Strange Asian looking characters in output

  • Thread starter Thread starter bewildered
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bewildered

I have downloaded from MS web site the free trail of Office 2007 in order to
try Access 2007. In the past I used Access a lot so I am not a newbie to the
Access DB system, but that was 6 years ago.
This is my problem:
I created three tables and linked them. One of the tables contains a memo
field. I entered some data into this table in all the fields except the memo
field. When I list the contents of just this table I see my data and blank
memo fields. When I create a three table join with this table and the other
two tables and run a query returning content based on the join I see what
looks like an Asian (Korean, Chinese) character in the memo field of each
line item. I have not entered any info into the memo field and neither of the
other two tables have a memo field. When I do have text entered in the memo
field only the Asian character shows up. But if I do a report and in Layout
view of the returned report I click next to one of these characters and
select "contains only" the character disappears and I can see my text.

Is this behavior because I am using a trail version and this is some way of
crippling it until I get a full version? Where are these characters coming
from? I do not have any way of entering them.

Do I have a corrupt copy of the software???
 
You aren't going to be too happy with the trial! Almost certainly the memo
field in that table is corrupt. How? Who knows? Unfortunately Compact and
Repair usually doesn't fix corrupt memo fields but try it anyway. If that
doesn't work, do this:

1. Make a complete backup of the database mdb file(s) and put away for safe
keeping.

2. Create a query that excludes the particular problem record(s). Include
all fields or use the * wildcard. You need a primary key for this to work so
that you know exactly which record. An autonumber field is best if you don't
already have a PK. After running the query to ensure the proper records are
returned, change it to a Make Table query and run it.

3. Next change the query back to a Select query. This time only search for
the problem record. Make sure that all fields show EXCEPT for the problem
memo field. Run it to make sure. Then change the query to an append query and
append the bad record to the table that you just created.

4. Delete the corrupt table. Rename the new table with the same name as the
old one. You might have problems if there are relationships involved.

5. Create a new database and import everything from the old database. Use
this DB in the future.
---
Tony Toews has an excellent web page on database corruption.
Http://www.granite.ab.ca/access/corruptmdbs.htm

Allen Brown also has excellent info on corruption.
Http://allenbrowne.com/ser-47.html

I have a white paper in a Word document named Fix Corrupt Access Database
towards the bottom this page:
http://www.rogersaccesslibrary.com/OtherLibraries.asp
 
Be aware that this is commercial software and Wangdong is posting from the
datanumen.net.

John Spencer
Access MVP 2002-2005, 2007-2009
The Hilltop Institute
University of Maryland Baltimore County
 
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