the form that displays data and has the Print Preview button to display the report. The form is actually a subform of "frm_CANDIDATES2"

The query's results, hence the report's data, uses the Criteria field of the query to filter a table's data (table holds the data for form frm_ERAS_LETTER Subform2) with the following code:

(1) [Forms] ! [frm_CANDIDATES2] ! [frm_ERAS_LETTER Subform2] ! [erasID]

The query, by way of the above expression (1), uses the current value of the erasID field value on the form [frm_ERAS_LETTER Subform2].

On either the machine where the database was built or on the other machine that does not show the report when clicking the report preview button, the following occurs;

If I double-click the query itself it displays a criteria box for the erasID data and when I enter it a click OK if displays the proper data.

Similarly, if I double-click the report itself (which is based on the working query) it too, displays a criteria box and when I enter the erasID data the report displays correctly along with the data the should be in the report.

It is only on the machine that I copied the MDB file to that when the report is brought up through the report button on the form that the report comes up blank with no data from the form.

This has me totally puzzled at this point. Any clues would be really appreciated.

Thanks!

p.s. I know it's probably going to be something really dumb that I missed.
 
Do you think the file could be corrupted? I know that sometimes you can recover the file but you would have to find the right software to do that :user:
 
Hello Abraham,

I found the problem;

Actually I too, thought of a corrupt file. However, everything within the database works such as the forms load, data on the forms, appearance, and so on, etc. The only thing that did not work is this one report.

The original machine where the database was built (Windows 7 Pro) uses Access 2003 with SP3 or Service Pack 3 (shows up when you check the About Access from within the db window). The "full" SP3 for Office 2003 is a cumulative roll-up of the latest patches and security updates for Office 2003 Professional. According to Microsoft, it is the last (?) official update for Office 2003 Professional.

The machine on which the report did not work, but everything else about the db worked, is also Access 2003 - but did it not have SP3 installed on it.

Now on a Windows machine that has Office 2003, if you run Update, it will not pick up a missing SP3, at least it did not with this machine.

After comparing the two versions, all I could guess at was that something was "missing" on the machine where the report did not work.

However, I can't imagine what is the "missing ingredient" that was preventing the report from working properly considering it is a simple report based on a query. And what was not working is the data within a form field was not being passed to the query when the report was called from the button on the form.

After doing a search on Google for SP3 for Office 2003 I eventually found it, downloaded and installed it on the machine where the report did not work, and as if like magic, the report now works just as it does on the machine where the db was designed - problem solved.

This is an example where updates/patches really need to be the same it seems. These kinds of very subtle issues should not occur, certainly not for a simple report based on a query keying on a form's field data, but seems that the way Access is designed leaves the integrity of a db design open to this kind of issue.

In any case, thanks for your suggestion and reply.
 
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