ACC2002: Double-Clicking a Shortcut to an Access 2002 Database Object Starts an Earlier Version of Access (289282)

SYMPTOMS

When you double-click a shortcut that points to a Microsoft Access 2002 database object, the Windows Installer starts, and you receive the following error message:

Cannot find the file '<drive>:\<path><filename>' (or one of its components). Make sure the path and filename are correct and that all required libraries are available.

-or-

When you double-click an Access 2002 shortcut that points to an Access 2002 database or database object, an earlier version of Access starts (such as Access 2000 or Access 97) instead of Access 2002, and you receive the following error message:

This database is in an unrecognized format.

The database may have been created with a later version of Microsoft Access than the one you are using. Upgrade your version of Microsoft Access to the current one, then open this database.

RESOLUTION

Manually create a shortcut that includes the path to the correct version of Msaccess.exe, and include the path and file name to the database that you want to open. For example, the target of the shortcut could be:

"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office10\Msaccess.exe" "C:\My Documents\Db1.mdb"

Also, if you want to automatically open a particular object within the database after the shortcut is double-clicked, use the Startup dialog box in Access or create an Autoexec macro.

For more information about startup features within Access 2002, click Microsoft Access Help on the Help menu, type about startup options in the Office Assistant or the Answer Wizard, and then click Search to view the topics returned.

For more information about Autoexec macros, click Microsoft Access Help on the Help menu, type how an access files looks and behaves when it opens in the Office Assistant or the Answer Wizard, and then click Search to view the topics returned.

MORE INFORMATION

The behavior differs, depending on whether you double-click an .mdb file or double-click a shortcut.

If you double-click any .mdb file, the last version of Access that was running automatically starts. For example, if you have both Access 2000 and Access 2002 installed on the same computer and Access 2000 was the last version that you had running on the computer, when you double-click Db1.mdb, Access 2000 starts. However, if you had manually started and quit Access 2002, when you then double-click Db1.mdb, Access 2002 starts.

On the other hand, when you double-click a shortcut that points to a database file or an object in a database file, the shortcut relies on the operating system to choose which executable program to use to open the database. If different versions of Access reside on the same computer, the version registered with the operating system starts and opens (or tries to open) the database file or object, regardless of which version was last started on the computer.

Steps to Reproduce Behavior

Install Microsoft Access 2000 on a computer, and then install Microsoft Access 2002 on the same computer.

NOTE: Be sure to install these two versions into two different folders. For example, install Access 2000 into C:\Program Files\Access 2000 folder and install Access 2002 into C:\Program Files\Access 2002 folder.
Start Access 2002, and then open the sample database Northwind that ships with Access 2002.
Drag the Catalog report to the desktop, and then close Access 2002. This creates a shortcut on the desktop that points to the Catalog report in the Northwind database.
Double-click the shortcut and note that Access 2000 starts, and that you receive the first error message that is mentioned in the "Symptoms" section of this article.
Click OK to the message, and note that Access 2000 proceeds to preview the Catalog report.
Quit Access 2000, and then start Access 2002.
On the Tools menu, point to Database Utilities, point to Convert Database, and then click To Access 2002 File Format.
Convert the Northwind database to a new file called Nwind2002.mdb.
Open Nwind2002, and then create a new shortcut to the Catalog report on the desktop.
Quit Access 2002, and then double-click the new shortcut. Note that Access 2000 starts instead of Access 2002, and that you receive both error messages that are mentioned in the "Symptoms" section of this article.