ACC2000: Cannot Change Some Properties of Attached Tables (209078)

SYMPTOMS

Novice: Requires knowledge of the user interface on single-user computers.

You cannot change engine-enforced properties such as FieldSize, DefaultValue, ValidationRule, ValidationText, Required, or AllowZeroLength on linked (attached) tables. When you open the linked table in Design view, the following warning is displayed:

Table 'tablename' is a linked Table with some properties that can't be modified. Do you want to open it anyway?

If you try to save changes after modifying one of the properties listed above, you receive the following message:

This property cannot be modified in linked tables.

NOTE: Access will allow you to save the table; however, the change is not saved.

CAUSE

You cannot modify engine-enforced properties in linked non-Access tables because Access cannot enforce validation of a field that may be updated by other products, such as Microsoft Visual Basic.

RESOLUTION

You can add a default value or validation rule at the form level instead of modifying the linked table. For linked Access tables, you should change engine-enforced properties in the base tables before you link them.

REFERENCES

For more information about validation rules, click Microsoft Access Help on the Help menu, type "validating data" in the Office Assistant or the Answer Wizard, and then click Search to view the topic.