ACC2002: Error Message When You Try to Copy and Paste a Table That Has a Timestamp Field (295201)

SYMPTOMS

When you try to copy and paste a table that has a timestamp field, you may receive the following error message:

Cannot update '<Fieldname>'; field not updateable.

When you click OK, the table is created without data, and the table is not updateable.

CAUSE

You do not have Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Desktop Engine or Microsoft SQL Server installed locally.

NOTE: The previous version of Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Desktop Engine is named Microsoft Data Engine (MSDE).

RESOLUTION

Install Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Desktop Engine (or SQL Server) locally.

For additional information about how to install the Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Desktop Engine, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

290627 ACC2000: Microsoft SQL 2000 Desktop Engine Is Not Installed by Office XP Setup

NOTE: Installing Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Desktop Engine (or SQL Server) locally corrects the problem permanently. You no longer receive the error message and your tables will be populated and will be updateable.

If you do not want to install Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Desktop Engine or SQL Server, you can work around this error by adding a primary key to the copy of your table. You will still receive the error message after this workaround, and you will have to fill the data in the table by appending or copying the data from the original table. However, after this workaround, your data will be updateable.

MORE INFORMATION

Steps to Reproduce the Behavior

On a computer that does not have Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Desktop Engine or SQL Server installed, create a new Access project (Existing Data) and link to data on another computer.

Create the following table, and then save the table as Table1:

   Table: Table1
   ----------------------------
   Field Name: ID [Primary Key]
   Data Type: uniqueidentifier
   Allow Nulls: No 

   Field Name: Test
   Data Type: timestamp 

   Fieldname: MyInfo
   Data type: varchar

Save the table, open it in Datasheet view, add some data to the MyInfo field, and then close the table.
Click Table1, and then click Copy on the Edit menu.
Click Paste on the Edit menu.
In the Past Table As dialog box, type CopyTable1 in the Table Name box, and then click OK. Note that you receive the following error message:
Cannot update 'Test'; field not updateable.
When you open the table, you see no data and no available new record.